Ranking Best SEC Football Head Coaching Matchups for 2016 Season

In Southeastern Conference football, the head coaches are rock stars.

So while everybody cares most about what happens on the field, there's a bit of a "battle of the bands" atmosphere on message boards and comments sections across the Internet leading up to the games, especially when it comes to coaching decisions.

Right now, Alabama coach Nick Saban owns the bragging rights, and a few new faces like Ole Miss' Hugh Freeze, Florida's Jim McElwain and Tennessee's Butch Jones are trying to take their programs to a level where they can be mentioned among the league's coaching elite.

But with a ton of turnover in the league—Mark Richt getting canned and replaced with former Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, Will Muschamp replacing Steve Spurrier in South Carolina and Barry Odom supplanting Missouri staple Gary Pinkel—there is plenty of wiggle room in league coaching rankings.

This year, a claim will be staked each week as some of the new guys try to prove they belong near the top. Others who were big-time names just a couple of years ago like LSU's Les Miles, Auburn's Gus Malzahn and Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin will try to keep the temperature on their seats down.

As always, a lot of games have a lot of ramifications in 2016. There are always the divisional tugs-of-war for a spot in Atlanta, and a cross-divisional game even made this list.

So let's rank the top coaching matchups of the upcoming SEC season. The criteria will be magnitude of the outcome of the game, job ramifications and the fact that every coach can appear on the list just once. 

Here's a look at some of the top coaching grudge matches.

5. Bret Bielema vs. Dan Mullen, Nov. 19

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Neither Arkansas coach Bret Bielema nor Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen is anywhere near the hot seat yet.

But that doesn't mean their programs are exactly on firm footing heading into 2016. Both the Razorbacks (quarterback Brandon Allen, running back Alex Collins) and the Bulldogs (all-world quarterback Dak Prescott) must replace top-level stars from last year's team.

To make matters worse, they've dealt with coaching turnover, too.

Bielema's reputation was built on the power running game, which took a hit when Sam Pittman left the Hogs for Georgia. Now Arkansas will have to reload that area of the game under two new assistants—Kurt Anderson (offensive line) and Reggie Mitchell (running backs).

He also convinced former Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads to head to Fayetteville to coach the secondary.

In Starkville, Mullen had to fill plenty of vacancies, too, overhauling the entire defensive side of the ball. New coordinator Peter Sirmon heads over from the West Coast, and Brian Baker (defensive line), Terrell Buckley (secondary/recruiting coordinator) and Maurice Linguist (safeties) round out the new faces.

ESPN.com's Alex Scarborough wrote that the revolving door on that side of the ball may be a concern for MSU:

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Three years, three defensive coordinators. While Mullen insists that the scheme on defense won’t change as long as he’s at the helm, the lack of consistency in who is calling plays is troubling. First it was Geoff Collins, then Manny Diaz and now Peter Sirmon. What’s more, Sirmon is working with a completely new staff on defense, from position coaches to graduate assistants. 

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The good news for MSU is that linebacker Richie Brown is a star and a staple who can fortify that unit for Sirmon.

Players like him are needed for both coaches as they look to turn the page from very successful tenures under departed players. College football is cyclical with four-year players coming and going, of course, and for coaches to continue success, they've got to find stars to fill the stars.

This will be a matchup of two good coaches trying to find those guys. By the time late November rolls around, we should have a good idea of who they will be.

4. Kevin Sumlin vs. Gus Malzahn, Sept. 17

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Who would have thought at the beginning of last season that this game might decide which coach loses his job and which keeps his?

A year after finishing runner-up to Florida State in the national championship game, Auburn fell off the college football mountain in avalanche style a season ago, leaving Gus Malzahn scuffling. A mass exodus of assistants makes things even more worrisome for the Tigers.

After setting recruiting on fire for the Aggies the past couple of seasons, Kevin Sumlin's on-field results haven't been what was expected. With all the recruiting drama that has surrounded the program recently as well as the defections of star quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray, Sumlin now has plenty of questions.

Outkick the Coverage's Aaron Torres said the departure of those two "created a void under center and left Kevin Sumlin's program in a little bit of a sky-is-falling, hide-the-women, code-red, everything-is-going-to-hell scenario."

That may be dramatic, but it isn't the best of situations, even with Oklahoma transfer Trevor Knight finishing his career in College Station. It isn't like the Aggies are devoid of talent, however. Myles Garrett and Co. along with a slew of star receivers could save Sumlin's situation. 

The shaky offseason on the Plains saw running back Roc Thomas transfer, and with a quarterback conundrum still facing the Tigers, Malzahn needs to rekindle some of that offensive magic from 2014.

This game is early in the season, and quite frankly, both teams need to win it to stay on track to win enough to make their fidgety fans happy. In the rugged SEC West, there aren't a lot of gimmes, and this one won't be one.

But both coaches will really, really need this one.

3. Kirby Smart vs. Hugh Freeze, Sept. 24

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Simply put, this is a massive game for the beginning of the Kirby Smart era at Georgia.

While North Carolina will be a big test in the season opener, beating what should be a strong Ole Miss team in Oxford could catapult that Bulldogs' confidence heading into a key SEC East battle against Tennessee at home the next week. That'll be the toughest two-game swing of the year for UGA.

Hugh Freeze wants nothing more than to put the ugly NCAA mess behind him and get the football season underway. The Rebels have the best quarterback in the SEC in Chad Kelly and a bunch of stud receivers for him to fire at.

The "Landshark" defense should be good again, too, even if it did lose some key pieces.

With all those storylines, this game has all the trappings to be one of the best cross-divisional games of the season, and because these two teams don't play every year, it will be even more intriguing.

If the Dawgs can sweep that two-game swing with the Rebs and Vols, it could be a big year. SEC Country's Jay Clemons believes that's doable:

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At first blush, it’s implausible to believe UGA—employing a first-time head coach (Kirby Smart), a rebuilt front seven on defense, a post-injury star tailback (Nick Chubb) and potentially a true freshman starter at quarterback (Jacob Eason)—could rack up 10 victories and earn a share of the SEC East crown.

However, the Bulldogs’ 2016 schedule does not include Alabama, LSU or Texas A&M, presumably the SEC West’s top three teams. What’s more, rivals Tennessee (Oct. 1), Auburn (Nov. 12) and Georgia Tech (Nov. 26) all come to Athens. This represents a win-win for all parties.

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Ole Miss may not miss the Nkemdiche brothers and all their drama as much as once thought, but not having Laremy Tunsil to anchor a green line will be a big deal. Freeze is recruiting exceptionally well, and it'll be interesting to see if that continues in the wake of the allegations.

But if the Rebels continue to win on the field, kids will continue to be interested. This is two of the league's top recruiters going at each other, with one coach trying to reach the upper echelon and another going for a signature win in his first season. It could be a really fun one to watch.

2. Butch Jones vs. Jim McElwain, Sept. 24

John Raoux/Associated Press

Everything is in place for Tennessee head coach Butch Jones to set his Volunteers in motion with an SEC East crown this year, which would be the next progressive step in the program's ascension. 

The Vols have depth, talent, experience and some potential superstar players in running backs Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara, quarterback Joshua Dobbs, cornerback Cameron Sutton, linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin and defensive end Derek Barnett.

They also made arguably the best assistant coaching hire in the country when they lured Penn State defensive coordinator Bob Shoop to Knoxville.

But if all the Vols fans' dreams are going to come true and UT is going to get back to the top, they've got to find a way to beat Florida for the first time in 11 long and frustrating years. The Gators truly have the Vols' number, finding cruel and unusual ways to beat Tennessee every single year.

You can always count on UF coach Jim McElwain for a sound bite, too. Last year following Florida's dramatic, come-from-behind win over the Vols, he told Gator Country's Nick De La Torre, "You just don't lose to Tennessee."

This spring, he's already mentioned with tongue in cheek that Tennessee should "beat the hell out of us. …We're just going to be lucky to show up," according to Gridiron Now's Mike Huguenin.

The Vols really should win that game this year, and if they do, they'll get an early head start on what should be a three-team race for the East. But the Gators are no slouches; even with major quarterback and offensive line issues a season ago, they won 10 games.

Those are expected to be better this year with transfer Luke Del Rio under center, and there are always blue-and-orange-clad heroes against the Vols.

Can Tennessee break that cycle? Or will Jones continue struggling to win the big game like he did in close calls last year against Oklahoma, Florida, Alabama and Arkansas?

This season, the Gators game is in Knoxville, and the Vols likely will be favored. If they fail to beat Florida, the questions will start to be asked, and the feeling will grow eerily similar to when Steve Spurrier left Gainesville and the East appeared Tennessee's to seize, but a new coach stepped in and stole the spotlight.

Then, it was Mark Richt. Now, it could be McElwain, as it was last year, or even Smart. This is going to be a huge game to see whether the Vols have turned a key corner, or if it's the same ol' Tennessee that can't beat Florida.

If the Gators prevail, they'll get a head start on a return trip to Atlanta.

1. Les Miles vs. Nick Saban, Nov. 5

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Until somebody knocks him off, Alabama head coach Nick Saban is going to be at the top of everything in the SEC.

Real, actual football…recruiting…this list…

Saban just has everything rolling (pardon the pun) in Crimson Tide country. The defending national champions won the mythical recruiting championship again, and though they have to replace a whole lot of NFL talent, Saban has recruited the 5-stars to do it.

LSU coach Les Miles saved his job last year by a grass blade. As a matter of fact, at halftime of the Tigers' season finale last year, even Miles thought he was gone. Instead, they brought him back, and all Miles did was sign yet another loaded recruiting class.

He also has the most physically gifted athlete in all of college football in workhorse running back Leonard Fournette, and some think this year's Tigers and all their returning starters could be the ones to knock Saban's Tide off their perch. Torres believes they will:

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After a tumultuous 2015 season in which Les Miles was, quite literally, a quarter away from being fired, things are way different just a few months later in Baton Rouge. The Mad Hatter not only survived that hot seat chatter but thrived, and coming off a big-time bowl win against Texas Tech expectations are through the roof for the Tigers.

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That's good and bad for Miles. He still has quarterback issues, and the heightened hopes could lead to even bigger frustrations if LSU can't pull off the win in Death Valley. Miles may have saved his job a season ago, but that doesn't mean it's totally safe.

Saban, on the other hand, would just shrug off any pressure with one of his "aight's" then go out and field another uber-talented team. At this point, it's just what Alabama does.

But no matter how close Miles came to losing his job, he still takes the necessary risks and has the necessary talent to beat the Tide. He's a good coach, and this game will always be the barometer by which LSU fans measure just how good.

Alabama-LSU always has the hype with Saban-Miles as a worthy sidebar, and this year, the game may actually live up to it. If Miles wins it, the job worries will vaporize.

All information gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. All recruiting information gathered from 247Sports unless otherwise noted. All stats gathered at CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted.

Brad Shepard covers SEC football and is the Tennessee lead writer for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter @Brad_Shepard.