SEC Football: 5 most important SEC West games for 2017

SEC football will feature a season-long struggle with each team’s schedule playing heavily in determining the West division winner.

Alabama is the presumptive favorite because, well, Alabama has won the SEC the past three years. Auburn dethroned the Crimson Tide after a two-year run in 2013, so there are other team who could win the division, but until proven otherwise, Alabama is the favorite.

Ole Miss is not bowl eligible in 2017, but the other six SEC West teams are all in contention. In fact, Alabama’s rival Auburn has a lot of buzz. Of course, LSU has been a contender since Nick Saban built the team up back in the mid-2000s.

In 2013, the Iron Bowl essentially determined the SEC West. One single game between SEC West opponents can have that big of an impact. Going farther back, the 2011 regular season overtime contest between Alabama and LSU was such a close game, the two teams played again in the National Championship.

What are the games that will determine which team wins the division? Sure, it’s easy to pick out cross-division games that might affect the outcome. For instance, LSU traveling to The Swamp to face a talented Gators squad could impact the SEC West race. LSU also must travel to Neyland Stadium against Tennessee. Alabama plays Tennessee but in the comforting confines of Bryant Denny Stadium. However, what are the pure, strictly SEC West games that will have the biggest impact on who wins the division?

Let’s take a closer look.