Editor’s note: This is the second story in a four-part daily series this week on the SEC West’s current stranglehold over its sister division and the rest of college football.

PART 1: The SEC West is the nastiest division in college football history

The SEC West has achieved unprecedented success in the first three weeks of the 2014 season, landing a whopping five teams in the top 10 in this week’s Associated Press Poll. Meanwhile, in the East, only three of seven teams cracked the AP Top 25, and none of those three teams was able to break into this week’s top 10.

The SEC continues to reign supreme over the rest of the college football world, just as it has for most of the last decade. But the disparity between the SEC’s East and West divisions continues to widen each and every year as the West aims to build upon its five consecutive conference championship victories.

The gap between the two divisions has left many wondering how certain East teams would fare if they played in the West, or how the West’s two unranked teams — Mississippi State and Arkansas — would fare in the East.

We’ll never get a definitive answer to those questions, but the 14 scheduled head-to-head matchups pitting a team from the East against a team from the West should provide some clarity as to just how dominant the West’s Significant Seven actually are in 2014.

Two of those head-to-head matchups have already taken place, with Texas A&M topping South Carolina by 24 in Week 1 and Ole Miss routing Vanderbilt by 38 points in Week 2. But what about the other 12 East-West showdowns remaining on the schedule?

Let’s take a closer look at all 12 games:

Games favoring the West (8)

Florida at Alabama (Sept. 20): One week after being pushed to triple-overtime by the Kentucky Wildcats, the Florida Gators must travel to Tuscaloosa to take on a nasty Alabama team. The Crimson Tide has enjoyed back-to-back games against mid-major opponents (Florida Atlantic and Southern Miss), and should be plenty rested for this game against Florida. Look for Alabama to pressure Jeff Driskel early and often, taking a page out of Kentucky’s gameplan for beating the Gators. The West should flex its muscles in this game in matching up a top 5 team with an unranked Gators’ squad still recovering from a 4-8 season in 2013.

One week after being pushed to triple-overtime by the Kentucky Wildcats, the Florida Gators must travel to Tuscaloosa to take on a nasty Alabama team. The Crimson Tide has enjoyed back-to-back games against mid-major opponents (Florida Atlantic and Southern Miss), and should be plenty rested for this game against Florida. Look for Alabama to pressure Jeff Driskel early and often, taking a page out of Kentucky’s gameplan for beating the Gators. The West should flex its muscles in this game in matching up a top 5 team with an unranked Gators’ squad still recovering from a 4-8 season in 2013. Kentucky at LSU (Oct. 18): The Wildcats looked drastically improved from years past in its loss to Florida, but the Cats don’t stand a chance in Death Valley against a tough LSU defense. The Tigers are tops in the conference and top 5 in the nation in total defense and scoring defense, and a young Kentucky offense should experience its fair share of growing pains in Baton Rouge. Even if the game were scheduled to be played in Lexington, the Cats would still be a massive underdog. However, in Baton Rouge it will be almost impossible for UK to score the epic upset.

The Wildcats looked drastically improved from years past in its loss to Florida, but the Cats don’t stand a chance in Death Valley against a tough LSU defense. The Tigers are tops in the conference and top 5 in the nation in total defense and scoring defense, and a young Kentucky offense should experience its fair share of growing pains in Baton Rouge. Even if the game were scheduled to be played in Lexington, the Cats would still be a massive underdog. However, in Baton Rouge it will be almost impossible for UK to score the epic upset. Missouri at Texas A&M (Nov. 15): Mizzou is ranked No. 18 in the nation in this week’s AP Top 25, and the defending East champion should have every opportunity to defend its division title this season. However, after what A&M was able to do in South Carolina on opening night with a new starting quarterback in Kenny Hill, it seems unlikely the Tigers will be able to keep up with the Aggies on the scoreboard. Missouri is eighth in the SEC in scoring defense and seventh in total defense despite playing three games against South Dakota State, Toledo and UCF to this point. Texas A&M has had the conference’s most explosive offense through three games, including a 52-point performance on the road in Columbia against a ranked Gamecocks team. Even with two talented defensive ends, Missouri faces steep odds in trying to stun the Aggies in this game.

Mizzou is ranked No. 18 in the nation in this week’s AP Top 25, and the defending East champion should have every opportunity to defend its division title this season. However, after what A&M was able to do in South Carolina on opening night with a new starting quarterback in Kenny Hill, it seems unlikely the Tigers will be able to keep up with the Aggies on the scoreboard. Missouri is eighth in the SEC in scoring defense and seventh in total defense despite playing three games against South Dakota State, Toledo and UCF to this point. Texas A&M has had the conference’s most explosive offense through three games, including a 52-point performance on the road in Columbia against a ranked Gamecocks team. Even with two talented defensive ends, Missouri faces steep odds in trying to stun the Aggies in this game. Tennessee at Ole Miss (Oct. 18): Tennessee has shown it has plenty of talent on both sides of the ball through three weeks this season, but Saturday’s loss to Oklahoma showed just how raw and inexperienced that talent really is. In a few years, this game could be a clash of titans powered by the stellar recruiting of both Hugh Freeze and Butch Jones. As for this year, however, Ole Miss should have no trouble doing away with the Volunteers on its home field. Road games in the conference will be a learning experience for Tennessee’s electrifying freshmen, and although the Vols have plenty to gain from this showdown in building for the future, they are nowhere near ready to compete with Bo Wallace and company in a true road game.

Tennessee has shown it has plenty of talent on both sides of the ball through three weeks this season, but Saturday’s loss to Oklahoma showed just how raw and inexperienced that talent really is. In a few years, this game could be a clash of titans powered by the stellar recruiting of both Hugh Freeze and Butch Jones. As for this year, however, Ole Miss should have no trouble doing away with the Volunteers on its home field. Road games in the conference will be a learning experience for Tennessee’s electrifying freshmen, and although the Vols have plenty to gain from this showdown in building for the future, they are nowhere near ready to compete with Bo Wallace and company in a true road game. Vanderbilt at Mississippi State (Nov. 22): If you’ve watched any Vanderbilt football this season (not sure why you would have, but on the off chance you did…) you know why this game obviously favors Mississippi State. The Commodores were housed by Temple and were lucky to beat a winless UMass team. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are 3-0 and had no trouble taking care of three mediocre opponents to begin the year. The fact this game is in Starkville is just gravy for Mississippi State, which should rotate plenty of players onto the field in a low-stress SEC matchup.

If you’ve watched any Vanderbilt football this season (not sure why you would have, but on the off chance you did…) you know why this game obviously favors Mississippi State. The Commodores were housed by Temple and were lucky to beat a winless UMass team. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are 3-0 and had no trouble taking care of three mediocre opponents to begin the year. The fact this game is in Starkville is just gravy for Mississippi State, which should rotate plenty of players onto the field in a low-stress SEC matchup. Alabama at Tennessee (Oct. 25): Tennessee will struggle in this game for many of the same reasons it struggled against Oklahoma and will likely struggle against every ranked team it plays. The Volunteers are plenty talented, but are still very much a work in progress. Alabama is a work in progress in certain areas, namely at the quarterback position, but the team as a whole is competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff this year. This old-school rivalry will return to form in a few years, but in 2014 this result should heavily favor Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide.

Tennessee will struggle in this game for many of the same reasons it struggled against Oklahoma and will likely struggle against every ranked team it plays. The Volunteers are plenty talented, but are still very much a work in progress. Alabama is a work in progress in certain areas, namely at the quarterback position, but the team as a whole is competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff this year. This old-school rivalry will return to form in a few years, but in 2014 this result should heavily favor Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide. LSU at Florida (Oct. 11): The Gators managed just three first half points at home against Kentucky, which does not bode well for their matchup with LSU in a few weeks. The Tigers have the best defense (statistically speaking) in the conference, and are not prone to giving up big gains or bunches of points against SEC foes. Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel looked shaky at best against UK, and aside from Demarcus Robinson no one has stepped up as a legitimate target in the Gators’ pass attack in their first two games. Florida is still too flawed on the offensive side of the ball to keep up on the scoreboard against a fierce LSU defense, and that is why this matchup should heavily favor the Tigers.

The Gators managed just three first half points at home against Kentucky, which does not bode well for their matchup with LSU in a few weeks. The Tigers have the best defense (statistically speaking) in the conference, and are not prone to giving up big gains or bunches of points against SEC foes. Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel looked shaky at best against UK, and aside from Demarcus Robinson no one has stepped up as a legitimate target in the Gators’ pass attack in their first two games. Florida is still too flawed on the offensive side of the ball to keep up on the scoreboard against a fierce LSU defense, and that is why this matchup should heavily favor the Tigers. Mississippi State at Kentucky (Oct. 25): Mississippi State is ranked just outside the AP Top 25, but the Bulldogs are more than capable of working their way into the polls as soon as next week should they beat LSU on Saturday. Mississippi State boasts one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC in Dak Prescott, and the Bulldogs’ front seven has suffocated opposing rushing attacks time and time again in 2014. The Cats have talent on both sides of the ball, but they are still a very flawed team, especially in the run game. This is not a great matchup for Kentucky, even in Lexington, and if Mississippi State is to be a contender in the West, it’ll have to make quick work of UK.

Games favoring the East (2)

Georgia at Arkansas (Oct. 18): The Arkansas rushing attack has looked scary good over the last two weeks, especially in last week’s win against Texas Tech, but it will face a difficult test when it takes on a tough Georgia defense next month. The Bulldogs are battle-tested having already played games against a pair of ranked Clemson and South Carolina teams, and they should have no trouble containing the Razorbacks’ one-dimensional offense. Unless Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen shows he can provide a modest threat through the air against SEC defenses, there’s no reason to believe Arkansas will be able to keep up offensively in this one. As soon as Georgia takes a two score lead, limiting the Razorbacks’ run game, the game will be as good as over.

The Arkansas rushing attack has looked scary good over the last two weeks, especially in last week’s win against Texas Tech, but it will face a difficult test when it takes on a tough Georgia defense next month. The Bulldogs are battle-tested having already played games against a pair of ranked Clemson and South Carolina teams, and they should have no trouble containing the Razorbacks’ one-dimensional offense. Unless Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen shows he can provide a modest threat through the air against SEC defenses, there’s no reason to believe Arkansas will be able to keep up offensively in this one. As soon as Georgia takes a two score lead, limiting the Razorbacks’ run game, the game will be as good as over. Arkansas at Missouri (Nov. 29): Like in its matchup against Georgia, the Razorbacks will face a huge challenge in trying to run on a talented Missouri defensive line. The Tigers’ starting defensive ends — Markus Golden and Shane Ray — may be better than last year’s tandem of Michael Sam and Kony Ealy, both of whom are now playing in the NFL. If Maty Mauk and the Mizzou offense can grab an early lead, Arkansas may have to throw the ball and challenge a weak Missouri secondary, which is not typically a big part of Arkansas’ weekly gameplan on offense. Although the Razorbacks have a tremendous rushing attack, they are not built to play from behind, and against Mauk and company they may be playing from behind for most of the game. There’s not much separating these two teams talent-wise, which says a lot considering Mizzou is the third-best team in the East and Arkansas may be the worst team in the West. Unfortunately for Arkansas, it matches up poorly with Mizzou and should be a significant underdog in this game.

Toss-up games (2)

South Carolina at Auburn (Oct. 25) AND Auburn at Georgia (Nov. 15): No one in the SEC has a tougher schedule than Auburn, which, in addition to playing a challenging SEC West schedule, must take on two ranked teams from the East in Georgia and South Carolina. It will be interesting to see how the defending conference champs stack up against the best teams from the East this season, and the result of these two games may be the best barometer for how the two divisions compare to one another. No one else in the nation has been able to dominate with its run game the way Auburn has under Gus Malzahn, and the Tigers’ defense has only allowed its opponents to score 17 points per game this season. Georgia and South Carolina should both be fresher than Auburn in their respective showdowns with the Tigers, as Auburn plays a new ranked team seemingly every week. However, Auburn returned many of its star players from last year’s SEC championship team, and those players should be prepared for a pair of heavyweight showdowns with the East.

So there you have it — the West is already 2-0 against the East and should be favored in eight of 12 remaining games against its sister division. That would amount to 10 wins, and even if the East and West split the two aforementioned “toss-up games,” the West would still post an 11-3 record against the East.

Those numbers speak for themselves. A lot can change between now and the end of the season, but the West has already rolled over two East opponents rather effortlessly. It will be expected to do the same at least eight more times against the East in 2014.

The SEC East is still a powerhouse division on a national scale, but within the conference, they’re quickly turning into the red-headed stepchild, while the West continues to dominate both on and off the field.