Halfway through the second week of fall practice, there’s no better time to continue our SEC game-by-game predictions series breaking down each and every contest during the regular season.

We pride ourselves on knowing college football’s most competitive conference as well as anyone and as one reader pointed out this summer using a weighted point system based on accuracy against other preseason prognosticators, our annual ‘Crystal Ball’ ranks among the nation’s most precise.

RELATED: 2015 preseason bowl projections | SDS’ best and worst 2014 predictions

We called a couple big-time upsets last fall including Mississippi’s win over Alabama, but whiffed on South Carolina’s abrupt fall from grace in the East along with Mizzou’s second consecutive division title.

We’re ready for another exciting season of SEC football, aren’t you?

2015 CRYSTAL BALL SERIES

LSU TIGERS

2014 Crystal Ball Projection: 9-3, 5-3
2014 Actual: 8-5, 4-4

THE 2015 BATTLEFIELD

Sept. 5 vs. McNeese State (W): Leonard Fournette’s Heisman campaign starts off with a bang against the Cowboys.

Sept. 12 at Mississippi State (W): The loser of this game starts off on the wrong foot in the West and faces an uphill climb the rest of the way. The Tigers find a way to contain Dak, unlike last season.

Sept. 19 vs. Auburn (L): LSU struggles to keep up offensively against one of the most talented squads on this year’s schedule. Jeremy Johnson’s star shines brightly in Baton Rouge.

Sept. 26 at Syracuse (W): The Tigers travel to the Carrier Dome in a rare early-season road game against a Power 5. The Orange won’t have enough strength at the line of scrimmage in this one.

Oct. 3 vs. Eastern Michigan (W): Here’s one of those 38-7 evening games that most SEC fans stop watching by halftime. At least the Eagles will sport new uniforms this season.

Oct. 10 at South Carolina (L): This happens to be one of our two big upset predictions this season in a game that will be tight throughout. Gamecocks hold off the Tigers in a low-scoring affair.

Oct. 17 vs. Florida (W): Kevin Steele gets a chance to turn his defense loose against an offense littered with inexperience. The winner gets ‘DBU’ bragging rights for another year.

Oct. 24 vs. Western Kentucky (W): LSU need not overlook this opponent between games against the Gators and Crimson Tide. Western Kentucky can score points in bunches.

Nov. 7 at Alabama (L): The Tigers hope to snap a four-game skid in this fierce rivalry series, but the Crimson Tide will have their sights set on a second straight SEC Championship and Playoff berth. Could LSU play spoiler? Perhaps.

Nov. 14 vs. Arkansas (W): If you’re a fan of grind-it-out slugfests, this one’s for you. The winner is headed toward a nine-win regular season and I’m picking the Tigers in a four-quarter battle.

Nov. 21 at Ole Miss (W): LSU’s starting to find its groove, but it’s too late in the West.

Nov. 28 vs. Texas A&M (W): Kevin Sumlin hasn’t yet figured out how to attack this defense, but perhaps he’ll know the secret recipe now that John Chavis is on his sideline. If this game was being played at Kyle Field, I’d be more inclined to pick the Aggies.

2015 PROJECTED FINISH: 9-3, 5-3; Third in the West

THE LOWDOWN: Is nine wins with a chance at 10 enough to appease this LSU fanbase? Les Miles is falling out of favor despite the success as an annual 10-win program due largely to the fact the Tigers haven’t appeared in the SEC Championship Game since 2011. This team is a good quarterback away from being a Playoff threat, but there are too many question entering the season to project LSU taking the next step this fall.