Kentucky at Vanderbilt (Nov. 14) is a rarity in the SEC in that it could feature two teams that will not end the season bowl-eligible.

Any story that purports to identify the best, most meaningful, most competitive SEC games — or any similar distinction — is an exercise in futility. Which matchups does one include, and which matchups does one exclude?

Inevitably, worthy games get left off these lists, or else a writer would publish the SEC schedule in its entirety and call it “heart-stopping SEC games of 2015.”

I’m curious, though, about the sort of matchups that imply larger conclusions about the programs involved. The kind that spark a number of hot takes on sports talk forums and a trickle of columns.

Here are five 2015 SEC matchups that will reveal something about the State of the Union at each program involved, along with an explanation of why the outcome will be so darned important.

OCT. 3: ALABAMA AT GEORGIA

Georgia enters 2015 as a heavy favorite to win the SEC East. Some in the media perceive fissures in what has at times seemed like an indestructible Alabama team under coach Nick Saban’s watch. Is there a better opportunity for UGA to knock off Bama than at home during this particular year?

Georgia very well could snap an Alabama streak of 73 consecutive games as the betting favorite. If the Bulldogs lose as a home favorite in such a marquee matchup, it will be a demoralizing blow to those fans who still believe coach Mark Richt is capable of bringing championships to Athens, Ga.

The result also will be a big one for the Tide, as a loss will invite all sorts of parasites, with media and detractors rushing to declare Saban’s run at the top is over. Win, though, and Alabama could be in pole position for yet another SEC title.

OCT. 31: OLE MISS AT AUBURN

One of the most exciting games of the 2014 season ended in a gruesome injury to Laquon Treadwell on an outcome-deciding goal-line play.

Both the Rebels and Tigers fell out of SEC West contention well before the end of last season, but this year’s Halloween stare-down could carry huge division implications.

Ole Miss features four members of the famed 2013 recruiting class on what could be their final tour of the SEC before making millions in the NFL as early entrants. Coach Hugh Freeze has done a nice job of positioning the Rebels for the long haul, but, arguably, this year is the team’s best opportunity to do something special. As the team learned last year, defeating a school from the state of Alabama epitomizes “special” pretty well.

Auburn is thinking national championship in 2015, but the Tigers must make it into November without a loss. Games against Georgia, Alabama and potentially the SEC championship remain after the calendar turns. Faltering at home against a run-of-the-mill Top 25 team, of which there are plenty in the SEC West, would represent an important setback.

NOV. 14: ARKANSAS AT LSU

Does LSU remain one of the three or four best teams in the SEC? Is Arkansas good enough to finish in the top half of the SEC West? This game in Baton Rouge, La., could provide a loud answer to both of those questions.

Arkansas has failed to win any close games under coach Bret Bielema (0-7 in one-possession contests), and the team has languished on the road. Correcting those two trends is a must if the Razorbacks want to be better than average in the SEC. Handling LSU in back-to-back seasons, in one of the nation’s most hostile environments, would represent a definitive statement.

LSU, meanwhile, is trying to rebound from its first five-loss season since 2008. The team hasn’t beaten Alabama in going on four years. Auburn is considered a national contender, and a trip to revenge-minded Ole Miss won’t be easy.

Win this game and the Tigers could secure at least a fourth-place finish in the division — and that’s at minimum. The program should pick up at least a few more conference wins in the pool of games that includes Mississippi State, South Carolina, Florida and Texas A&M. Finishing in the top half of a great SEC West this year would keep LSU nationally relevant.

NOV. 14: FLORIDA AT SOUTH CAROLINA

It’s all about timing. Most people insist that Florida is several years away from contending for championships. Steve Spurrier insists he’ll coach at South Carolina for several more years. The result of this game could help determine whether those statements are true.

South Carolina, Florida and Missouri are grouped tightly in most preseason polls and rankings. At least one of those teams should finish third or better in the SEC East, so this game is part of a semi-important round robin.

A finish in the bottom half of the SEC East, which most still consider below its high-water mark, after last year’s 7-6 season only would make the murmurs about Spurrier’s age and future even louder. Beating the program that made him famous would give Spurrier some ammo to fire back at his doubters, and could help the Gamecocks finish high enough in the East to develop the perception of some momentum.

As for Florida, the team would have to feel spectacular if it finished the season in the top three of the SEC East standings along with Georgia and Tennessee. It would signal to fans that even at the program’s low point, the Gators remain an important East Division factor. Beating one of the most successful head coaches in SEC history also would give new coach Jim McElwain some instant credibility, especially considering how badly Spurrier will want this one.

A loss by Florida here would underscore the mountainous task that McElwain faces.

NOV. 21: TENNESSEE AT MISSOURI

The Vols don’t have to win an SEC championship in 2015 to prove that the program once again is relevant on a national level. Beating the two-time defending SEC East champions on the road, presumably to secure at least a second-place finish in the division, could be enough. UT is supposed to beat teams like Missouri, historically, so a loss here could contribute to some heat for coach Butch Jones.

The Tigers, meanwhile, want to avoid sliding from “no one respects us” to “oh, shoot, we need to get better fast.” No one would fault Mizzou if the team dipped to second or third in the SEC East, but expectations, at least outside the program, have been raised in the last two seasons. A loss to a still-improving Tennessee team at home, one year after getting annihilated by Georgia in Columbia, Mo., wouldn’t be good. A win would make the statement that the team is at (near?) the top to stay despite the potential re-emergence of the Vols and Florida Gators.