Diving deep into preseason projections, one can never underestimate the power of the bye week.

When it comes is of utmost important and this season, the SEC will no longer benefit from two such breaks in the schedule. Some open dates aren’t as favorable as others looking at each team’s 2015 slate.

Here’s the breakdown …

ALABAMA

Open date: Oct. 31, between vs. Tennessee and vs. LSU

Excluding bowl prep, Nick Saban’s is 7-4 coming off a bye week with the Crimson Tide since 2007, with all but one of those losses coming to LSU (2014, Ole Miss). A large portion of those open dates have come prior to the annual clash with the Tigers, one of two huge late-season rivalry bouts that often determines Alabama’s fate. Being away from the field on Halloween this season means the Crimson Tide have an extra week to regroup from a physical matchup with Tennessee in prep for LSU. The extra time isn’t necessarily reserved for additional game-planning, rather ironing out any deficiencies prior to the stretch run beginning with the Tigers.

Verdict: Winner

ARKANSAS

Open date: Oct. 17, between at Alabama and vs. Auburn

Right smack in the middle of back-to-back games against the Yellowhammer State heavyweights, the Razorbacks’ mid-October bye week splits the season into six-game halves. Bret Bielema will have a good feel for his squad by this team and so will the national eye following three straight SEC contests. Alabama and Auburn have differing offensive philosophies and this will come in handy for Robb Smith as he tries to figure out a way to attack the Tigers’ multi-faceted rushing attack. Last season, Arkansas’ first bye week came prior to a well-played one-point loss to the Crimson Tide while the second led to a dominant shutout of LSU.

Verdict: Winner

AUBURN

Open date: Oct. 10, between vs. San Jose State and at Kentucky (Thursday)

Here’s one of the bye weeks that isn’t beneficial for a perceived elite. Auburn used two bye weeks last season to work on execution prior to wins over Kansas State and South Carolina, but this year’s off weekend leads into a Thursday night affair at Kentucky. The game against the Wildcats begins a seven-game over seven-week gauntlet to end the regular season for the Tigers. Considering Gus Malzahn’s first-teamers will likely only play one half against San Jose State, they’ll get a nearly 13-day break before crunching pads with Kentucky.

Verdict: Loser

FLORIDA

Open date: Oct. 24, between at LSU and vs. Georgia (Jacksonville)

The same bye week helped the Gators regroup last season following an embarrassing home loss to Mizzou. With Will Muschamp’s future in doubt, Florida responded and sent the Bulldogs back to Athens with over 400 yards rushing during a beatdown in Jacksonville. The Gators could be in a similar boat this fall after an extremely difficult (and likely night) road game in Baton Rouge prior to their rivalry game. Jim McElwain will put it to good use.

Verdict: Winner

GEORGIA

Open date: Oct. 24, between vs. Mizzou and vs. Florida (Jacksonville)

Like Florida, Georgia’s gets the luxury of additional prep time for the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party (oops, we’re not calling it that anymore), a game the Bulldogs must have to win the Eastern Division this season. After losing both of its games against SEC competition following open weekends last season, Mark Richt would probably prefer playing out the stretch or moving his bye week to November prior to Georgia’s pivotal trip to Auburn. Then again defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt didn’t seem to have a problem coming up with a plan to stop Malzahn’s run-heavy offense last season.

Verdict: Loser

KENTUCKY

Open date: Oct. 10, between vs. Eastern Kentucky and vs. Auburn (Thursday)

A few extra days to prepare for the biggest home game of the season in a nationally-televised primetime setting is the first step toward a colossal upset, right? Mark Stoops needs to beat Auburn, a landmark victory that could possibly give the Wildcats their fourth win of the season with six games to play. The Tigers are off the same weekend, but a bye week often favors the home team more so than the visitors.

Verdict: Winner

LSU

Open date: Oct. 31, between vs. Western Kentucky and at Alabama

Les Miles is arguably the SEC’s best at getting his players motivated and has used an additional week to post an impressive 8-5 record over the last decade at LSU including several wins over Alabama. The Tigers are one of four SEC teams that won’t be playing on Halloween this season.

Verdict: Winner

MISSISSIPPI

Open date: Nov. 14, between vs. Arkansas and vs. LSU

The Rebels will have to play an SEC-high 10 consecutive grueling weeks of football prior to their lone open date in mid-November before hosting LSU. It’s a good spot due to the likely nationally-ranked opponent, but you’d have to think Ole Miss would’ve preferred a Saturday without football a little sooner than near the end of the regular season. Nevertheless, Hugh Freeze’s game plan for scripted first quarter plays should be sound with an additional week. I just don’t like the placement after 10 straight games without a break.

Verdict: Loser

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Open date: Oct. 31, between vs. Kentucky and at Missouri

One of the league’s much-watch late season games this fall is Mississippi State’s Thursday nighter at Faurot Field in November. Heading into their bye week on Halloween, the Bulldogs will already know their stance in the Western Division and if a championship run is still in the cards. One of Prescott’s last appearances on the big stage, I’m looking forward to this one as much as Dan Mullen and Co.

Verdict: Winner

MISSOURI

Open date: Oct. 31, between at Vanderbilt and vs. Mississippi State (Thursday)

Since Missouri’s trip to Athens is likely the Eastern Division’s most important game this season, the Tigers may have enjoyed their only off Saturday a couple weeks earlier to better prepare for Georgia. Instead, they’ll settle for a made-for-TV cross-division matchup with Dak Prescott and Mississippi State. Over the last two seasons, Missouri is 4-0 against the West and 2-0 of the those victories have come after bye weeks.

Verdict: Winner

SOUTH CAROLINA

Open date: Oct. 24, between vs. Vanderbilt and at Texas A&M

Dating back to the 2009 season, the Gamecocks have won an SEC-leading eight straight games coming off a bye week highlighted by 2010’s upset over top-ranked Alabama. With more time, Steve Spurrier is one of college football’s game plan masterminds (SEC-best 11-2 following byes at South Carolina). A more favorable off week for the Gamecocks this season would’ve been sandwiched between consecutive road games at Texas A&M and Tennessee rather than the previous week, but so it stands. The Head Ball Coach seems to know what he’s doing regardless of where his team’s bye week falls.

Verdict: Winner

TENNESSEE

Open date: Oct. 17, between vs. Georgia and at Alabama

The Vols own the SEC’s most perfect bye week this season. Butch Jones’ team gets a chance to regroup between huge games against the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs and a split (at worst) will be needed to win the Eastern Division. Imagine the intrigue if Tennessee beats Georgia to move to 6-0 inside the Top 10 before the afternoon time-slotted rivalry bout with the Crimson Tide. It would make for the most-hyped Vols football game in nearly a decade.

Verdict: Winner

TEXAS A&M

Open date: Oct. 10, between vs. Mississippi State and vs. Alabama

You won’t hear Saban gripe about it, but three of Alabama’s eight SEC opponents this season will be coming off bye weeks, a huge disadvantage for the Crimson Tide. It plays into a strength for the Aggies who have given Kirby Smart’s defense fits two of the last three seasons. Last fall’s 59-point massacre in Tuscaloosa hasn’t been forgotten and Texas A&M will be chomping at the bit for the rematch at Kyle Field.

Verdict: Winner

VANDERBILT

Open date: Oct. 10, between at Middle Tennessee and at South Carolina

The Commodores haven’t won an SEC road game since Nov. 23, 2013, so the open date coming before a battle with the Gamecocks doesn’t bode well. Ironically, Vanderbilt beat Florida in Gainesville after a bye week during that same season. A more favorable time would’ve been in prep for a winnable league home game, early-November before the Kentucky matchup perhaps?

Verdict: Loser