The truth is we don’t know which team will win the SEC East this season, but we have a pretty good idea basing our projection on overall talent, schedule favorability and matchup analysis.

This is what makes August fun — cycling through the league’s season-long schedule via individual games that could shape the division title picture.

RELATED: SEC’s biggest trap games in 2015

There are several contests involving SEC West competition that are sure to influence the East race, including showdowns with Alabama, Auburn and Arkansas, but for this exercise, we have only included games involving division rivals.

Ranked in no particular order, let’s look at some of the most important showdowns …

SEC East’s most important games in 2015

Mizzou at Georgia, Oct. 17 — There’s a good chance the two-time defending division champion Tigers will be 6-0 and ranked inside the Top 10 coming in this one with the setting ripe for College GameDay — without having played a single nationally-ranked team. This is Mizzou’s shot at dispelling the overrated moniker the last two years and lack of respect surrounding the 2015 season. The margin of error will be zero for the Bulldogs if Mark Richt’s team loses to Tennessee or Alabama beforehand.

Georgia at Tennessee, Oct. 10 — The primary reason this game isn’t No. 1 on the list is due to the fact Tennessee will have to overcome games against Florida and Arkansas in consecutive weeks prior for this matchup to be as gargantuan as promised. If in fact the Vols come in 5-0, it will not only be the biggest game in Butch Jones’ tenure, but remaining matchups would only get bigger from there as a legitimate College Football Playoff threat.

Tennessee at Mizzou, Nov. 21 — This game could decide a berth in Atlanta if both teams come in with one loss or fewer. Tennessee’s looking to avenge a 28-point loss the last time it played at Faurot Field during the 2013 campaign. Mizzou won again last season, holding off the Vols at Neyland in a much tighter contest. After this one, Mizzou has Arkansas left while the Vols host Vanderbilt.

South Carolina at Georgia, Sept. 19 — This one’s a must-win for the Bulldogs considering how brutal the remaining schedule will be against SEC competition. Despite entering the game as a likely double-digit underdog, South Carolina will like its chances since the Gamecocks have won four of the last five in the series. Ironically, losses to Steve Spurrier didn’t cost Georgia in the East during the 2011 or 2012 seasons. It would this fall.

Tennessee at Florida, Sept. 26 —  Will the Vols break the Gator Curse? As 90 percent of our readers know, Tennessee hasn’t beaten Florida in 10 years and a loss to the Gators this season would prove fatal to division title hopes. Not only would it be disappointing, but Jones would face serious scrutiny following the SEC opener about what went wrong in The Swamp. If Tennessee’s back, it needs to prove it against

Florida at South Carolina, Nov. 14 — Here’s why this late-season contest is worth the wait: there’s a chance both teams will be fighting for bowl eligibility in a must-win SEC finale. That’s the way it worked out for the Gamecocks last season who pulled a magic trick in Gainesville to win their fifth game. Had South Carolina not blocked a late punt and later won in overtime, Spurrier’s team would’ve finished below .500 for the first time in his tenure. This game, once again, will have postseason meaning for the Head Ball Coach.