It’s time to look at key questions across the SEC involving Saturday’s Week 4 slate of games:

Perception: Alabama will smoke Florida, further push the East into oblivion

The Crimson Tide offense is averaging 568.3 yards per game under Lane Kiffin as its new coordinator, more than 100 yards better than its per game totals each of the last six seasons. Alabama’s stuck to its guns in getting the football to the nation’s leading receiver in Amari Cooper and simplified its passing game into quick, low-risk throws for first-year starting quarterback Blake Sims. We haven’t even mentioned a run game that has already produced 10 touchdowns even though junior T.J. Yeldon’s been relatively quiet. How does Florida, a projected third-place finisher in the East coming off a three-overtime win over Kentucky, topple the conference favorite on the road with these variables?

Reality: Gators present toughest challenge yet, especially offensively

Not so fast. Alabama’s secondary is its weakest link, one of two SEC units that hasn’t yet picked off a pass this season. The Gators have a field stretcher in Demarcus Robinson that they can use to frustrate Alabama, but only if there’s a stubborn focus on moving the football on the ground. Kirby Smart’s defense is particularly dominant against the run giving up a league-low 47 yards per game, so it’ll be up to Florida’s offensive line to get something going at the point of attack in Tuscaloosa. Florida’s defense will be the toughest Alabama has seen thus far, another reason this game could down to the wire.

Perception: Mississippi St.’s best chance to beat LSU is quarterback Dak Prescott

How do you combat college football’s second-best scoring defense on the road? Possessing a dual-threat Heisman candidate at quarterback like Dak Prescott often helps, one of the SEC’s top players through the first three weeks of the season. Prescott will challenge John Chavis and the LSU defense in ways it hasn’t seen this season, more so than the conventional spread offense. Prescott’s averaging 323 yards of total offense per outing and is already responsible for 12 touchdowns (9 pass, 2 rush, 1 receiving). The Bulldogs’ upset bid and snapping a 14-game losing skid to LSU hinges on his play under center.

Reality: Stopping the Tigers’ running game is priority No. 1 in terms of an upset

LSU has issues at the quarterback position right now, but the key for the Tigers’ offenses remains a between-the-tackles approach. Les Miles wants to out-muscle the competition and win with defense, a strategy that has worked out beautifully for his team during four consecutive double-digit win seasons. Anchored by Preston Smith, Chris Jones and Benardrick McKinney in the front seven, Mississippi State’s owns the SEC’s second-best defense against the rush and must keep LSU under 200 yards on the ground to win Saturday night in Baton Rouge.

Perception: South Carolina will roll into Nashville and score 45 points on Vanderbilt

Coming off its most important matchup of the season, South Carolina riding high post-Georgia with a renewed sense of self worth after saving its season against an Eastern Division rival. No time for a letdown as a 21.5-point favorite, the Gamecocks’ offense should continue its recent hot streak and keep it moving against clearly the SEC’s worst team in 2014.

Reality: Steve Spurrier’s only worried about winning the game, not style points

We all assume South Carolina’s a team with superior talent who will stomp an opponent who appears dead in the water. Right? Putting teams away has never been the Gamecocks’ calling card, though conventional wisdom says Steve Spurrier has enjoyed running up the score (see, Florida). This matchup’s often been tricky for South Carolina regardless where either program’s at coming in. Spurrier’s assured us all that his team isn’t overlooking the Commodores and hopes to see the best game of the season out of his bunch on Saturday night.