Here are this week’s candidates to “boom” and to “bust” around the SEC:

BOOM

1. Nick Chubb: Georgia’s star freshman tailback has given us no reason to believe he won’t shine bright in the Dawgs’ regular season finale against Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets rank 10th in the ACC and 71st in the nation in run defense, while Chubb has rushed for at least 113 yards in six straight games (he rushed for at least 140 in five straight games and had 113 at halftime of last week’s win over Charleston Southern before sitting out the second half). The freshman has been as dominant as any rusher in the nation in the second half of the season, and Georgia Tech’s defense is far from the most formidable he’ll face this season. Expect Chubb to close the year with another huge game between the hedges on Saturday.

2. Joshua Dobbs: Tennessee’s star quarterback was limited for the first time since being inserted into the lineup in last week’s 29-21 home loss to Missouri. He’s in desperate need of a bounce-back game in Week 14, and should have every opportunity to post huge numbers this weekend against a struggling Vandy defense ranked 12th in the SEC in yards allowed. The Commodores lack the athleticism to contain Dobbs in the pocket, and when he has been able to run free this season he’s torched opposing defenses with his arm and his legs. Expect him to do the same this weekend in Nashville.

3. Blake Sims: Alabama’s starting quarterback has been noticeably better at home than on the road this season, posting a 184.18 passer rating in Bryant-Denny Stadium and just a 129.26 passer rating away from home. He’ll be at home Saturday when Auburn comes to town, and he should have little trouble picking apart the SEC’s third-worst passing defense in 2014. Alabama needs a big game from Sims to counter Auburn’s explosive offense, and it’s likely the senior will rise to the occasion in the first and only Iron Bowl appearance of his career.

BUST

1. Dak Prescott: Ole Miss may have lost its last three SEC games leading into Saturday’s Egg Bowl, having allowed at least 30 points in two of those losses, but the Landsharks still maintain the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense and they should be fired up when Mississippi State comes to town. This is bad news for Prescott, whose play had begun to level off prior to last week’s easy win over Vanderbilt. The Rebels will be aggressive in their pursuit of MSU’s quarterback, and they should be able to slow down the Bulldogs rushing attack enough to expose Prescott as a traditional pocket passer. Mississippi State’s Heisman contender will have his moments, but Saturday’s game will be far from his finest in 2014.

2. Maty Mauk: Arkansas enters Friday’s matchup with Missouri fresh off back to back shutouts of LSU and Ole Miss to snap a 17-game SEC losing skid, and it will be up to Mauk and the Tigers offense to find a way to break through against the Hogs. That might not be realistic to expect, as Mauk tends to force throws and attempt to make something out of nothing in difficult situations, resulting in turnovers and negative plays more often than not. If Mauk takes it upon himself to try and single-handedly carry the offense, Missouri may struggle to score and Mauk may find himself in the midst of one of his least productive games of the season.

3. Mike Davis: South Carolina’s star tailback has quietly been among the most productive rushers in the SEC this season, but he’s in for a tough matchup Saturday against Clemson and the nation’s No. 7 rush defense. The Tigers have only allowed two opponents to rush for more than 120 yards as a team against them this season, and as a result South Carolina may put the game in the hands of quarterback Dylan Thompson, leaving Davis little opportunity to make his mark on the game. His physical running style could wear Clemson down by the second half, but it will likely be Thompson and the Gamecocks passing attack tasked with out-scoring the Tigers in Saturday’s Palmetto Bowl.