Is it too early to begin talk of the hot seat? Possibly.

But coaching in the SEC isn’t easy, and someone’s always on the hot seat. So heading into Week 4, SDS is going to rank the SEC head coaches based on who has the hottest seat.

Very Hot

1. Derek Mason, Vanderbilt

The Commodores finally got in the win column last week with a comeback win over UMass. It must’ve been so exciting in Nashville that a defensive lineman hugged the Minutemen’s kicker after he just missed the game-tying field goal. Mason said after the game that he and his staff finally put his team in a position to win the game, crucial to getting players to buy into what he’s pitching. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, it’s still going to be a long year in Nashville.

2. Will Muschamp, Florida

Florida escaped with a win Saturday night after Kentucky took them to triple-overtime. It was tied at three at the half and the Gators looked as inept as ever on offense. Had the Gators lost, his seat would be unbearably warm. Muschamp has said that winning the game the way they did will help them in the long run; we’ll see more when they travel to Tuscaloosa this week. But his leash could be getting shorter.

Much Cooler

3. Dan Mullen, Mississippi State

The Bulldogs have gotten off to a very good start and Dak Prescott has looked like an emerging star, but if they lose this weekend at LSU and then go 8-4 or 7-5 in Starkville where expectations have grown, will Mullen survive? Yes, he’s done a very good job of making that program relevant, but his best season there is 9-4. They’ve never really been a serious contender in the West, and at what point does that become unacceptable at even Mississippi State?

4. Mark Stoops, Kentucky

I expect Stoops to move further down this list each week. The Wildcats played very well in the second half of last weekend’s game in Gainesville. He’s recruited talent and athleticism to Lexington, and as a result, the Wildcats finally look like a team that can compete on this level. Don’t be surprised if Kentucky spoils a team’s season this year. Stoops coaches his guys hard and has instilled a toughness and competitiveness in them that will make them tough to beat.

5. Butch Jones, Tennessee

Jones took an unbelievably young football team to Norman, Okla. to face the Sooners last weekend and though you never really felt like they had momentum in the game, Tennessee held its own at times. Justin Worley played well despite spending most of the night on the ground. As the Vols youthful players gain experience, this team could be very good.

6. Bret Bielema, Arkansas

Bielema’s Hogs went to Lubbock and put the beatdown on Texas Tech. Arkansas’ run game could not be stopped as they ran for over 430 yards on the ground and at one point in time ran 29 consecutive running plays. It was a very impressive performance that showed a national stage that Arkansas is an improved team under Bielema. This team will get better; look out for them next year in year three under Bielema.

7. Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss

The Rebels are ranked No. 10 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 and look to be very good this season. Freeze has done a great job of elevating the talent in that program, as his 2013 recruiting class is paying off big time through the Rebels first three games. The game everyone has circled is Oct. 4 when Alabama comes calling and ESPN’s College GameDay is looking at that date as its potential first visit to Oxford.

Ice Cold

8. Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M

The Aggies struggled at times against Rice last weekend, surprisingly. But Sumlin has a very good team on his hands this year that could wreak havoc in the SEC West. Sumlin has brought a confidence and swagger to College Station and is dominating recruiting in the state of Texas as a result. Let’s see if the Aggies can improve on last year’s 9-4 mark.

9. Mark Richt, Georgia

We had to knock Richt down a bit on this list after the Bulldogs tough loss to South Carolina. Both he and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo have taken a lot of heat since last Saturday’s defeat. Many still believe Georgia is the best team in the SEC East, but the shouts that Richt can’t win the big game are beginning to grow louder again in Athens.

10. Gus Malzahn, Auburn

Malzahn’s club survived a dog fight from Kansas State last night in Manhattan. It was the type of win we haven’t seen yet from the Tigers under Malzahn. The offense never got anything going all night and the defense made plays that preserved the win for Auburn. Week in-and-week out Malzahn is solidifying himself as one of the best coaches in the SEC.

11. Gary Pinkel, Missouri

The Tigers have looked very good so far in 2014. Maty Mauk is arguably the best quarterback in the league and the Tigers pass rush is incredible with Shane Ray and Markus Golden. After the recent shakeup in the SEC East, Missouri looks to be the favorite right now as the reigning division champion.

12. Les Miles, LSU

The Mad Hatter has his youngest team he’s coached this year, but they face a very good test Saturday night in Mississippi State. The Tigers have struggled throwing the football so far, but that defense is lights out. It’ll be interesting to watch Miles coach this team as they continue to grow down on the bayou.

13. Steve Spurrier, South Carolina

I said it last week, if any coach can prepare a struggling team for a big game, it’s Steve Spurrier. The Gamecocks looked like a totally different team against Georgia from its first two games. All of a sudden, talk in Columbia went from a 5-7 season with Spurrier gone to how good can this team be? South Carolina is still very much alive in the SEC East.

14. Nick Saban, Alabama

The Crimson Tide haven’t look as dominant yet as in years past. But they have a showcase this game this weekend against Florida at Bryant-Denny. Saban will have his guys ready to play, and Alabama is widely considered the favorite in the SEC and the College Football Playoff. New year, same result in Tuscaloosa.