The SEC is such a ridiculously tough conference that teams almost have to sweep their home games to have a shot to reach the conference title game.

RELATED: SEC home records the last 5 seasons

Alabama didn’t lose at home last season on the way to taking the West Division. Missouri did lose one home game, to Georgia, on the way to winning the East for a second straight year.

So which are the five-hardest home schedules in the SEC for 2015, including non-conference games? Here’s one man’s opinion.

5. Mississippi State

Schedule: Sept. 12 vs. LSU, Sept. 19 vs. Northwestern State, Oct. 10 vs. Troy, Oct. 17 vs. Louisiana Tech, Oct. 24 vs. Kentucky, Nov. 14 vs. Alabama, Nov. 28 vs. Ole Miss.

Opponents’ combined 2014 record: 52-38 (.577)

Overview: The Bulldogs bring back perhaps the best quarterback in the conference in Dak Prescott, a Heisman Trophy candidate, but they return just nine starters overall, fewest in the SEC. Kansas is the only Power 5 team with fewer is Kansas (eight). I only rank this schedule as the fifth-toughest because of games against the Tigers, Tide and Rebels in the Egg Bowl — those latter two schools both won home games vs. Mississippi State last season. The rest of the home slate is manageable (Louisiana Tech isn’t bad). MSU didn’t lose a home game last season at Davis Wade Stadium.

4. Kentucky

Schedule: Sept. 5 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, Sept. 19 vs. Florida, Sept. 26 vs. Missouri, Oct. 3 vs. Eastern Kentucky, Oct. 15 vs. Auburn, Oct. 31 vs. Tennessee, Nov. 21 vs. Charlotte and Nov. 28 vs. Louisville.

Opponents’ combined 2014 record: 65-37 (.637)

Overview: The only non-conference game worth mentioning is against Louisville, although ULL isn’t a bad program. Big Blue Nation probably will be more focused on basketball season by then. Kentucky lost a 44-40 shootout at Louisville to end 2014 and closed the year on a six-game losing streak. Is this finally the season the Cats beat Florida? They nearly did in 2014 but haven’t since 1986.

3. Tennessee

Schedule: Sept. 12 vs. Oklahoma, Sept. 19 vs. Western Carolina, Oct. 3 vs. Arkansas, Oct. 10 vs. Georgia, Nov. 7 vs. South Carolina, Nov. 14 vs. North Texas, Nov. 28 vs. Vanderbilt.

Opponents’ combined 2014 record: 46-42 (.523)

Overview: I may get hammered by some for this choice, but I respect that Tennessee is hosting a very good out-of-conference team in the Sooners. They are just 19th in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll, but that’s low to me — just like OU was ranked way too high entering 2014 off a great bowl win against Alabama. The rising Vols will blow out Western Carolina and North Texas. But that back-to-back stretch against the Hogs and Dawgs will be what defines the SEC season for UT. The Vols lost three times at Neyland Stadium last year, to Florida, Alabama and Missouri.

2. Auburn

Schedule: Sept. 12 vs. Jacksonville State, Sept. 27 vs. Mississippi State, Oct. 3 vs. San Jose State, Oct. 31 vs. Ole Miss, Nov. 14 vs. Georgia, Nov. 21 vs. Idaho, Nov. 28 vs. Alabama.

Opponents’ combined 2014 record: 55-33 (.625)

Overview: Auburn lost just once at Jordan-Hare Stadium last year, a 41-38 upset to unranked Texas A&M. The three home non-conference games in 2015 are laughable, although Auburn does open with a neutral-site challenge in Atlanta against Louisville. In conference, the Tigers have the unenviable task of hosting East Division favorite Georgia and West favorite Alabama. Ole Miss also is no slouch.

1. Texas A&M

Schedule: Sept. 12 vs. Ball State, Sept. 19 vs. Nevada, Oct. 3 vs. Mississippi State, Oct. 17 vs. Alabama, Oct. 31 vs. South Carolina, Nov. 7 vs. Auburn and Nov. 14 vs. West Carolina.

Opponents’ combined 2014 record: 56-34 (.622)

Overview: Winning the three non-conference games against non-Power 5 Conference teams Ball State, Nevada and Western Carolina should be no sweat for the Aggies at Kyle Field, which thanks to renovations now will hold the most fans of any SEC stadium. The Aggies are 24-point favorites against the Cardinals and the same against the Wolf Pack. While Mississippi State is likely to take a step back in 2015, A&M has to host both Alabama and Auburn while dealing with good East Division team South Carolina. There is one bright spot for that Crimson Tide game in that the Aggies come out of a bye week while Alabama is off a tough home game against Arkansas. Texas A&M lost three home games in 2014, to Ole Miss, Missouri and LSU.