Here’s our weekly look at the coaches with the most riding on this weekend’s games.

MOST TO GAIN

Dan Mullen: More than just avoiding the SEC West cellar, the Bulldogs can prove that the momentum gained in the second half of their narrow loss to LSU two weeks ago has been sustained. Given LSU’s display of dominance against Auburn last week, Mississippi State’s two-point defeat doesn’t look so bad. The Bulldogs will find a Tigers team that’s been backed into a corner when they visit the Plains on Saturday night. If Mississippi State goes home a winner, they’ll remain in the thick of an SEC West race that could come down to the season’s final week.

Gus Malzahn: It’s easy to forget Auburn has just one loss on the season. Expectations for the Tigers have been drastically re-calibrated following a near upset at home to Jacksonville State and humbling road loss against LSU. Saturday night’s game against Mississippi State represents a chance for a fresh start. The Tigers will have a new starting quarterback, a supportive home crowd, and a respectable-but-not-invincible opponent on the opposite sideline. A win over the Bulldogs could boost Auburn’s wobbly confidence, lift the spirits of the beleaguered fan base, and set the Tigers up for a potential winning streak with a forgiving stretch of schedule ahead.

Jim McElwain: The Gators are off to a 3-0 start under their new coach, but their fans’ confidence is not as unwavering as the record might suggest. After blowing out New Mexico State in the opener, Florida is coming off so-so showings in wins over East Carolina and Kentucky. A victory this week over preseason darling Tennessee — which has looked deserving of its hype in all but one quarter this year — would serve notice that the Gators are making quick strides in the right direction under McElwain. That would be welcomed, especially with No. 3 Ole Miss coming to town next week.

MOST TO LOSE

Hugh Freeze: The third-ranked Rebels thrust themselves into the playoff picture with a road win against Alabama last week. Now, they’ll need to guard against a let-down against Vanderbilt to avoid just as quickly giving away their spot at the table. Ole Miss will be the expected to win big — Vegas had the Rebels installed as a 24.5-point favorite as of Tuesday — and will certainly be the more talented team. But as Georgia can attest, the Commodores have the ability to be dangerous.

Butch Jones: Tennessee took a hit in terms of national perception when it squandered a fourth-quarter lead against Oklahoma two weeks ago, but nothing has changed with regard to the Vols’ aspirations within the conference. Their unranked status notwithstanding, the Vols still look like the best team in the East other than Georgia, and if not for the late-game meltdown against the Sooners, the narrative around Tennessee right now would be quite different. All that said, a loss against Florida would bring about a different scenario. After a visit from Arkansas next week, the Vols have back-to-back dates with Georgia and Alabama and can scarcely afford a loss to a division rival in their conference opener.

Kevin Sumlin: The Aggies haven’t played an SEC game yet, but have been impressive in non-conference play and have elbowed their way to No. 14 in the Associated Press Top 25. A loss to a struggling Arkansas team would tarnish that strong start and leave Texas A&M with the daunting task of playing catchup in the SEC West with dates against Mississippi State, Alabama and Ole Miss on deck.