Last week, some of the burning questions were answered, while others were done so emphatically.

Several reporters guessed Georgia might return to a two-quarterback system, but Kirby Smart is looking like a genius for sticking with his true freshman gunslinger. Alabama and Ole Miss lived up to the hype, and Jalen Hurts handled his first true road test remarkably well.

Meanwhile, Mark Stoops’ seat got a little warmer after allowing 42 points to New Mexico State. Here are this week’s 10 burning questions:

  1. The biggest game in the SEC East is undoubtedly No. 19 Florida at No. 14 Tennessee. Actually, the SEC has three games involving top 25 teams: Florida-Tennessee, Georgia-Ole Miss and Arkansas-Texas A&M. A number of intriguing questions have arisen in the biggest contest in the East, the first being: how will the Florida offense play without starting quarterback Luke Del Rio? Del Rio looked rusty against UMass but really started to settle in the second half of the Kentucky game, but now the Gators turn to backup Austin Appleby. Appleby has 11 previous starts while at Purdue. Will he be able to get the offense going?
  2. Jalen Reeves-Maybin is expected to play Saturday, while Cam Sutton and Darrin Kirkland are out for Tennessee. The Gators will be without Del Rio as well as Tyler Jordan, and Antonio Callaway is still recovering from a quad injury. How will injuries impact the game? Sutton is an All-American special teams player and lockdown cornerback, while Kirkland was the team’s fourth-leading tackler last season, third among players returning this season. Jordan was expected to start at right guard this season, while Del Rio was ranked fourth among SEC quarterbacks in passing yards. While Callaway and Reeves-Maybin are expected to play, how will prior injuries affect their play?
  3. The Gators’ pass rush has been one of the best in the SEC. How will it fare against Tennessee’s offensive line? The Volunteers’ offensive line was supposed to be one of the best in the SEC but has struggled mightily through the first three games. Will the higher-quality opponent bring out a better performance? Also, a few players in the Florida secondary have engaged in trash talk. Will they back it up, or will the pregame talk motivate the Tennessee receivers to make them eat their words?
  4. While a number of solid games occur in the SEC West this week, the most hyped is the Texas A&M-Arkansas rivalry. Both teams enter the contest 3-0 and ranked in the top 20. Traditionally played at a neutral site, this year will be no different as both teams travel to Arlington, Texas. Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen looked solid against TCU, but how will he handle his first start against an SEC opponent? The junior has the highest completion percentage of any SEC quarterback this season. Meanwhile, Texas A&M quarterback Trevor Knight leaves a little on the table in terms of completion rate but is third in the SEC in passing yards. Will the Arkansas defense be able to contain him and his arsenal of receivers?
  5. The A&M-Arkansas game also has an intriguing battle between two running backs with the last name Williams. For Arkansas, there’s Rawleigh Williams, who is returning this season from a tough neck injury. For the Aggies, the team is leaning heavily on true freshman Trayveon Williams. Rawleigh Williams is the SEC’s third-leading rusher, while Trayveon Williams has the longest rush of the season thus far, an 89-yard touchdown run this past week against Auburn. How will these two young backs impact the tempo of Saturday’s game?
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

  1. Another big SEC West matchup has two teams at opposite ends of the quarterback spectrum. LSU began the season firmly committed to last season’s starter Brandon Harris. Suffice it to say, things changed in a hurry. Danny Etling has changed the entire playbook, according to LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Last week in a win against Mississippi State, LSU looked more like the team people anticipated prior to the season than the team many saw on national television against Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Auburn looked woeful with John Franklin III, who works really well strictly in the run-option attempting to throw long strikes. Sean White, who is not great in the run-option, is actually skilled in passing the ball downfield. White, who is actually the SEC’s second-rated quarterback in terms of completion percentage, is Gus Malzahn’s choice as the starter against LSU. Will Malzahn better utilize his quarterbacks’ talents against LSU this week?
  2. How can the Georgia offense sustain drives? Despite having the SEC’s second-leading rusher in Nick Chubb and the second leading receiver in Isaiah McKenzie, Georgia’s offense struggled to put up 26 points against Nicholls State and 28 points against Missouri, including a thrilling touchdown pass from true freshman quarterback Jacob Eason. Eason was sacked four times during the game, and Chubb managed just 63 yards. The team needs more against the Landshark defense of Ole Miss.
  3. More importantly, how will Georgia try to rush the passer? Or will the team use a three-man rush and put all of the pressure on a strong secondary unit? The Bulldogs have had a lackluster pass rush this season without Leonard Floyd, although it’s possible a player like Lorenzo Carter could have a breakout game. The team needs one if it’s to have any chance against a prolific passing offense led by one of the SEC’s best quarterbacks, Chad Kelly.
  4. Mark Stoops can’t be feeling good after allowing 42 points against New Mexico State. A conference win can turn his fortunes around pretty quickly. Can the Wildcats’ newfound offensive polish continue against a mediocre South Carolina defense?
  5. Is it possible Western Kentucky defeats Vanderbilt? The Commodores have to play on the road coming off an embarrassing loss, but they desperately need a win.