Here’s our weekly look at the coaches with the most riding on this weekend’s games.
MOST TO GAIN
Butch Jones: Though Vegas has the game practically dead even, it could be argued the Vols only stand to gain from Saturday’s game against No. 19 Oklahoma. The Sooners remain a national brand name, and are a darkhorse pick to overtake TCU and Baylor in the Big 12 this year. A loss would do no damage to the Vols’ hopes in the conference, while a win could serve as validation of Tennessee’s preseason billing as a contender for the SEC East crown and show how far the team has come since last year’s 34-10 loss in Norman.
Dan Mullen: This is the game that last year set the Bulldogs on a path to a 10-win season and vaulted them into the national discussion. This year, LSU is coming to Starkville, and as Mississippi State fans know, the Bulldogs have been pretty good at home recently. Mississippi State squeezed its way into the AP Top 25 this week, and a win over the 14th-ranked Tigers would likely give the Bulldogs a substantial boost and should set up a showdown with No. 6 Auburn on Sept. 26.
Mark Stoops: The Wildcats got off to a fast start against Louisiana-Lafayette in the opener, but then needed a 12-yard touchdown run from Mikel Horton in the final minute to escape with a 40-33 win. Any lingering angst could be put to rest with a 1-0 start in conference play, but playing at South Carolina on Saturday night, the degree of difficulty should be cranked up significantly this week. It represents a chance for Stoops to prove that the Wildcats defense is improved from the unit that gave up 40 or more points five times in the final six games of 2014 and earn a much-needed win as Kentucky tries to get back to a bowl game for the first time since 2010.
MOST TO LOSE
Les Miles: Weather permitting, of course, this is the first time we’ll get to see the 2015 Tigers for more than five minutes of action, and there’s no way to know exactly how the cancellation of last week’s opener will affect LSU heading into Mississippi State. Ever since Brandon Harris seized the starting quarterback role, optimism has been rising in Tiger town. But it’s a tenuous confidence after last year’s team folded down the stretch. A loss would be LSU’s fourth in its last five games, and Tiger fans haven’t endured that kind of stretch since 1999, when Gerry DiNardo’s last team lost eight straight.
Steve Spurrier: The Gamecocks got a momentum-building win last week against North Carolina, but a loss this week would bring that progress to quick halt. Automatic wins in the SEC are hard to nearly impossible to come by, but it’s safe to say South Carolina fans have chalked Kentucky up in the W column months ago if the Gamecocks are going to bounce back from last year’s 7-6 mark and contend in the East. An 0-1 start in conference play is far from insurmountable, but it’s a hole South Carolina would rather not have to climb out of.
Mark Richt: A loss to Vanderbilt might feel unimaginable right now, but that’s precisely why the Bulldogs have so much to lose. The Commodores are coming off an ugly 14-12 loss to Western Kentucky, and with Georgia coming to town they have nothing to lose. Expect Derek Mason to pull out every trick in his arsenal to try to establish something positive for his program. Will it be enough to knock off the Bulldogs? That’s doubtful. But should Vanderbilt pull the stunner, the shockwaves would be significant for Richt.
Brent Holloway is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Georgia, LSU and Mississippi State.
