The game every SEC football team cannot afford to lose in 2018
A few weeks before the new college football season, every fan base is optimistic and looking ahead to the potential defining wins — that’s why we’ve run columns on the games each program would most love to win. But what about the other side of the coin? Few are thinking about the games that could cause their teams to plummet and coaches to hit the hot seat. But we are — and here’s the game each SEC team can least afford to lose.
Alabama: Auburn
Sure, it didn’t exactly hurt them much last year, but losing back-to-back Iron Bowls, which would also make it 3-3 in the past six games in the series … it might have people thinking Nick Saban is human.
Arkansas: Ole Miss (at Little Rock)
This game matters for several reasons. First, it’ll be one of Arkansas’s best shots at picking up an SEC win. Second, with games in Little Rock under some minor fire, a bad loss might doom the future of games in the city. Third, the games in this series have been wild.
Auburn: LSU
LSU has won 3 of the past 5 in this series, and looked for an instant to have won the fourth on the out-of-time pass that sealed Les Miles’s fate. Interestingly, Auburn has lost this game each of the past two times it won the West (2013 and 2017). Ideally, Auburn can make it a little easier on itself by handling LSU.
Florida: Kentucky
Death, taxes, and Florida beating Kentucky. Sure, this Dan Mullen squad probably isn’t the one to bring UF back to national prominence. But if they want to be taken seriously, Florida can’t let Kentucky end a 31-year losing streak in the series, particularly in The Swamp.
Georgia: Florida
The East belongs to Georgia until and unless somebody else steps up. South Carolina, Kentucky and Mizzou don’t look like real threats, which leaves us with the Gators. The embarrassing 2015 loss that sealed Mark Richt’s fate was the kind of game that sunk a season and a coaching career. Of course, the same could be said of UGA’s 42-7 beatdown of Florida last year.

Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Kentucky: Central Michigan
UK has a habit of playing down to nonconference opponents, particularly early in the season. Consider that UK has opened the past three seasons beating Louisiana-Lafayette by a touchdown, losing to Southern Miss, and beating Southern Miss by a touchdown. For a team with five road games, a nonconference home opener is an absolute must-win for UK.
LSU: at Florida
The Gators have lost 4 of the past 5 in this series, and their one win was a near-miraculous goal line stand. If LSU hopes to remain in the upper echelon of the West, it has to handle the East, and UF looks much more beatable than UGA.
Mississippi State: at Kansas State
Sure, this isn’t a conference game, so the Bulldogs could lose this game and still show well in the West. But given the way State’s schedule shakes up, surviving K-State could launch them to a big, big start, which probably matters more than anything else in Joe Moorhead’s first year … well, anything short of SEC titles and CFP spots, but there’s probably still a ways to go to reach there.
Missouri: Memphis
The front end of Missouri’s schedule is harsh, and if the Tigers can’t hold off Memphis, then the fact that the back end of the schedule is light might not matter. If Mizzou is 2-5 or 3-4 after this game, it doesn’t bode well for their season, and with Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama coming up before this game, it’s pivotal.
Ole Miss: Texas Tech
Sure, again, a nonconference game doesn’t make any difference in the SEC race … but it does make a difference in the public perception of the Matt Luke era. If the Rebels get blasted in Week 1, this could be a long, long season. Their SEC schedule is brutal.
South Carolina: Missouri
If Carolina wants to hold on to the second spot in the East, they have to hold their own against their nearest challengers — Florida, Kentucky and Missouri. Florida and UK are road games, but Missouri is a home game and thus pretty near a must-win, if USC wants to be more than a 6-6 type team.
Tennessee: at Vanderbilt
UT has a losing streak to every SEC opponent. The front half of its SEC schedule is challenging, and one game they can’t lose is a third consecutive to Vandy. This could be the defining game for a bowl season, and the fan base could be inconsolable with another loss in this series.

Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Texas A&M: at South Carolina
First, for all his troubles, Kevin Sumlin was 4-0 against the Gamecocks at A&M. Second, it’s by far the easiest road game on A&M’s schedule, and if they want to make any waves in the West, it’s a must-win.
Vanderbilt: Middle Tennessee
Vandy can’t face the possibility of going from the best team in the state in 2013 to possibly the fourth-best team in 2018. But with UT on the rise, Memphis a solid bowl team, and MTSU having a dangerous passing game, this is just a game that Derek Mason has to win.
I would say Lsu because its for 1 late in the season to lose a game better to lose earlier than late and (for two I couldn’t bare bunker racist comments)…
It’s always worse to lose to a divison opponent
Yeah, no kidding. Losing to MS State is worse to me and my people than losing a non-conf. game. Hell, Ole Miss could go 1-11 and I’d be happy as long as we beat Mititipi Tate. I’m telling you, I’d find a way to sleep off a 1-11 season as long as that Egg Trophy is here in Oxford.
Well losing to a division foe can keep you out of the CCG…
If there was any team that’s a “must beat”, to obviously avoid a loss but to rake in the most brownie points, I’d say that team would need to beat the best team on their schedule – that team being Alabama. Whoever has Alabama on their schedule, be it a team outside of the SEC or in, Alabama would be THE team to beat.
To clarify, I’m not on Alabama’s junk. I’d say the same thing if Bowling Green were as tough as y’all, or San Diego State, or Maryland, or even Mississippi State. I try to remain as unbiased as possible. It just so happens Alabama is the nation’s super villain.
“Mititipi Tate” LMAO!!!!!
Say it out loud. That’s what those toothless “tate” fans sound like when they say “Mississippi State”.
Dude I’m rolling! lol
LSU hasn’t lost to two teams from the East in the same season since 2008. Those two teams, UF and UGA. Hopefully there is no repeating that this season.
I’ve read several different articles that have LSU beating UGA. Which is good, I guess. But at the same time, those articles were SDS articles. I don’t come here for facts anymore, rather entertainment.
BS names the “several different articles’….. you can’t because there aren’t any unless it’s NOLA.com
Kentucky feels beating a Mid American Conference gives them credibility.
Heck, they think it gives them so much credibility, they are going to play TWO MAC teams in 2020.(Toledo and Eastern Michigan. Oh, and again in 2021, again, this time against Eastern Michigan and Kent State.
Doesn’t it make the other SEC teams proud the Cats are an honorary member of the MAC?
Harsh but true P10… if Stoops and company are the answer then they should be playing a tougher schedule by year 8.
Welcome to the MAC, from the Missouri wrestling program.
I’ll have to agree with the Kentucky/Central Michigan game. I’m hoping the Cats will really show up and take care of business early in the game so that Stoops and Gran can give their 3rd string QB some playing time.
So… not ending Florida’s 31-game winning streak then? Help me understand, bud, because I would think the UK v FL game is their must-win. Just get that one win out of the way and then focus on someone like UCF.
I don’t think you understand the article…
Kentucky has lost the last 31… I think they can “afford” to make it 32. A loss to a lesser team would be a setback for UK (which means they can’t “afford” to do if they’re trying to move up.) Pay attention.
So you’re saying losing another game to Florida, to make it 32 straight losses, is somehow… acceptable?
A loss to a lesser team wouldn’t be as big of a setback than losing to a team that’s beaten them 31 times in a row. Does that not make sense to you? I guess this is just opinion-based; which would mean your argument is also opinion-based.
Pay attention? That’s funny. I remember my second year watching football. Wait, no… no, I don’t.
BrahMane, the article is beyond BB’s understanding. While he (or she) is correct in the 31 straight losses to Florida being totally unacceptable a loss to a MAC team to start the season would be worse overall the team than another loss to Florida. WHY? I think most people can grasp that a loss to a team you should defeat would be worse than a loss to a team that you are expected to lose to. (I’m hoping the last sentence will help Mr/Ms BB understand the concept.)
But hey, those our my thoughts and it should be obvious to everyone that BB’s football IQ is way beyond anyone else who posts – or even writes for – SDS. His IQ is so high that he responded to Gococks comment with a remark about my post and somehow referenced UCF.
Firstly, I’m male, so no lesbian action for you. Secondly, I never made a remark about your post (weird that you would make that up). Lastly, I mistakenly mentioned UCF. I meant to say Central Michigan. Simple mistake. But I love your passive-aggression. Speaking of coming off like a female… you sound like my ol’ lady.
The more post you make, the more obvious it is that your reading comprehension skills are that of a small child, girlie.
Well, good morning to you, Bulldawgrock.
BB… ‘I sound like your ol’ lady’… are you saying your wife sings base??? ;-) Ok, enough joking. Let me ask you this, which would be worse for the Rebels, a loss to Alabama or Kent State? That is about the same comparison for UK.
BTW… after re-reading your post to Gococks… I can see where you might have been referring to the actual article and not my post, so my apologies.
A loss to Kent State would be worse BECAUSE Alabama is the defending Nat’l Champion AND they haven’t beaten us 31 times in a row.
FL isn’t national title elite, especially in 2018. So a 32nd consecutive loss to a mediocre team is HUGE. Way worse than your typical upset loss to a non-conf team. Those happen pretty often. They suck, yes, but they happen to someone in the SEC every year. NOBODY is losing to one team 31 times. Continuing the streak is ULTRA unacceptable.
Didnt SDS predict us to be 5-7 last season? And both Tenn and Florida were supposed to have 9 wins apiece? How does it feel to be so ignorant about the field you have chosen as your profession?
Laugh out loud. Dude actually said Kentucky’s must-win is UCF, not Florida – a team that holds a 31-game winning streak over UK’s head. I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks UK isn’t winning it all this year. Having said that, their moon landing is beating Florida, not UCF.
Our “must win” game is a non power 5 opponent? Purdue and Memphis are must-wins for Odom to keep his job. South Carolina is a must-win if Mizzou wants a respectable season.
Alright, I’m gonna shut this down right now.
Kentucky, you have a 31-game losing streak to Florida. Focus on winning that one. Need I say more?
Drop dead Bunker…..
If you would pull your head out of your ass for two seconds, you might see that I’m right. Your chances of going to the National Championship are about as good as Ole Miss’ are (with our bowl ban). Give up all hope. Giving Florida a loss should be UK’s climax into a Kleenex.
It is a sore subject
The glory days of Florida are over for the time being, the game last year was awful
When you make your living in the West, can’t afford to overlook ANYONE. Gotta make it to the Iron Bowl with a chance to go to Atlanta.
Tough road ahead — eager to see my squad compete.
I just don’t get how Kentucky should be the game Florida must win. I can see it for Kentucky but not Florida. Fans wouldn’t like it if the Gators lost but I don’t think it would have that big of an impact. On the other hand you upset UGA or beat FSU it has a huge impact on perception and recruiting. I really think FSU is the game Florida must win.
I don’t thin USC is a must win for the Ags. A must win is the Arky game. I think people are sleeping on Chad Morris. His defense will probably be sh*t but his offense will make most games a shootout, and if our offense sputters then we could lose that one.
Wow, UT has a “losing streak” to every SEC team? Last I checked, a losing streak was 2 or more games. There are several teams that they beat in 2016 and then lost to in 2017. One game a losing streak does not make. The correct statement would be “Tennessee is currently winless in their last game against each SEC team.” HOWEVER, having a losing streak against Vandy…DAMN!
Wouldn’t a win by Kentucky at Gainesville be seen as the ultimate ‘blind hog finding an acorn’?