Ahh, expectations. They can be as great as a Charles Dickens novel, or they can be as low as a Flo Rida song.

In the SEC West in 2015, some teams exceeded them, a few met them and others failed to reach them. Here’s a look at how we graded the division’s teams based on what was expected of them.

1. Alabama: During SEC Media Days last summer, the Crimson Tide were picked to win the West, but Auburn got the nod as the conference champion. Hmm, funny how that works. Not only did Bama win the division, but it also took home a national championship behind Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry, who didn’t take control of that race until the Tide trounced Leonard Fournette and LSU in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 7. Plus, who besides Lane Kiffin and Nick Saban thought that Jacob Coker would play as well as he did?

Grade: A+

2. Arkansas: Granted, the Razorbacks — who lost running back Jonathan Williams to a season-ending injury in fall camp — got off to a 1-3 start that included a home loss to Toledo, but boy did they rally. Expected to finish fourth in the West, the Hogs went 5-3 in the division to take third, ahead of LSU, which they beat 31-14 in Baton Rouge. That impressive victory was part of a 7-2 finish that included a rout of Kansas State in the Liberty Bowl. Consider this a case of expectations exceeded.

Grade: B+

3. Auburn: Where do we begin? The much ballyhooed preseason Heisman campaign for QB Jeremy Johnson was a disaster as he bombed in his first three games and never really recovered. Plus, the Tigers lost all four of their SEC home games. As a matter of fact, these are the teams they beat at home: Jacksonville State (in overtime no less), San Jose State and Idaho. Gus Malzahn’s squad did finish 7-6 with a victory over Memphis in the Birmingham Bowl, but that result was too little, too late. On top of that, the Malzahn-Will Muschamp marriage lasted just one forgetful season as Auburn’s defense was actually worse than a season ago. We’re still trying to figure out how Sean White led Auburn in passing yards (1,166) but threw just one 1 TD pass in 143 attempts. Someone’s got some explainin’ to do.

Grade: F

4. LSU: The Tigers’ 2015 season got off to such a promising start. Behind Leonard Fournette, the Heisman Trophy frontrunner for the first two months of the season, LSU started 7-0 before running into the national-champion buzz saw that is Alabama on its way to a three-game skid that nearly got Les Miles fired. The campaign ended on a couple of positive notes — Miles kept his job, and the Bayou Bengals trounced Texas Tech in the Texas Bowl. Still, the lingering feeling is one of disappointment with a capital D.

Grade: D

5. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs, who were picked to finish last in the division, actually were sixth — ahead of Auburn and behind Texas A&M by virtue of their 30-17 loss in College Station on Oct. 3. They probably would have finished ahead of LSU had they not lost 21-19 at home to the Tigers on Sept. 12. It’s hard to complain about a 9-4 finish and another great year from Dak Prescott that was capped with a 51-28 victory over North Carolina State in the Belk Bowl. But after watching LSU and the Aggies struggle this year, you get the sense that Dan Mullen’s team should have done better than 4-4 in the SEC.

Grade: B-

6. Ole Miss: It’s hard to believe now, but the Rebels — who improved from 9-4 to 10-3 — were actually picked to finish fifth in the West. Not only did Ole Miss hand Alabama its only loss, Hugh Freeze’s squad also crushed Oklahoma State 48-20 in the Rebels’ first appearance in the Sugar Bowl since 1970. Mississippi, which finished right behind division champion Bama, accomplished all this behind a new QB in Chad Kelly, who was outstanding in his first season in Oxford and is returning for 2016.

Grade: A+

7. Texas A&M: Picked to finish sixth, the Aggies actually ended up in fifth. Kevin Sumlin’s squad got off to a 5-0 start before losing five of its final eight games. But that’s not all A&M lost in 2015; after quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray announced their intentions to transfer, the Aggies went on to drop the Music City Bowl 27-21 to Louisville behind third-string QB Jake Hubenak. On top of that, A&M parted ways with offensive coordinator Jake Spavital and replaced him with former UCLA OC Noel Mazzone. On the bright side, the defense improved under first-year coordinator John Chavis.

Grade: D