It’s hard to imagine a team that wasn’t ranked in August side-stepping a loaded schedule during the first half of the season before eventually moving to No. 1.

But Mississippi State did just that.

RELATED: SEC’s 5 toughest second-half schedules

The Bulldogs became the fifth team in college football history last week to win three consecutive games over Top 10 teams, a product of talent development and extreme confidence exuded by Dan Mullen’s group this season.

Some teams in the SEC have folded under the pressures of a difficult schedule while others have taken advantage.

The SEC’s five toughest first-half schedules

5. TEXAS A&M AGGIES
Games against nationally-ranked teams: 3
Games against teams with current .500 over better records: 6
Opponents’ combined record at midseason: 25-17 (59 percent)

4. TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
Games against nationally-ranked teams: 2
Games against teams with current .500 over better records: 6
Opponents’ combined record at midseason: 24-11 (68 percent)

3. AUBURN TIGERS
Games against nationally-ranked teams: 3
Games against teams with current .500 over better records: 5
Opponents’ combined record at midseason: 23-14 (62 percent)

2. SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS
Games against nationally-ranked teams: 2
Games against teams with current .500 or better records: 5
Opponents’ combined record at midseason: 26-12 (68 percent)

1. MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS
Games against nationally-ranked teams: 3
Games against teams with current .500 or better records: 5
Opponents’ combined record at midseason: 24-13 (64 percent)

Takeaways: Based on opponents’ winning percentage, Tennessee and South Carolina possessed the SEC’s most difficult schedules in the first half of the season … Mississippi State’s slate is ranked toughest due to three straight against Top 10 opponents … One of South Carolina’s three wins was against unranked East Carolina, a Pirates team that is now 5-1 and No. 17 in the polls … Arkansas’ 2014 schedule was rated the SEC’s toughest during the preseason, but a disastrous combined record of 2-11 from opponents Nicholls State and Texas Tech evaporated some of that strength … Auburn went on the road, out of conference, and beat 20th-ranked Kansas State … That remains the Wildcats’ only loss.