Not all schedules are created equally.

Whether intentional or by happenstance, some SEC schedules are simply tougher than others. In recent years, the SEC West has had stronger matchups, but the East looks to be beefing up in 2016.

Strength of schedule will change throughout the season in order to adjust to win-loss outcomes and shifts in rankings, but for now, we can really only consider preseason expectations and 2015 results.

So here’s how we ranked each 2016 SEC schedule from top to bottom:

RANKING SEC SCHEDULES TOUGHEST TO EASIEST

1. Auburn: According to ESPN, Auburn has a zero chance of winning out in 2016. And it’s not because the Tigers aren’t expected to fare well. It’s because they face off against five teams that are ranked in the top 16 of the preseason Coaches Poll, including No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Clemson. Auburn will begin the season against Clemson and close it out against Alabama. Luckily, the Tigers will face the No. 6 Bayou Bengals at home, but they will still have to travel for No. 12 Ole Miss, No. 16 Georgia and Alabama. And though Texas A&M and Mississippi State aren’t currently ranked, they won’t be cupcake games for the Tigers.

2. Ole Miss: The Rebels start their season against the No. 4 Seminoles. And make no mistake: Florida State will make QB Chad Kelly and the rest of the Rebels work. Ole Miss gets a break in Week 2 against Wofford, but then conference play opens up, and it won’t be easy. The Rebels will face No. 1 Alabama, No. 16 Georgia and troublesome Memphis before hitting the road against an Arkansas team that crushed their SEC hopes in 2015 and then No. 6 LSU. Don’t forget that both Alabama and LSU are hungry for some revenge. They will close out the season against in-state rival Mississippi State, which is always a tough matchup.

3. Alabama: Alabama only plays four teams that are ranked in the preseason, but it has a target on its back. Everybody is coming at the boys in Crimson, and they’re coming hard. The Tide opens against No. 17 USC, and then conference play begins just two weeks later at No. 12 Ole Miss. The Rebels have been the Achilles heel for Alabama in the last two seasons, and head coach Nick Saban is looking to right the ship. After Ole Miss, the Tide will still have to face a slew of storied rivals in No. 10 Tennessee, No. 6 LSU —which is favored to win the SEC — and Auburn. At least the tougher games will be spaced out, but Alabama will have to travel to play most of those tough games.

4. LSU: The Tigers open their season against a tough Wisconsin team, but then they get a bit of a break until they face the No. 25 Gators in early October. From there, it gets rough as the Bayou Bengals take on No. 12 Ole Miss and No. 1 Alabama. Arkansas and Texas A&M won’t be as good as some of the others, but their fans won’t be as forgiving for these two road games. Let’s not forget that head coach Les Miles is still dancing around the hot seat, and the team is facing pressure to redeem itself after a disappointing 2015 season.

5. Arkansas: The Razorbacks ruffled a lot of feathers in 2015, and there will be a number of teams coming after them for payback. Unfortunately, they will be facing these teams without former QB Brandon Allen. The first big test for the Hogs will be TCU in Week 2, but then they face a ridiculous slate of No. 1 Alabama, No. 12 Ole Miss, Auburn, No. 25 Florida, No. 6 LSU and Mississippi State, with the only break coming between Auburn and Florida. To make it even more daunting, Ole Miss and LSU will undoubtedly be out for blood after Arkansas upset both powerhouses in 2015.

6. Texas A&M: The Aggies struggled in 2015 — especially in the quarterback department — and they’re not quite over the hump yet. Texas A&M has chosen Trevor Knight to lead the offense, but the remaining trouble is still far from over. The Aggies will open the season against No. 24 UCLA before moving on to some brutal conference play against rivals Auburn and Arkansas. Then, it’s No. 10 Tennessee, No. 1 Alabama, No. 12 Ole Miss and No. 6 LSU, the silver lining from those four games is that the only road game is at Tuscaloosa. Still, it’s almost enough to make you feel bad for Knight.

7. Georgia: The pressure is on for new head coach Kirby Smart’s first season with the Bulldogs. He’ll open the season against No. 20 North Carolina, and while we historically don’t think great football when we think Tar Heels, things have changed in recent years. In-state rival Georgia Tech could also spell trouble for Georgia, but the primary focus will be on the SEC. The Dawgs also face No. 12 Ole Miss, No. 10 Tennessee, No. 25 Florida and cross-rival Auburn in 2016. Luckily, Ole Miss is the only one of these that is a true road game, with North Carolina and Florida both being played at a neutral site.

8. Missouri: New head coach Barry Odom will be tested in his first year, and it will likely be against the standard set by former head coach Gary Pinkel. The Tigers will be on the road to face a tough West Virginia team in the season opener, but even tougher will be their September and October slate. Mizzou will face No. 16 Georgia, No. 6 LSU, No. 25 Florida and surprisingly challenging Middle Tennessee. After a bit of a breather, the Tigers close out the season with games against No. 10 Tennessee and cross-rival Arkansas.

9. Vanderbilt: The Commodores are opening their season against South Carolina, which may be their only SEC win. Conference play includes games against No. 25 Florida, No. 16 Georgia, No. 12 Ole Miss and No. 10 Tennessee. It comes as no surprise that SEC play is always challenging for the ‘Dores, and the only team with a lesser chance of winning the conference is South Carolina. But even Vandy’s nonconference games are going to be tough as it faces Middle Tennessee and Georgia Tech early in the season.

10. South Carolina: Another first-year head coach, another SEC team facing huge challenges. The only thing Will Muschamp has going for him is that the Gamecocks cannot possibly have a worse season in 2016 than they did in 2015. Can they? Unlike many other SEC teams, South Carolina doesn’t face a tough nonconference opponent in Week 1. However, it’s at No. 2 Clemson in Week 13. But before taking on the Tigers, South Carolina will have to survive No. 16 Georgia, No. 10 Tennessee and No. 25 Florida.

11. Mississippi State: Other than being in the SEC West, the Bulldogs have a fairly easy schedule. But they are in the SEC West, and they will be taking on the toughest teams in the league without former QB Dak Prescott. The biggest challenges will come at No. 6 LSU early in the season and in four consecutive weeks of SEC play to close out the season, highlighted by road games against No. 1 Alabama and No. 12 Ole Miss.

12. Florida: The Gators will start off the season easy enough with some cupcakes and a Kentucky team that always seems to give them trouble, but the story quickly changes in Week 4 when they face off against No. 10 Tennessee in Knoxville. Florida, of course, has to face No. 16 Georgia in one of the nastiest games on the schedule, as well as cross-rival No. 6 LSU. The Gators will close out the season at No. 4 FSU, which will clearly be no walk in the park, but other than these, their schedule is pretty lackluster in comparison with the other SEC teams.

13. Kentucky: The Wildcats will open up SEC play against No. 25 Florida in Week 2, and this game always seems to be closer than it should be. Kentucky starts off October with a road trip to Tuscaloosa, and November rounds out with No. 16 Georgia, No. 10 Tennessee and No. 23 Louisville.

14. Tennessee: Is this finally the comeback season for the Vols? First, they’ll have to make it past Virginia Tech in the Battle at Bristol. Then, they’ll have to survive the gauntlet against No. 25 Florida, No. 16 Georgia, Texas A&M and No. 1 Alabama. After the Third Saturday in October, it should be smooth sailing for the Volunteers.