Based on ESPN’s preseason 2017 Football Power Index ratings, LSU and Mississippi State face the toughest schedules of all SEC West schools based on projected win totals for the opposition. That puts LSU’s Ed Orgeron in an unenviable position as he enters his first full season as head coach of the Tigers. On the other side of the coin, Ole Miss faces the easiest schedule based on those same parameters. Each team in the SEC West faces one opponent that does not have an FPI rating.

Every team in the division is projected to be bowl-eligible, as no team is projected to have a losing record. With that as a guide, here’s a look at each team’s schedule, listed from toughest to easiest based on the collective projected win total of their 11 rated opponents.

RELATED: Toughest schedules in the East

 LSU

Opponents’ projected win total: 83.6

Non-FPI opponent: UT-Chattanooga

Skinny: As tough as any schedule in the conference, the Tigers pull ahead of the pack because of cross-division games with Florida and Tennessee. Both are on the road, by the way. Of the teams on the schedule with an FPI rating, only Syracuse is projected to have a losing record.

Mississippi State

Opponents’ projected win total: 83.6

Non-FPI opponent: Charleston Southern

Skinny: The Bulldogs have as tough a schedule as anyone in the SEC. Playing at cross-division Georgia will be no picnic. Of the teams on the schedule with an FPI rating, only UMass is projected to have a losing record.

Texas A&M

Opponents’ projected win total: 79.8

Non-FPI opponent: Nicholls State

Skinny: Though they do have to travel to play UCLA on the West Coast, the non-conference schedule is otherwise filled with teams projected to have losing records. All eight SEC foes on the schedule are projected to have winning records.

Alabama

Opponents’ projected win total: 79.3

Non-FPI opponent: Mercer

Skinny: Though the number may be skewed a bit by not having Mercer included in it, Alabama’s schedule is a formidable one nonetheless. Only Fresno State and Vanderbilt are projected to have losing records.

Arkansas

Opponents’ projected win total: 78.3

Non-FPI opponent: Florida A&M

Skinny: As with Alabama, Auburn’s opponents’ projected win total is a bit off based on Florida A&M not having a rating. However, of those that do, only New Mexico State and Coastal Carolina are projected not to be bowl eligible.

Auburn

Opponents’ projected win total: 78.1

Non-FPI opponent: Mercer

Skinny: Auburn, like Alabama, plays unrated Mercer. Aside from that, the Tigers face the defending national champions in Clemson. The only teams on the schedule with an FPI rating that are not projected to be bowl eligible are Georgia Southern and Louisiana-Monroe.

Ole Miss

Opponents’ projected win total: 73.7

Non-FPI opponent: UT-Martin

Skinny: The Rebels appear to have an easier non-conference schedule than most. Of the three they face with an FPI rating, all are projected to have losing records. They also face a Vanderbilt team at home that is projected to have a losing campaign.