Who’s ready for Separation Saturday?

The SEC West championship race should be a bit more clearer after this weekend’s matchups, a momentum-changing three-game slate involving five nationally-ranked unbeatens. The only team in the division no longer a factor is Arkansas, but the Razorbacks can still play spoiler with one of college football’s best rushing attacks.

RELATED: Road to Atlanta — SEC East Guide

What’s the outlook for each team now that we’ve had a sample size of at least one SEC game? We’ll start with three teams in the best position and go from there:

TEXAS A&M (5-0, 2-0)

The Aggies opened with a bang at ninth-ranked South Carolina, pushing Kevin Sumlin’s name to the top of many ‘best coaches’ lists. Projected as a 7 or 8-win team post-Manziel, Texas A&M’s proved it belongs in the SEC and its next three games will dictate how far the Aggies can go this season.

REMAINING SEC GAMES: at Mississippi State, Saturday; vs. Ole Miss, Oct. 11; at Alabama, Oct. 18; vs. Louisiana-Monroe, Nov. 1; at Auburn, Nov. 8; vs. Mizzou, Nov. 15; vs. LSU, Nov. 27

VERDICT: Saturday’s matchup on the road against Mississippi State is Texas A&M’s most important game to date, and they all get bigger as we move along. Kenny Hill led the Aggies to an emotional come-from-behind victory last week against Arkansas and the team will try and use that momentum in Starkville. If Texas A&M gets through October unscathed, the Aggies deserve a College Football Playoff bid even if they finish with one loss.

ALABAMA (4-0, 1-0)

We’re beginning to get a feel for the Crimson Tide this season, owners of the SEC’s most balanced offense and arguably college football’s best player in Amari Cooper. The statement game comes Saturday at Ole Miss, the first of five contests against ranked teams the rest of the way.

REMAINING SEC GAMES: at Ole Miss, Saturday; at Arkansas, Oct. 11; vs. Texas A&M, Oct. 18; at Tennessee, Oct. 25; at LSU, Nov. 8; vs. Mississippi State, Nov. 15; vs. Western Carolina, Nov. 22; vs. Auburn, Nov. 29

VERDICT: Alabama looks the part and is still the odds-on favorite — unbeaten or not — to secure a playoff berth with a SEC Championship. Nick Saban’s team has done it without Jacob Coker, the perceived top quarterback on roster coming into the season. Blake Sims has exceeded expectations (thus far) and Alabama’s defense was in midseason form last time out during a rout of Florida.

AUBURN (4-0, 1-0)

The Tigers don’t have the look of a well-oiled machine, but they never did last season either and won nine consecutive games to capture the SEC crown and reach the final BCS Championship Game. Gus Malzahn’s offense is looking to establish a rhythm, and there’s no better time to start than Saturday night against LSU.

REMAINING SEC GAMES: vs. LSU, Saturday; at Mississippi State, Oct. 11; vs. South Carolina, Oct. 25; at Ole Miss, Nov. 1; vs. Texas A&M, Nov. 8; at Georgia, Nov. 15; vs. Samford, Nov. 22; at Alabama, Nov. 29

VERDICT: This team’s fatal flaw could be its defense, an element that will be tested during the toughest six-game stretch in the country beginning this weekend. The Tigers don’t have the look of a championship-caliber team just yet, but there’s time. Auburn will move up in the polls Sunday after a convincing win over LSU puts the defending league champs in the CFB Playoff conversation.

MISSISSIPPI STATE (4-0, 1-0)

The first of two Magnolia State unbeatens looks to be a smidge better on offense thanks to a quarterback who makes plays through the air and with his feet. Dak Prescott’s performance at LSU shows why this team’s a threat, not to mention one of the best front sevens in the country on the other side of the ball.

REMAINING SEC GAMES: vs. Texas A&M, Saturday; vs. Auburn, Oct. 11; at Kentucky, Oct. 25; vs. Arkansas, Nov. 1; vs. UT-Martin, Nov. 8; at Alabama, Nov. 15; vs. Vanderbilt, Nov. 22; at Ole Miss, Nov. 29

VERDICT: The Bulldogs no longer have the cloak of anonymity after the win at Death Valley and Dan Mullen is beginning to garner more respect from his coaching peers. Like its Magnolia State rival, Mississippi State’s in unfamiliar territory as one of the nation’s elite and must continue to — using an old coaching adage — take the season one game at a time to avoid pretender status.

OLE MISS (4-0, 1-0)

Unbeaten through four games for the first time in more than four decades, Hugh Freeze and the Rebels have the national stage Saturday against top-ranked Alabama and could transform into Western Division favorites with a victory. There’s still a lot of football left to be played and this one’s just the start of the nationally-ranked gauntlet.

REMAINING SEC GAMES: vs. Alabama, Saturday; at Texas A&M, Oct. 11; vs. Tennessee, Oct. 18; at LSU, Oct. 25; vs. Auburn, Nov. 1; vs. Presbyterian, Nov. 8; at Arkansas, Nov. 22; vs. Mississippi State, Nov. 29

VERDICT: Tired of hearing about Bo Wallace? The Ole Miss senior quarterback has the pressure of an entire fanbase on his shoulders going into this weekend’s matchup. He’ll be under the microscope the next five weeks as the pecking order in the West is established.

LSU (4-1, 0-1)

The Tigers are young, but that’s no excuse for a program gunning for its fifth straight 10-win season. Getting there will be a challenge considering LSU has four games remaining against current Top 10 teams. The home loss to Mississippi State was an eye-opener for Les Miles’ crew.

REMAINING SEC GAMES: at Auburn, Saturday; at Florida, Oct. 11; vs. Kentucky, Oct. 18; vs. Ole Miss, Oct. 25; vs. Alabama, Nov. 8; at Arkansas, Nov. 15; at Texas A&M, Nov. 27

VERDICT: LSU’s not out of the Western Division race by any means, but a loss Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium complicates things. Falling two games back of perceived favorites Alabama, Auburn and Texas A&M’s likely too much to overcome. There’s talent across the board in Baton Rouge, but inexperience has started to show.