For this edition of SEC Debate, the SDS staff considers how many losses a team could afford and still prevail in the SEC’s Eastern Division.

HOW MANY SEC LOSSES WILL THE EAST CHAMPION HAVE?

Ethan Levine (@EthanLevineSDS): Three.

I have absolutely no idea who is going to win the SEC East, but I have to figure whoever eventually claims the division will have three losses by season’s end. Any East team facing a team from the SEC West (and every East team has two games against West foes) is going to be an underdog in that game, and it is hard to figure any East team will do better than a 1-1 split in its West schedule. And considering two of the favorites in the East — Georgia and South Carolina — both have a loss to an East team on their resumes, it seems nearly certain whoever wins the division will have three conference losses overall. With the exception of Vanderbilt, one could argue any SEC East showdown is a total toss up, and that mediocre parity will add losses to everyone’s records. I believe it is impossible that the East champion has fewer than two conference losses (making a two-loss team the best-case scenario), but my expectation is whoever survives the SEC “Least” will have three conference losses when all is said and done.

Brett Weisband (@WeisbandSDS): Three.

I can’t envision any scenario where the East champion emerges with fewer than two losses in the conference, but I think a three-loss East champ is just as likely. Georgia is still probably the best team in the division, but after this week they face two tough road games, plus a date with Auburn in November. They’d have to consider it a success to go 2-1 in those games, and they’re just as capable of dropping a head-scratcher as anyone else in the division. Meanwhile, every other “contender” — South Carolina, Missouri, even Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky — have all shown major flaws and all have imposing schedules over the final two-thirds of the season. Just as the SEC West will likely beat each other up, so will the East. The difference is that it doesn’t feel like there’s one team that’s capable of being better by a wide enough margin to emerge with a playoff-worthy record.

Brad Crawford (@BCrawfordSDS): Two.

Though the SEC East is obviously down now that preseason division favorite South Carolina has two league losses on Oct. 1, it appears Georgia is a frontrunner with the fewest flaws and most favorable schedule the rest of the way. Next week’s trip to Missouri to take on the Tigers is what I consider a must-win for Mark Richt and his crew to stay out front in the East. Mizzou still has trips to Texas A&M, Florida and Tennessee, so the defending division champs will have earned it.

Jon Cooper (@JonSDS): Two.

Either Georgia or Missouri will escape the SEC East with two conference losses. While the East is down and the parity is unmatched, the East winner will escape with two losses. Right now, it’s anyone’s game, but Georgia and Missouri are the favorites. Next week’s game between the Bulldogs and Tigers should decide the East. Missouri’s and Georgia’s schedule are very favorable moving forward, with the Tigers having the better of the two.

Jordan Cox (@Jordan_Cox): Three.

I don’t think the SEC East winner will have less than three losses. In my opinion, Georgia and Missouri have to be considered the favorites right now, and I believe their October 11 matchup in Columbia will decide the division. The Bulldogs have at least two, possibly three, losses left on its schedule in Mizzou, Auburn and Arkansas. Its lack of a passing threat and the holes in the secondary will keep Georgia from being an elite team. They’ve become so one-dimensional relying on the running game. If Clemson and Tennessee is able to stop the run, they’d easily have three losses already. I think the Tigers have two losses left in its West opponents. A Nov. 15 trip to Texas A&M and a Nov. 29 home date with Arkansas will be Mizzou’s only two losses down the stretch, I think. The Tigers have gaping holes on the offensive line and can’t really stop the pass either. But the road for them is slightly easier, I think. They beat Georgia at home to win its second consecutive East title.