It happens every year. We look at the schedules when they are released by the SEC and determine which teams have the easiest or toughest slate. There are many different ways each can be interpreted, but there are also some hidden notes of interest with each team’s schedules that can often be overlooked.

Here’s a look at some schedule “quirks” for each SEC team for this season.

Alabama

1. For the seventh consecutive season and ninth time in 12 seasons under head coach Nick Saban, Alabama is opening its season at a neutral site. This has worked out well for the Crimson Tide, as they are 8-0 in openers on a neutral field under Saban.

2. Alabama’s four true road opponents – Ole Miss, Arkansas, Tennessee and LSU – were a combined 23-26 last season.

Arkansas

1. Ten of Arkansas’ 12 opponents had a .500 or better record last season. The only two opponents that had a losing record last season were Tulsa (2-10) and Vanderbilt (5-7) and the Razorbacks will play them in consecutive weeks at the end of October.

2. Arkansas has a seven-week stretch without playing a true road game. From Week 5 through 11, the Razorbacks will play four home games in Fayetteville, a home game in Little Rock, a neutral site game (vs Texas A&M in Arlington) and a bye week in Week 10.

Auburn

1. Auburn is the only school that will play Georgia and Alabama on the road this season. (Those are 2 of the 4 games against ranked opponents the Tigers will play away from Jordan-Hare.)

2. Auburn will play just one road game in the first seven weeks. That comes on October 6 at Mississippi State.

Florida

1. Easy schedule? Eight of Florida’s 12 opponents lost at least five games last season.

2. Tough schedule? Seven of Florida’s eight home/neutral site opponents had a winning record last season.

Georgia

1. Georgia opens the season with a game against Austin Peay. It will be the first time the Bulldogs have opened a season against an FCS opponent since 2008 (Georgia Southern).

2. Georgia goes on the road twice in the first four weeks, but over the final nine weeks of the season the Bulldogs will play just two true road games.

Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky

1. Kentucky opponents’ combined win percentage last season: September (.541); October (.500); November (.604).

2. Kentucky will alternate home and road games over of its final eight games.

LSU

1. LSU will face four opponents coming off a bye week – Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, Alabama and Arkansas. No other SEC team has more than two such opponents this season.

2. LSU’s first eight FBS opponents were a combined 72-34 last season. The Tigers’ final three FBS opponents were 12-25.

Mississippi State

1. Mississippi State’s first five opponents had a combined record of 28-32 in 2017. Its last seven opponents were 56-35.

2. Tough slate away from home for Bulldogs? Mississippi State’s five road opponents were a combined 43-22 last season.

Missouri

1. Missouri has the earliest bye week of any SEC team – Sept. 29.

2. Missouri’s first seven FBS opponents combined for just 27 losses last season. The Tigers’ final four FBS opponents had 30.

Ole Miss

1. Chance for a good start to the season? Five of the Rebels’ first seven opponents had a losing record last season.

2. Difficult home schedule awaits. The Rebels’ four home SEC opponents – Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina and Mississippi State – were a combined 41-13 last season.

South Carolina

1. South Carolina is the only SEC that will play three road games in November.

2. South Carolina plays Georgia and Clemson this season, two opponents who combined were 25-2 last season. The other 10 opponents for the Gamecocks were just 54-67 combined last season.

Tennessee

1. Last season there were seven FBS teams that had 11 or more losses. Tennessee will play two of them this season (Sept. 15 vs UTEP; Nov. 3 vs Charlotte).

2. Tennessee’s first four opponents last season (15-32 W-L); next four opponents (45-11); final four opponents (20-30).

Texas A&M

1. Texas A&M has arguably the most difficult road schedule in the SEC. The Aggies’ four road opponents – Alabama, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Auburn – were a combined 41-13 last season. (Auburn’s four SEC road opponents have the same record.)

2. Texas A&M is one of two SEC schools (Vanderbilt the other) that will play three consecutive road games this season.

Vanderbilt

1. Difficult road schedule ahead. Vanderbilt’s five road opponents – Notre Dame, Georgia, Kentucky, Arkansas and Missouri – were a combined 41-25 last season.

2. Vanderbilt is one of two SEC teams (Arkansas) which doesn’t have a bye week until November (November 3).