The SEC West is back on its usual perch as the best division in college football. And Auburn’s resurgence is a major reason why.

Now that we’re two-thirds through the season, here’s a look at where each division team stands and where we can reasonably expect each squad to be entering December.

Alabama

Current record: 8-0

Remaining opponents: at LSU, vs. Mississippi State, vs. Chattanooga, vs. Auburn

Projected finish: 12-0

The skinny: The home games against Mississippi State and Chattanooga are obviously the easiest ones left, but the other two could be tricky. Saturday night’s visit to LSU appears to be the biggest challenge for multiple reasons.

The Tigers have looked like a different team since Ed Orgeron replaced the fired Les Miles as head coach, beating Missouri, Southern Miss and Ole Miss by a combined 125-38 score. And despite struggling with an ankle injury, Leonard Fournette has rushed for at least 101 yards in the four games he has played in so far, including a school-record 284 against the Rebels.

As good as Alabama’s run defense has been, allowing 70 yards per game to lead the FBS, expecting it to hold Fournette to 31 yards for the second year is a bit unrealistic. And if all Fournette can muster is 70 yards on Saturday night, LSU QB Danny Etling will have to play the game of his life to beat Alabama.

Let’s see what kind of shape Bama is in after its trip to Death Valley. If the Tide survives the test, Nick Saban and his squad can focus on shutting down Auburn in the Iron Bowl.

Texas A&M

Current record: 7-1

Remaining opponents: at Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas-San Antonio, LSU

Projected finish: 11-1

The skinny: On one hand, losing to Alabama could end up being the only blemish on the Aggies’ season. On the other, that one defeat will keep A&M in the College Football Playoff discussion until the end of the year.

To put what its start means in perspective, Texas A&M has had three perfect seasons in school history — 1917, 1919 and 1939. And its only 12-win season came in 1992, when the Aggies were still in the Southwest Conference and finished 12-1 under R.C. Slocum.

There’s a mathematical chance that A&M could go 8-5 for the third straight year. But at the very least, the Aggies should win two of their next three games and finish no worse than 9-3.

Auburn

Current record: 6-2

Remaining opponents: Vanderbilt, at Georgia, Alabama A&M, at Alabama

Projected finish: 9-3

The skinny: Who expected Auburn to rout Arkansas by 53 points or go into Oxford and beat the Rebels by two scores? Not only are the Tigers winning SEC games, they are doing so in convincing fashion.

The overall feeling on The Plains is much different than last year, when AU had to struggle to get to 6-6 before rolling over Memphis in the Birmingham Bowl. A lot can still happen to Alabama and Auburn between now and the Iron Bowl; but from an SEC West and CFP perspective, there’s a good chance that game will mean a lot more than it has the last two years.

LSU

Current record: 5-2

Remaining opponents: Alabama, at Arkansas, Florida, at Texas A&M

Projected finish: 7-4

The skinny: Finishing the regular season against three top 10 teams won’t be easy, which is why a .500 finish the rest of the way is not an unreasonable expectation. But the question persists: Will that kind of finish be enough for LSU to remove Orgeron’s interim tag and give him the head coaching job next season?

Let’s see how Saturday night’s game plays out first. If the Tigers beat Alabama, LSU might have little choice but to retain Orgeron, regardless of how it feels about Houston’s Tom Herman or other possible candidates to replace Miles.

Arkansas

Current record: 5-3

Remaining opponents: Florida, LSU, at Mississippi State, at Missouri

Projected finish: 6-6

The skinny: Matching last year’s 8-5 overall mark and 5-3 SEC record is still possible for the Razorbacks, but their next two games — albeit both at home — are against top 15 teams. Even though Arkansas went into the season having to undergo a major rebuild on offense, its 56-3 loss to Auburn put a damper on what could have been a much bigger season.

Mississippi State

Current record: 3-5

Remaining opponents: Texas A&M, at Alabama, Arkansas, at Ole Miss

Projected finish: 4-8

The skinny: Watching Dak Prescott take the NFL by storm hasn’t eased the growing pains that the Bulldogs are going through this season, but at least Mississippi State can use its former QB’s success as a recruiting tool. Starkville is now a place where you can have four great years, get selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft and become a leading candidate for the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and a darkhorse candidate for its MVP honors.

All those Prescott press clippings aside, his replacement is having a solid season, too. Nick Fitzgerald, the SEC’s top rushing quarterback, has completed 56.1 percent of his passes for 1,496 yards, 14 TDs and 7 interceptions while adding 657 yards and 6 more scores on the ground.

Ole Miss

Current record: 3-5

Remaining opponents: Georgia Southern, at Texas A&M, at Vanderbilt, Mississippi State

Projected finish: 6-6

The skinny: Despite not trailing at halftime in any of their games this season, the Rebels are last in the West with a 1-4 record. Ole Miss, which coughed up three-touchdown leads against Florida State and Alabama, has lost three straight for the first time since 2013.

The Rebels’ lack of on-field success this season has nearly overshadowed its off-field issues entering it. A bowl berth isn’t out of the question, but that will be little consolation for Hugh Freeze, Chad Kelly and company.