What you need to know about every SEC West opponent in Week 2

After a wild opening weekend of college football, it’s time for teams to turn the page and look to either continue their success or rebound after tough Week 1 losses.

As you prepare for the second week of the season, here is a preview of every SEC West team’s opponent for Week 2.

Western Kentucky (at Alabama)

Western Kentucky 2015 PPG: 44.3
Western Kentucky 2015 PPG allowed: 25.9

Strength: The Hilltoppers had the third-highest scoring offense in the nation last year, as they scored 44.3 points per game, ranking behind just Baylor (48.1) and Texas Tech (45.1). That came with Brandon Doughty at quarterback, but first-year South Florida transfer Mike White looked mighty comfortable when Western Kentucky rolled Rice 46-14 in Week 1. White completed 25-of-31 passes for 517 yards and 3 touchdowns in the win.

Must stop: With White leading the way, it appears the Hilltoppers’ air-raid attack hasn’t skipped a beat. In fact, according to ESPN Stats & Info, the 98.3 QBR White posted last week was the best by an FBS quarterback in the past 10 years. The new signal-caller’s favorite targets against the Owls were senior wide receivers Taywan Taylor (5 receptions, 165 yards) and Nicholas Norris (7 receptions, 147 yards, 2 touchdowns).

Notable: In his Monday press conference, coach Nick Saban praised the Hilltoppers while taking subtle shots at Kentucky and Mississippi State in the process when he said, “We had two teams in our league that actually lost to teams that were nowhere near as good as (Western Kentucky).”

TCU (vs. Arkansas)

TCU 2015 PPG: 42.1
TCU 2015 PPG allowed: 27.2

Strength: On Saturday, the Horned Frogs proved their offense will once again be among the most explosive in the country when they recorded more than 662 yards of total offense in a 59-41 victory over South Dakota State. Not only did TCU air it out against the Jackrabbits — its dual-threat quarterback Kenny Hill threw for 439 yards — the team also ran for 223 yards. Taj Williams (11 catches, 158 yards) was Hill’s go-to target on Saturday, while Kyle Hicks (15 carries, 59 yards) and Hill (7 carries, 45 yards) led the balanced running attack.

Must stop: Although Hill, who transferred to TCU from Texas A&M, threw a pair of interceptions against South Dakota State, he also rallied to help the Horned Frogs earn a victory. His 484 yards of total offense was the third-most of any player in Week 1, and he’ll certainly be trying to improve on that mark against the Razorbacks in Week 2.

Notable: TCU has flourished in recent years as it finished ranked in the top seven in the final poll each of the past two seasons. The Horned Frogs will be vying for a spot in the College Football Playoff this year, so Arkansas will have its hands full on Saturday night.

Arkansas State (at Auburn)

Arkansas State 2015 PPG: 40.0
Arkansas State 2015 PPG allowed: 30.2

Strength: In this day and age, it is rare for a team to have a run-first offense, but that is exactly what the Red Wolves did in 2015. A year ago, Arkansas State averaged 231.3 yards per game on the ground, and just 207.2 through the air. That trend continued in the team’s 31-10 loss to Toledo in its opener as senior quarterback Chad Voytick threw for 124 yards compared to the 142 total yards the team gained on the ground.

Must stop: Even though the Red Wolves lost last year’s featured back, Michael Gordon, to graduation, the offense still has a variety of backs which can give opposing defenses trouble. After rushing for 707 yards as a freshman in 2015, Warren Wand led the Arkansas State ground attack with 77 yards on 12 attempts against the Rockets in Week 1.

Notable: The Red Wolves suffered a 55-6 loss at USC in their opener last fall, but the team bounced back to give Missouri all it could handle in Week 2. Even though the Tigers ultimately pulled out a 27-20 victory in that game, Arkansas State proved it can provide SEC teams a scare.

Jacksonville State (at LSU)

Jacksonville State 2015 PPG: 38.9
Jacksonville State 2015 PPG allowed: 19.9

Strength: In Week 1, the Gamecocks passed for 230 yards and ran for 272 before upending Division II foe North Alabama, 31-12. While senior quarterback Eli Jenkins didn’t have to throw a touchdown pass in the win, he did run for a team-high 101 yards to lead a pack of three different Jacksonville State running backs, which ran for 70 yards or more against the Lions.

Must stop: With Jenkins leading the way, the Gamecocks feature a three-headed monster in the backfield. The dual-threat quarterback ran for 15 touchdowns and threw for 21 more in 2015, and he certainly seemed to pick up where he left off in the team’s opener. Freshman running back Tyus Flakes (12 carries, 72 yards) and former Auburn RB Roc Thomas (20 carries, 71 yards) each proved they are viable options in the backfield when Jacksonville State wants to give Jenkins a blow.

Notable: The program has been around for more than a century — dating all the way back to 1904, in fact — but Jacksonville State has yet to earn its first bowl victory since making the jump from Division II to Division I in 1996. However, the Gamecocks did upend Pittsburg State to win the 1992 Division II national title.

South Carolina (at Mississippi State)

South Carolina 2015 PPG: 21.9
South Carolina 2015 PPG allowed: 27.5

Strength: The Gamecocks needed their senior kicker Elliott Fry to hit a career-long 55-yard field goal with 35 seconds left to upend Vanderbilt 13-10 in their opener as the team helped Will Muschamp start his tenure at South Carolina with a victory. Against the Commodores, the Gamecocks utilized two quarterbacks with senior Perry Orth (11-of-19, 152 yards) earning the start. Freshman Brandon McIlwain also saw time, completing 5-of-11 passes for 35 yards.

Must stop: Regardless of who was under center, it became clear that freshman wide receiver Bryan Edwards will be among South Carolina’s most-targeted receivers this season. His eight catches attributed for half of the team’s receptions, and his 101 receiving yards was miles ahead of sophomore Deebo Samuel, who’s 36 receiving yards (2 catches) ranked second on the team.

Notable: You have to go all the way back to 2013 for the last time South Carolina and the Bulldogs met one another. After earning a double-overtime, 27-24 victory over Missouri one week prior, the Gamecocks beat Mississippi State 34-16 before winning its final four games of the season.

Wofford (at Ole Miss)

Wofford 2015 PPG: 25.8
Wofford 2015 PPG allowed: 27.7

Strength: The Terriers truly are a tough team as they make a living running the football and playing tough defense. In its opener, Wofford ran for 346 yards compared to recording just 42 passing yards. Three different players — senior running back Will Gay, senior fullback Lorenzo Long and junior quarterback Brad Butler — each ran for 85 yards or more to help the team improve to 1-0 with a 21-7 victory over Tennessee Tech.

Must stop: Although Gay led the offense with 116 rushing yards on 9 carries, it was the Terriers’ quarterback who hurt the Golden Eagles the most. Butler scored three rushing touchdowns after running for 85 yards on 11 carries. Wofford only had eight pass attempts against Tennessee Tech as Butler gives a new meaning to the run-first quarterback.

Notable: Head coach Mike Ayers has led the program for 29 seasons, compiling a 188-132-1 record during that time. The longtime Terriers coach helped Wofford jump from Division II to Division I prior to the 1996-97 season. Since then, the team has appeared in the FCS Playoffs six times, most recently in 2012.

Prairie View A&M (at Texas A&M)

Prairie View A&M 2015 PPG: 44.9
Prairie View A&M 2015 PPG allowed: 33.1

Strength: The Panthers won’t quit, and they showcased that when they rallied from a 17-6 halftime deficit to pull out a 29-25 victory over Texas Southern in Week 1. Junior wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge, who transferred to FCS-level Prairie View from Alcorn State, played a big part in the win. He ultimately hauled in 6 passes for 72 yards from senior quarterback Trey Green, while the two also combined for the Panthers’ only two touchdowns through the air.

Must stop: In addition to Green and Hodge, the Aggies will have to be careful on special teams. Against the Tigers on Saturday, A&M had 105 yards on kickoff returns. Junior returner Joshua Simmons is the deadliest as he averaged 20.3 yards on his four returns in Week 1.

Notable: The Panthers lost 80 consecutive games, the longest losing streak in NCAA history, from 1989 to 1998. But the program seems to be rejuvenated, especially after posting a 9-2 record last year in Willie Simmons’ debut season as head coach.

Brad Joyal