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Mallorca - the team that escaped relegation last year on the final day and has American investors - is already relegated. So are Elche, who were in La Liga two seasons ago. Gimnàstic - the team that was competing for automatic promotion last year - has a chance, albeit slim, of going down. Newly promoted Cádiz could be newly promoted again.
Some things stay the same. Real Oviedo, who inexplicably lost out on promotion last year, will almost certainly do so again. Almería are hoping to avoid the drop again. Some things are even unsurprising - relegated Levante are going back up, and Lugo seem to perennially settle for mid table status.
But every Segunda, each jornada seems to matter as much as the last - but then somehow before the last game the league is set up perfect for the unpredictable. Almost on purpose.
Out of the promotion and relegation battle, it's the relegation battle that might be the most exciting - in fact, UCAM (48 points) and Gimnàstic (49) have a direct match up! And with Alcorcón (47) hosting mid-table-and-nothing-to-play-for Lugo, and Almería (48) hosting Reus Deportiu, things might go down to head-to-head.
But head-to-head is tight too - in a rock-paper-scissors-esque situation, UCAM "beats" Almería, Almería beats Alcorcón and Alcorcón beats UCAM. And in a three-way tie it's UCAM, Alcorcón and Almería in that order.
So here's what each team has to do to not get relegated:
Alcorcón have to pick up points - they are through if they win. If they draw then then need UCAM to lose i.e. for Gimnàstic to win.
Almería go through if they win. If they lose, then need Alcorcón to lose, or for Alcorcón to draw and UCAM to not lose i.e. Gimnàstic to not win. If they draw, they go through unless Alcorcón win and UCAM draw too.
UCAM go through if they win. If they lose, they go through as long as either Almería lose, or Almería win and Alcorcón lose. If they draw, they go through unless both Almería and Alcorcón win.
You may have realized - all three go through if they win. Then who loses out?
Gimnàstic, that's who. They go out only if Alcorcón win, Almería don't lose and UCAM win.
How the tables have turned - Alcorcón, who missed out on the promotion playoffs due to head-to-head last season, are favorites to get relegated.
Speaking of the promotion playoff battle, this year it's less tight, and yet may be more interesting. Oviedo (58 points) travel to already-relegated Elche, Huesca (60 points) travel to champions Levante and Valladolid (60 points) host Cádiz who are already in the promotion playoffs.
What's amazing is that out of the three clubs, the most likely to go through is Huesca, a team formed from Barcelona fans, who would edge out two historic La Liga clubs. Not just in this promotion playoff, but on head-to-head too - they win any direct or three team head-to-head battle.
As for Valladolid and Oviedo? They are tied on head-to-head points and goal difference, so if it comes down to a tie between them it'll go down to goal difference. Currently, Oviedo are six goals behind, but if they score six goals both teams will have scored 51 and conceded 47, in which case it'll go down to fair play....you get the idea.
It's tight.
Oviedo go through if they win and both Huesca and Valladolid lose. Also, if Oviedo win, Huesca lose and Valladolid draw, it'll come down to goal difference which essentially means Oviedo have to score six goals.
Huesca go through if they win. If they draw, they go through as long as Valladolid don't win as well. If they lose, they go through if Valladolid lose and Oviedo don't win.
Valladolid go through if they win as long as Huesca don't win. If they draw, they go through if Huesca lose and Oviedo don't win - if Oviedo do win, it goes down to goal difference as already mentioned above.
It's unlikely Oviedo will go through - but weirder things have happened in the Segunda.
So which match should you watch? UCAM vs Gimnàstic comes close, but I'm going to go with Alcorcón vs Lugo for the relegation battle, and Huesca vs Levante for the promotion battle.
It's where everything - or nothing - will be decided.
Follow @Vallecanos1924
Some things stay the same. Real Oviedo, who inexplicably lost out on promotion last year, will almost certainly do so again. Almería are hoping to avoid the drop again. Some things are even unsurprising - relegated Levante are going back up, and Lugo seem to perennially settle for mid table status.
But every Segunda, each jornada seems to matter as much as the last - but then somehow before the last game the league is set up perfect for the unpredictable. Almost on purpose.
Out of the promotion and relegation battle, it's the relegation battle that might be the most exciting - in fact, UCAM (48 points) and Gimnàstic (49) have a direct match up! And with Alcorcón (47) hosting mid-table-and-nothing-to-play-for Lugo, and Almería (48) hosting Reus Deportiu, things might go down to head-to-head.
But head-to-head is tight too - in a rock-paper-scissors-esque situation, UCAM "beats" Almería, Almería beats Alcorcón and Alcorcón beats UCAM. And in a three-way tie it's UCAM, Alcorcón and Almería in that order.
So here's what each team has to do to not get relegated:
Alcorcón have to pick up points - they are through if they win. If they draw then then need UCAM to lose i.e. for Gimnàstic to win.
Almería go through if they win. If they lose, then need Alcorcón to lose, or for Alcorcón to draw and UCAM to not lose i.e. Gimnàstic to not win. If they draw, they go through unless Alcorcón win and UCAM draw too.
UCAM go through if they win. If they lose, they go through as long as either Almería lose, or Almería win and Alcorcón lose. If they draw, they go through unless both Almería and Alcorcón win.
You may have realized - all three go through if they win. Then who loses out?
Gimnàstic, that's who. They go out only if Alcorcón win, Almería don't lose and UCAM win.
How the tables have turned - Alcorcón, who missed out on the promotion playoffs due to head-to-head last season, are favorites to get relegated.
Speaking of the promotion playoff battle, this year it's less tight, and yet may be more interesting. Oviedo (58 points) travel to already-relegated Elche, Huesca (60 points) travel to champions Levante and Valladolid (60 points) host Cádiz who are already in the promotion playoffs.
What's amazing is that out of the three clubs, the most likely to go through is Huesca, a team formed from Barcelona fans, who would edge out two historic La Liga clubs. Not just in this promotion playoff, but on head-to-head too - they win any direct or three team head-to-head battle.
As for Valladolid and Oviedo? They are tied on head-to-head points and goal difference, so if it comes down to a tie between them it'll go down to goal difference. Currently, Oviedo are six goals behind, but if they score six goals both teams will have scored 51 and conceded 47, in which case it'll go down to fair play....you get the idea.
It's tight.
Oviedo go through if they win and both Huesca and Valladolid lose. Also, if Oviedo win, Huesca lose and Valladolid draw, it'll come down to goal difference which essentially means Oviedo have to score six goals.
Huesca go through if they win. If they draw, they go through as long as Valladolid don't win as well. If they lose, they go through if Valladolid lose and Oviedo don't win.
Valladolid go through if they win as long as Huesca don't win. If they draw, they go through if Huesca lose and Oviedo don't win - if Oviedo do win, it goes down to goal difference as already mentioned above.
It's unlikely Oviedo will go through - but weirder things have happened in the Segunda.
So which match should you watch? UCAM vs Gimnàstic comes close, but I'm going to go with Alcorcón vs Lugo for the relegation battle, and Huesca vs Levante for the promotion battle.
It's where everything - or nothing - will be decided.
Follow @Vallecanos1924