College Football Playoff picture: What to watch in Week 3 as Ohio State remains No. 1

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio State's standing as the No. 1 team in college football may not be under threat Saturday in a game against Ohio University. But outside of Columbus, the playoff picture is continuing to evolve as games between ranked teams become more frequent.

Week 3 has several such games that will shape the Southeastern Conference tier list and could see the team the Buckeyes beat for the title last season knocked out entirely. Here is a look at the major changes in the 12-team playoff projections and a few key games to watch that could affect the playoff.

Ohio State's potential opponent shuffles

Although Ohio State's No. 1 spot is likely safe through September, its potential opponent in the projections will change week to week. This week's projections offer the possibility of a great Midwestern matchup.

The new Associated Press rankings -- which NBC4 looks at until the initial official playoff rankings begin in November -- have the Buckeyes playing the winner of a first-round game between Notre Dame and Illinois. The prospect of a potential national title game rematch is fun to think about or maybe even a Rose Bowl showdown between two classic Big Ten teams.

This projected first round also has three teams from Florida qualifying (Miami, Florida State and South Florida). In last season's playoff, Indiana was the only state represented by more than one school (Notre Dame and Indiana). USF has a stranglehold of the Group of Five conference champion spot after upsets of Boise State and Florida.

Illinois, Florida State, Iowa State join party

The latest projections welcome three new teams into the 12-team field, including Illinois from the Big Ten. The Illini's 45-19 win at Duke pushed their ranking up to No. 9, making them the true Big Ten dark horse. Their first game against a currently ranked opponent is Sept. 20 at Indiana.

Last season, Florida State started the season ranked No. 10 and was projected to make the playoffs. After two losses to start the season, the Seminoles were quickly taken out. One year later, the opposite has happened. They upset Alabama in Week 1 and amassed 77 points against East Texas A&M in Week 2. Its next test? Playing Miami on Oct. 4.

In the Big 12, Iowa State is the new king of the hill after defending conference champion Arizona State fell to Mississippi State. Despite a 3-0 start, the Cyclones sit outside the top 12 but make the projected field as the fourth-best conference winner. Arizona State's fall out of the rankings means Iowa State does not face a currently ranked team the rest of the regular season.

Three games to watch in Week 3

No. 6 Georgia at No. 15 Tennessee (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.): Southeastern Conference action is shifting to a higher gear with a midafternoon clash in Knoxville. The Bulldogs have fallen in the rankings after two easy wins and look to win a ninth straight against the Volunteers. A Tennessee upset puts last year's No. 9 seed in contention.

No. 18 USF at No. 5 Miami (Saturday, 4:30 p.m.): The early Cinderella of college football resides in Tampa, Florida, as USF tries to complete something historic. The Bulls have already taken down two ranked nonconference opponents, but a win in Miami over the Hurricanes most likely puts USF straight into the top-ten.

No. 16 Texas A&M at No. 8 Notre Dame (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. on NBC4): The Fighting Irish find themselves in the same position as last season, as they are desperate to run the table toward a playoff spot after an early loss. The Aggies look for revenge after falling to Notre Dame last season at home.