Storyline Saturday: What to watch in college football's Week 3

Through two weeks, we’ve seen a touch of everything.

There’s been some big wins, like Michigan State's over Oregon. There's been some close calls you never saw coming, like Auburn escaping FCS Jacksonville State. And there's been upsets that opened your eyes, such as the one Toledo dumped on Arkansas last Saturday.

But with Week 3rolling around, this is where things truly begin to heat up.

Rankings will fluctuate as teams get chances to beat other teams that matter. Conference pictures start to become clearer as squads tear into the meat of their schedules and we, as fans, get to sit back and enjoy the show.

There’s a lot to learn and a lot to get to, so let’s get started.

The big games

Who: No. 18 Auburn at No. 13 LSU
Where: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, La.
When: 2:30 pm CBS

It’s hard to tell what to make of either Tiger squad so far. Both were lucky in their escapes a week ago — Auburn in its overtime victory over FCS program Jacksonville State and LSU, which watched as Mississippi State took itself right out of prime field goal territory. With one win under its belt, LSU feels good about its star in Leonard Fournette. With three touchdowns in his opening contest, how could you not?

On the other side, Jeremy Johnson is on the fast road to the bench after two lackluster performances. Will Auburn bounce back to the status many assumed it would reach, or will this be the beginning of a very long road for Gus Malzahn?

Who: No. 14 Georgia Tech at No. 8 Notre Dame
Where: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Ind.
When: 2:30 pm NBC

The Irish were lucky to escape Virginia last week, but they didn't do so unscathed. Malik Zaire is out for the season with a fractured ankle and may have taken Notre Dame’s hopes with him.

How that path unfolds starts here, as Georgia Tech has flown through its opening two weeks. With a defense that was less than stellar a year ago, the Jackets’ best option will be outscoring their opponents. We saw how capable their unique triple option offense was at creating havoc multiple times last year, but can they do it again on their way to upsetting a top-10 team?

Who: No. 15 Ole Miss at No. 2 Alabama
Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
When: 8:15 pm ESPN

The lights in T-Town have a way of exposing what you’re made of. While the Rebels are reeling off points like it’s going out of style, they may find no tougher task than the one waiting for them in Alabama. The Crimson Tide coaching staff has a decent idea of its team after an early win over Wisconsin, but 'Bama had this one circled for a while. The last thing most coaches want to face is an angry Saban, something Ole Miss ensured after its victory a year ago.

If Alabama can shut down Chad Kelly and enforce its will, that could be revealing for the rest of the SEC slate.

Other games to watch: No. 19 BYU at No. 10 UCLA (9:30 pm, FS1), Texas Tech at Arkansas (6:00 pm, ESPN2)

Show yourself

While the screaming match over which conference is the toughest may rage on till the end of time, the Pac-12 had better start speaking up.

So far in 2015, three ranked squads have dropped games on the road to out-of-conference opponents. Granted, Texas A&M and Michigan State aren't your usual powderpuff early-season opponents. But the point remains, if you want to be the best, you must beat the best. Up to this point, the teams out west are not doing much of it — but this week a few teams will have the opportunity.

UCLA has ridden its newest star in Josh Rosen to a 2-0 record and has looked impressive in doing so. Now inside the top ten, the Bruins face off against No. 19 BYU and could thrust themselves into the national conversation with a big showing.

Meanwhile, across town, No. 6 USC is hosting a Stanford team that looked better in week two after a disappointing loss to Northwestern. With a lot of people stating this is the year for the Trojans to finally recover from their sanctions, a win over the Cardinal is a must. Through the years Stanford has shown up ready to play, so the stage will be set.

Finally, Cal heads down to Austin. While they are unranked and unlikely to factor into the conference race, a dominant performance on the road against another Power 5 team is never a bad thing to have on the resume.

So, will the best of the Pac-12 stand up, or go quietly on an important weekend?

Defend your home

One of the things that makes college football so interesting is the different cultures woven into it. Each fan base has its own unique traditions and idiosyncrasies that make them stand out from one another. There are many fan bases that would declare their territory as “the best” or the most “hostile” places to play in. During week three’s games, a bunch of “those” places will be put to the test.

Looking across the spectrum, Alabama, Notre Dame, UCLA, LSU and even Georgia are hosting games with major implications. If the home field advantage is truly something to be feared, we should see it on full display this weekend.