Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, September 14, 2015

The first leaf hasn?t fallen off a tree yet, but it?s never too early for some playoff speculation. More specifically: Can the Big Ten get two teams-Ohio State and Michigan State–into the four-team playoff?

[ MORE: Week 3 schedule | Week 3 previews | Power Rankings | Bowl Projections | Player Rankings | Latest polls | Big Ten Mailbag | Like GIFs? Click here! | Check out these Nebraska cleats | Leonte Carroo arrested | Get all of our Week 3 coverage ]

Sure. It could happen. Myriad possibilities still loom for a lot of schools and leagues.

So much is out of hands of the Buckeyes and Spartans. How many other unbeaten league champs will there be? Will there be a lot of one-loss conference champions? On and on it goes.

Regardless, it's something that should be considered now that Michigan State has cleared the hurdle that is Oregon, beating the Ducks 31-28 on Saturday night.

The Buckeyes and Spartans can only control what they can control. But, here are the two most likely ways both can make the playoffs–or at least have a good shot at it.

***

Scenario No. 1:

Ohio State (2-0 and a near unanimous No. 1 in the AP and Coaches polls) wins the Big Ten with an unbeaten record. Do that, and the Buckeyes are a cinch to make the playoffs ? as the No. 1 seed.

An unbeaten Ohio State means it will have beaten Michigan State when the Spartans visit Columbus on Nov. 21. That defeat at No. 1 would not kill MSU?s playoff dreams-as long as it?s the lone loss for the Spartans.

?But a one-loss Michigan State probably isn?t going into the playoff over an unbeaten team from another power league,? Jerry Palm of CBSSports.com told me. ?But if you have a one-loss ACC champ, you?d have to think Michigan State with a loss to Ohio State would have a pretty good shot to get into the playoffs over that team.?

The Spartans will have a strong resume, augmented by their win over reigning national runner-up Oregon. Its lone loss, at what would be vs. the No. 1 team, would be the "best" of any playoff contender.

The Ducks can do a lot to help the Spartans' chances, too, just as the latter did for the former last season.

?It would help Michigan State?s cause a lot if Oregon goes on to a great season and perhaps wins the Pac-12,? Palm said. ?If Oregon ends up going 8-4 ? "

***

Scenario No. 2:

Michigan State (2-0 and ranked No. 4 in the AP poll this week after receiving two first-place votes) finishes as an unbeaten Big Ten champ and Ohio State goes 11-1, the lone loss vs. the Spartans, who would arguably move up to No. 1 or No. 2.

Palm isn't as confident about this hypothetical.

?The Buckeyes? lack of a marquee non-conference win will hurt its playoff chances,? he said.

That makes sense, but would the committee really keep out the reigning national champ, the team that is almost the unanimous No. 1, because of a loss to what, as mentioned above, would most likely end up as the No. 1 or No. 2 team?

It would be tough, especially if there aren't multiple undefeated teams. For what it's worth, there was just one such team last season, and it was Florida State, then the reigning national champ.

But, yes, the Ohio State schedule could work against it in the event of a loss. The non-league slate (at Virginia Tech, vs. Hawaii, vs. Northern Illinois and vs. Western Michigan) isn't going to impress many on the committee.

Then again, it's very early. And, who knows, maybe Virginia Tech goes on to have a strong season.

?A lot of things can still happen,? Palm said.

***

About Tom Dienhart BTN.com senior writer Tom Dienhart is a veteran sports journalist who covers Big Ten football and men's basketball for BTN.com and BTN TV. Find him on Twitter and Facebook, read all of his work at btn.com/tomdienhart, and subscribe to his posts via RSS. Also, send questions to his weekly mailbag using the form below and read all of his previous answers in his reader mailbag section.

And if you want to leave a comment on this post, use the box below. All comments need to be approved by a moderator.