Many questions remain for what the 2020 college football season will look like, but that doesn't mean we still can't evaluate some of the top players to watch in the Big Ten Conference.
We continue our annual Ranking the Big Ten series today with a look at the league's top non-conference game for 2020.
Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | OG | C | DE | DT | ILB | OLB | CB | S | P | K | KR/PR |
1 - Ohio State at Oregon - Sept. 12
Let's play two? This very well could be a preview of the Rose Bowl or even a potential College Football playoff match-up.
Ohio State comes into 2020 as the clear favorite to win the Big Ten (11/25 odds), while Oregon and USC are both 9/4 odds to win the PAC-12.
On paper, this is probably the top non-conference game in the country heading into the 2020 season. Texas at LSU would be the only other one that probably rivals it.
2 - Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame (@Lambeau Field) - Oct. 3
In 2016 Wisconsin played LSU in Green Bay at Lambeau Field. This year the Badgers will take on Notre Dame in the same venue.
The two teams haven't played since a three-game series from 1962 to 1964. Credit both schools for getting together and giving college football fans a great game to see in a historic venue.
It's also a later date into the season, as the Badgers play the Irish sandwiched between a road trip to Michigan (9/26) and a key divisional home game vs. Minnesota (10/10). This stretch will arguably decide what type of season Wisconsin has in 2020.
3 - Michigan at Washington - Sept. 5
Talk about a good way to kick off the 2020 season. Michigan will travel to Seattle to take on Washington and first-year head coach Jimmy Lake.
The game almost has a "must-win" feel for the Wolverines, who have seemingly yet to turn the corner under head coach Jim Harbaugh, who's averaged 9.4 wins and 3.6 losses in five seasons at his alma mater. His time in Ann Arbor almost has a Bo Pelini feel to it. His work has been solid, but not good enough to meet the overall expectation level of their fan base.
Michigan also has a very tough crossover draw in the Big Ten, as they take on Wisconsin and travel to Minnesota. When you factor in their league slate, they cannot afford to drop this game to open the season.
4 - Penn State at Virginia Tech - Sept. 12
Penn State and Virginia Tech will meet for the first time ever when the Nittany Lions travel to Lane Stadium in Blacksburg.
The two teams regularly battle for a lot of the same recruits in the region, and there's no doubt Hokie fan base is looking forward to having a historic blueblood program come into their stadium.
PSU head coach James Franklin has been solid the last few seasons, as they've appeared in New Year's Six bowl games three of the last four years. Meanwhile, Hokie head coach Justin Fuente has averaged five losses per season in his first four years at Virginia Tech. This would be a breakthrough win for Fuente if the Hokies could pull off the upset.
5 - Cincinnati at Nebraska - Sept. 26
Cincinnati enters the 2020 season as the favorite in many people's eyes to represent the Group of Five in the New Year's Six.
They enter the season favorites over Central Florida and Memphis to win the AAC, and they will battle it out with them and teams like Boise State to secure the coveted New Year's Day Six bowl spot.
Luke Fickell's stock is as hot as any up and coming coach in the country. He turned down over $5 million a year to coach Michigan State, and with a good year in 2020, he should have his pick of any Power Five job opening in the country.
Cincinnati will travel to Lincoln to take on Nebraska on Sept. 26, and the game will be an opportunity for them to secure a solid ranking spot in the early polls.
For Scott Frost and Nebraska, the game will be an early measuring stick and give the Huskers a chance at a potential 6-1 or even 7-0 start to the season before they hit the back end of their schedule which features five potential ranked opponents.
