Multiple top Big Ten players on Michigan’s schedule opt out of 2020

Multiple early season opponents have indicated they won’t be playing the Wolverines (or any other team) in 2020.

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The Big Ten just released its revamped 2020 schedule on Wednesday morning, but by the day, it’s getting a little easier for Michigan football.

On the eve of the schedule release, it was announced that Week Two opponent Minnesota would be without prolific wide receiver Rashod Bateman, as he decided to opt out of the 2020 season due to coronavirus concerns, while (essentially) declaring for the NFL draft in the process. It’s a big blow for the Golden Gophers, as they already lost leading receiver Tyler Johnson to the NFL. But Bateman was equally as special, having caught 60 passes for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2019.

Then, there was another big reveal: Penn State is posing arguably its best player.

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The Wolverines will see the Nittany Lions in Ann Arbor in Week Three, but they’ll do so without star defender Micah Parsons, the former  five-star linebacker. Given that PSU lost Yetur Gross-Matos and KJ Hamler after 2019, it’s without quite a few of its returning talent — though tight end Pat Freiermuth returns.

How good is Parsons? Well, Pro Football Focus has him as the top defender in the 2021 NFL Draft.

The hits for Michigan’s early season opponents keep coming, as the biggest challenge for the defense early on was going to be defending Purdue standout receiver Rondale Moore.

Well, about that.

Moore announced on Thursday that he is also opting out and declaring for the NFL draft.

Moore was limited in 2019 due to injury, but in 2018, his freshman campaign, he caught 114 passes for 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was instrumental in helping Purdue surprise Ohio State with an inexplicable upset which kept the Buckeyes out of the College Football Playoff.

MSU DE Jacub Panasiuk, who has been expressed as a dirty player by players on Michigan’s team, is also opting out.

At this juncture, no Wolverines have announced that they intend to sit out the 2020 season.

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