Category: Penn State

Big Ten Cancels Fall College Football Season, Might Play In Spring

The Big Ten will cancel its fall season – according to reports – and attempt to play this spring.

The Big Ten will cancel its fall season – according to reports – and attempt to play this spring.

The Big Ten is going cancel the fall season and move on to the spring.

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After hinting about it over the last several weeks, and after it was leaked on Monday that the Big Ten presidents were 12-2 against playing in the fall, the league has decided to cancel the 2020 fall season and will try playing this spring.

More coming in a few moments …

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Big Ten Cancels Fall Season. What’s Next For College Football?

The Big Ten has canceled its 2020 football season due to concerns over the coronavirus. What’s next for college football?

The Big Ten has canceled its 2020 football season due to concerns over the coronavirus. What’s next for college football?

The Big Ten is going to do it. It’s going to cancel its 2020 college football season.

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It was rumored to happen for the last few weeks, and now it’s actually happening the Big Ten is cancelling college football for the 2020 fall.

The details of what’s next are still sketchy, but commissioner Kevin Warren has been hinting at the idea of a spring football season. Forgetting that it would mean two college football seasons in ten months, and that college football in Minneapolis and Madison would be delightful in February, there aren’t any details yet on how that might work.

This all started rolling over the weekend with reports of a meeting among conference presidents about the viability of a college football season, and then Monday morning the Dan Patrick Show went with the story that the Big Ten was going to shut things down.

In the end, it was just too much. The Big Ten types have been hinting from the start that they didn’t believe they could safely make it all work. There were liability concerns, player safety issues, the lack of revenue from no fans in the stands, and then when it finally came time to practice and get it all going, the college presidents couldn’t make it work.

Oh yeah, and don’t forget the player movement side of things. Squashing the demands and the voices of players isn’t a bad thing for those who run the higher-levels of college athletics.

The Big Ten just gave the whole #WeWantToPlay movement one giant, “bless your heart.”

And now, very predictably, college football gets politicized. What could possibly go wrong?

What’s next for college football coming in a moment …

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Penn State Football Schedule 2020

Penn State football schedule 2020 with the Big Ten only slate

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Penn State football schedule 2020 with the Big Ten only slate

Penn State Football Schedule 2020

Sept. 5 Northwestern

Sept. 12 at Indiana

Sept. 19 at Michigan

Sept. 26 Michigan State

Oct. 3 at Rutgers

Oct. 10 OPEN DATE

Oct. 17 Maryland

Oct. 24 Iowa

Oct. 31 at Nebraska

Nov. 7 Ohio State

Nov. 14 OPEN DATE

Nov. 21 at Illinois

Nov. 28 OPEN DATE

Missed: Minnesota, Purdue, Wisconsin
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Big Ten Preseason Football Predictions For Every Game, Team Records

With the Big Ten 10 game schedule, here are the preseason predictions for every game and who will play for the championship.

With the Big Ten 10 game schedule, here are the preseason predictions for every game and who will play for the championship

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Big Ten Preseason Predicted Finish

East
T1. Michigan
T1. Ohio State
3. Penn State
4. Michigan State
5. Indiana
6. Maryland
7. Rutgers

West
1. Wisconsin
2. Minnesota
T3. Iowa
T3. Nebraska
T5. Northwestern
T5. Purdue
7. Illinois

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Big Ten Championship Prediction

Ohio State over Wisconsin

Big Ten East Predictions

2020 Indiana Football Schedule Prediction

2020 Preseason Prediction: 4-6
2019 Preseason Prediction: 5-7
2019: 8-5, 2018: 5-7
2020 Indiana Preview

Sept. 4 at Wisconsin L
Sept. 12 Penn State L
Sept. 19 Illinois W
Sept. 26 at Ohio State L
Oct. 3 OPEN DATE
Oct. 10 at Minnesota L
Oct. 17 Michigan L
Oct. 24 Maryland W
Oct. 31 at Rutgers W
Nov. 7 at Michigan State L
Nov. 14 OPEN DATE
Nov. 21 Purdue W
Nov. 28 OPEN DATE
Missed: Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern

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2020 Maryland Football Schedule Prediction

2020 Preseason Prediction: 1-9
2019 Preseason Prediction: 6-6
2019: 3-9, 2018: 5-7
2020 Maryland Preview

Sept. 5 at Iowa L
Sept. 12 Michigan State L
Sept. 19 Rutgers W
Sept. 26 at Northwestern L
Oct. 3 Wisconsin L
Oct. 10 OPEN DATE
Oct. 17 at Penn State L
Oct. 24 at Indiana L
Oct. 31 Ohio State L
Nov. 7 at Michigan L
Nov. 14 OPEN DATE
Nov. 21 Minnesota L
Nov. 28 OPEN DATE
Missed: Illinois, Nebraska, Purdue

2020 Michigan Football Schedule Prediction

2020 Preseason Prediction: 9-1
2019 Preseason Prediction: 11-1
2019: 9-4, 2018: 10-3
2020 Michigan Preview

Sept. 5 Purdue W
Sept. 12 at Minnesota W
Sept. 19 Penn State W
Sept. 26 at Rutgers W
Oct. 3 Michigan State W
Oct. 10 OPEN DATE
Oct. 17 at Indiana W
Oct. 24 at Ohio State L
Oct. 31 Wisconsin W
Nov. 7 Maryland W
Nov. 14 OPEN DATE
Nov. 21 at Northwestern W
Nov. 28 OPEN DATE
Missed: Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska

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2020 Michigan State Football Schedule Prediction

2020 Preseason Prediction: 5-5
2019 Preseason Prediction: 9-3
2019: 7-6, 2018: 7-6
2020 Michigan State Preview

Sept. 5 Minnesota W
Sept. 12 at Maryland W
Sept. 19 Northwestern W
Sept. 26 at Penn State L
Oct. 3 at Michigan L
Oct. 10 OPEN DATE
Oct. 17 Ohio State L
Oct. 24 Rutgers W
Oct. 31 at Iowa L
Nov. 7 Indiana W
Nov. 14 OPEN DATE
Nov. 21 at Nebraska L
Nov. 28 OPEN DATE
Missed: Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin

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2020 Ohio State Football Schedule Prediction

2020 Preseason Prediction: 9-1
2019 Preseason Prediction: 10-2
2019: 13-1, 2018: 13-1
2020 Ohio State Preview

Sept. 3 at Illinois W
Sept. 12 Rutgers W
Sept. 19 at Purdue W
Sept. 26 Indiana W
Oct. 3 OPEN DATE
Oct. 10 Nebraska W
Oct. 17 at Michigan State W
Oct. 24 Michigan W
Oct. 31 at Maryland W
Nov. 7 at Penn State L
Nov. 14 OPEN DATE
Nov. 21 Iowa W
Nov. 28 OPEN DATE
Missed: Minnesota, Northwestern, Wisconsin

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2020 Penn State Football Schedule Prediction

2020 Preseason Prediction: 8-2
2019 Preseason Prediction: 9-3
2019: 11-2, 2018: 9-4
2020 Penn State Preview

Sept. 5 Northwestern W
Sept. 12 at Indiana W
Sept. 19 at Michigan L
Sept. 26 Michigan State W
Oct. 3 at Rutgers W
Oct. 10 OPEN DATE
Oct. 17 Maryland W
Oct. 24 Iowa W
Oct. 31 at Nebraska L
Nov. 7 Ohio State W
Nov. 14 OPEN DATE
Nov. 21 at Illinois W
Nov. 28 OPEN DATE
Missed: Minnesota, Purdue, Wisconsin

2020 Rutgers Football Schedule Prediction

2020 Preseason Prediction: 0-10
2019 Preseason Prediction: 3-9
2019: 2-10, 2018: 1-11
2020 Rutgers Preview

Sept. 5 Nebraska L
Sept. 12 at Ohio State L
Sept. 19 at Maryland L
Sept. 26 Michigan L
Oct. 3 Penn State L
Oct. 10 OPEN DATE
Oct. 17 at Purdue L
Oct. 24 at Michigan State L
Oct. 31 Indiana L
Nov. 7 Illinois L
Nov. 14 OPEN DATE
Nov. 21 at Wisconsin L
Nov. 28 OPEN DATE
Missed: Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern

NEXT: Big Ten West Predictions

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Big Ten Football Week 1 Early Predictions, What The Lines Should Be

The Big Ten has released its football schedule. Here’s a quick first look at each Week 1 game with predictions and possible lines.

The Big Ten has released its football schedule, starting in the first week of September. Here’s a quick first look at each game with predictions and possible lines.

 Pete Fiutak @PeteFiutak

Let’s have fun and just assume the Big Ten season will go off without a hitch. Done before the lines are released for the early games, here are the first guesses, predictions, and line projections for Week 1 of the Big Ten season.

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Ohio State vs Illinois

Thursday, September 3
Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL

Knee-Jerk Instant Analysis: The Buckeyes will struggle early on as they try to win the Fiesta Bowl as they press a little out of the gate, and then things will get back to normal early in the second quarter.

Illinois might have a slew of transfers coming in for the defensive front, but it won’t be enough as the Ohio State offensive line starts banging away and taking over. The big plays will come as Justin Fields and company start to score quickly, but the time of possession battle will lean the other way in the second half.

It’ll be more of a methodical win for OSU than sensational.

First Thought Prediction: Ohio State 41, Illinois 17
First Thought Line Guess: Ohio State -27.5

– Big Ten 2020 Composite Schedule, 10 Most Interesting Games

Indiana vs Wisconsin

Friday, September 4
Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI

Knee-Jerk Instant Analysis: These two haven’t played since 2017 with Wisconsin winning the last ten games since dropping a stunner in 2002.

How ugly has the series been? Over the last five games, Wisconsin has won by an average of 60 to 12 with the low mark an 83-20 squeaker back in 2010.

This year’s Hoosier team, though, should be more of a problem for Bucky.

QB Michael Penix and the offensive backfield should give the Badger D fits for about a half, and the lines are just strong enough to hold up. But the reworked UW O line will take over and super-recruit RB Jalen Berger gets into a groove.

First Thought Prediction: Wisconsin 30, Indiana 16
First Thought Line Guess: Wisconsin -10

2020 Big Ten Team Previews, 5 Things To Know 
East Indiana | Maryland | Michigan
Michigan State | Ohio State | Penn State | Rutgers
West Illinois | Iowa | Minnesota
Nebraska | Northwestern | Purdue | Wisconsin
CFN Preview 2020: All 130 Team Previews

Minnesota vs Michigan State

Saturday, September 5
Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI

Knee-Jerk Instant Analysis: It’s the opener of the Mel Tucker era at Michigan State as his Spartans get a Minnesota team looking to prove that 2019 wasn’t any sort of a fluke.

Can the Gopher passing game get hot early on without star receivers Tyler Johnson and Rashod Bateman around anymore? It’ll be okay, but the running game will struggle against a Spartan defensive front will be a rock right out of the gate.

On the flip side, the Michigan State offense won’t be able to take advantage of a good defensive performance as drive after drive stalls. Minnesota will pull it out on a late field goal in a rough game with points and good offensive plays coming at a premium.

First Thought Prediction: Minnesota 20, Michigan State 19
First Thought Line Guess: Michigan State -3.5

NEXT: Penn State vs Northwestern, Michigan vs Purdue, Iowa vs Maryland, Nebraska vs Maryland

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2020 Big Ten Football Schedule. 5 Things That Matter. Who Gets Missed? Winners, Losers, Changes

With the Big Ten announcing that it will play a ten-game, conference only schedule, what does it all mean? Who wins, loses, and what’s next?

With the Big Ten announcing that it will play a ten-game, conference only schedule, what does it all mean? Who wins, who loses, and what’s next?

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Big Ten Football Schedule 2020

2020 Big Ten Team Previews, 5 Things To Know
East Indiana | Maryland | Michigan
Michigan State | Ohio State | Penn State | Rutgers
West Illinois | Iowa | Minnesota
Nebraska | Northwestern | Purdue | Wisconsin
CFN Preview 2020: All 130 Team Previews

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5. Big Ten 10-Game Schedule. The Basics …

The Big Ten released its 2020 football schedule. And the key parts are …

– Ten games, no non-conference dates. This was put forth before by the Big Ten, but now it’s settled. It’s all Big Ten vs. Big Ten battles spread out over the season.

– Unlike what the other Power Five conferences appear to be doing – kicking things off in mid-to-late September – the Big Ten is going to start right away on September 5th. Actually, it’ll all start on Thursday, September 3rd when Ohio State goes to Illinois. This allows each Big Ten team to have to built in weeks off along with an open date on November 28th for a possible make-up game.

– Also unlike the other Power Five conferences, the Big Ten is keeping its championship game for December 5th.

– Ohio State and Michigan don’t play on the final weekend. Go ahead and make your jokes about how the Big Ten doesn’t want Jim Harbaugh to end the season with a loss, but the October 24th date sets itself up to be something special, especially if it’s a night game.

– November 21st – the final weekend scheduled for the regular season – is all interdivisional games, and so is the first week of the season. The schedule is front loaded with divisional battles with the flexibility to fill in the gaps later if there has to be a week off.

NEXT: What Big Ten teams do the other Big Ten teams miss?

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Big Ten Football Schedule 2020 Composite Conference Only. 10 Most Interesting Games

The modified version of the 2020 Big Ten only football schedule with the week-by-week ranking along with the ten most interesting games

The modified version of the 2020 Big Ten only football schedule with the week-by-week ranking of all of the games.

Big Ten Football Schedule Composite 2020

Each week’s games ranking from most interesting to least.

Ten Most Interesting Big Ten games

1. Michigan at Ohio State, Oct. 24
2. Penn State at Ohio State, Nov. 7
3. Michigan at Penn State, Sept. 19
4. Michigan at Wisconsin, Oct. 31
5. Minnesota at Wisconsin, Sept. 26
6. Michigan at Michigan State, Oct. 3
7. Penn State at Iowa, Oct. 24
8. Michigan State at Ohio State, Oct. 17
9. Iowa at Wisconsin, Nov. 14
10. Minnesota at Michigan
, Sept. 12

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Big Ten Football Schedule Week 1

Thursday, Sept. 3
Ohio State at Illinois

Friday, Sept. 4
Wisconsin at Indiana

Saturday, Sept. 5
Minnesota at Michigan State
Penn State at Northwestern
Michigan at Purdue
Maryland at Iowa
Rutgers at Nebraska

Big Ten Football Schedule Week 2

Saturday, Sept. 12
Minnesota at Michigan
Wisconsin at Northwestern
Indiana at Penn State
Nebraska at Illinois
Purdue at Iowa
Maryland at Michigan State
Ohio State at Rutgers

Big Ten Football Schedule Week 3

Saturday, Sept. 19
Michigan at Penn State
Wisconsin at Nebraska
Minnesota at Iowa
Ohio State at Purdue
Michigan State at Northwestern
Indiana at Illinois
Maryland at Rutgers

Big Ten Football Schedule Week 4

Saturday, Sept. 26
Minnesota at Wisconsin
Penn State at Michigan State
Iowa at Nebraska
Ohio State at Indiana
Illinois at Purdue
Northwestern at Maryland
Rutgers at Michigan

Big Ten Football Schedule Week 5

Saturday, Oct. 3
Michigan at Michigan State
Nebraska at Minnesota
Northwestern at Iowa
Maryland at Wisconsin
Rutgers at Penn State
OFF WEEK: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Purdue

Big Ten Football Schedule Week 6

Saturday, Oct. 10
Ohio State at Nebraska
Minnesota at Indiana
Wisconsin at Purdue
Illinois at Iowa
OFF WEEK: Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State, Rutgers

Big Ten Football Schedule Week 7

Saturday, Oct. 17
Michigan State at Ohio State
Indiana at Michigan
Northwestern at Illinois
Penn State at Maryland
Purdue at Rutgers
OFF WEEK: Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin

Big Ten Football Schedule Week 8

Saturday, Oct. 24
Michigan at Ohio State
Penn State at Iowa
Wisconsin at Illinois
Northwestern at Nebraska
Minnesota at Purdue
Indiana at Maryland
Michigan State at Rutgers

Big Ten Football Schedule Week 9

Saturday, Oct. 31
Michigan at Wisconsin
Nebraska at Penn State
Iowa at Michigan State
Purdue at Northwestern
Illinois at Minnesota
Maryland at Ohio State
Rutgers at Indiana

Big Ten Football Schedule Week 10

Saturday, Nov. 7
Penn State at Ohio State
Michigan State at Indiana
Michigan at Maryland
Rutgers at Illinois
OFF WEEK: Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin

Big Ten Football Schedule Week 11

Saturday, Nov. 14
Iowa at Wisconsin
Minnesota at Northwestern
Purdue at Nebraska
OFF WEEK: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers

Big Ten Football Schedule Week 12

Saturday, Nov. 21
Ohio State at Iowa
Nebraska at Michigan State
Northwestern at Michigan
Indiana at Purdue
Illinois at Penn State
Minnesota at Maryland
Wisconsin at Rutgers

Big Ten Football Championship

Saturday, Dec. 5
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

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CFN Big Ten Preview 2020: 5 Things That Matter. Top Players, Coaches, Games, Thoughts

The 2020 Big Ten Preview with the top players, biggest games, most important transfers, and thoughts on each team.

The 2020 Big Ten Preview with the top players, biggest games, most important transfers, and thoughts on each team.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

5. Big Ten 2020 Preview

The Big Ten Preview is being rushed up to the podium … just in case.

Out of all of the major conferences, the Big Ten is the one that has the resources, the will, and the schools to be the first – if any – to close it all down if they think they don’t have it in the battle to keep everyone healthy during a pandemic.

The SEC might be the best football conference, and the other Power Five conferences are important, but the Big Ten is the leader with its gigantic alumni base and sheer geographic reach.

On the field, the Big Ten-only schedule should be a blast for one year – at least as long as Ohio State doesn’t run away and hide with the conference title again.

CFN Big Ten Preview 
Teams: Surprise, Disappointments | Top Games
Players To Watch | One Thought On Each Team
– CFN Preview 2020: All 130 Team Previews

Wisconsin is great again. Penn State is really great again. Michigan is great, too.

Michigan State might be rebuilding, but Northwestern should be a whole lot stronger than last season’s aberration. Purdue is fun, Nebraska needs to be fun, and Illinois is at least interesting with a good group of transfers to go along with a decent base.

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Iowa is Iowa – even after all of the offseason issues – and Indiana is improved, but Maryland is iffy and Rutgers is total overhaul mode with new head coach Greg Schiano and with a COVID outbreak on campus.

And then there’s Ohio State, who either has the best team in college football, or is in top four and good enough to win the national title.

Let’s just hope they all safely have a shot to play what would be one of the most fun Big Ten seasons ever.

NEXT: Big Ten Teams That Will Surprise, Disappoint

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Big Ten Rankings: 2020 CFN Five Year College Football Program Analysis

In the 2020 CFN Five-Year College Football Program Analysis, where do all the Big Ten teams rank?

In the 2020 CFN Five-Year College Football Program Analysis, where do all the Big Ten teams rank?

It’s our annual look at where all the college football programs rank with a five-year snapshot looking at attendance, players drafted, APR, and wins, wins, wins.

How do all of the Big Ten college football programs stack up over the last five seasons?

Which college football programs are doing the best jobs overall, which once have all the advantages, and most of all, who’s winning?

How are the rankings determined? Click here for all of the category descriptions.

Five-Year Program Analysis Categories, Rankings
2019 5-Year Program Analysis Rankings 1-130
FBS Wins | Attendance | Quality Wins
Elite Wins | Bad Losses | Bad Wins | Elite Losses
Conference Win % | APR | NFL Draft
Ranking Categories Explained

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Contact @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

14 Rutgers 27.83

2020 National Ranking: 116
2019 National Ranking: 109
2018 National Ranking: 100
2017 National Ranking: 84

13 Illinois 34.95

2020 National Ranking: 106
2019 National Ranking: 101
2018 National Ranking: 102
2017 National Ranking: 95

12 Maryland 48.35

2020 National Ranking: 86
2019 National Ranking: 79
2018 National Ranking: 73
2017 National Ranking: 81

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11 Purdue 49.94

2020 National Ranking: 83
2019 National Ranking: 86
2018 National Ranking: 97
2017 National Ranking: 111

10 Indiana 57.25

2020 National Ranking: 67
2019 National Ranking: 81
2018 National Ranking: 76
2017 National Ranking: 83

– 2020 CFN Five Year Program Analysis: Rankings 1-130

9 Nebraska 66.16

2020 National Ranking: 52
2019 National Ranking: 43
2018 National Ranking: 36
2017 National Ranking: 23

8 Northwestern 74.27

2020 National Ranking: 40
2019 National Ranking: 30
2018 National Ranking: 48
2017 National Ranking: 54

2020 Big Ten Team Previews, 5 Things To Know
East Indiana | Maryland | Michigan
Michigan State | Ohio State | Penn State | Rutgers
West Illinois | Iowa | Minnesota
Nebraska | Northwestern | Purdue | Wisconsin
CFN Preview 2020: All 130 Team Previews

7 Minnesota 75.02

2020 National Ranking: 37
2019 National Ranking: 50
2018 National Ranking: 49
2017 National Ranking: 52

6 Michigan State 89.89

2020 National Ranking: 20
2019 National Ranking: 16
2018 National Ranking: 10
2017 National Ranking: 9

– 2020 CFN Five Year Program Analysis: Rankings 1-130

5 Iowa 99.53

2020 National Ranking: 17
2019 National Ranking: 26
2018 National Ranking: 32
2017 National Ranking: 46

4 Wisconsin 113.94

2020 National Ranking: 10
2019 National Ranking: 7
2018 National Ranking: 8
2017 National Ranking: 16

3 Michigan 120.19

2020 National Ranking: 8
2019 National Ranking: 14
2018 National Ranking: 18
2017 National Ranking: 18

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2 Penn State 121.08

2020 National Ranking: 7
2019 National Ranking: 10
2018 National Ranking: 14
2017 National Ranking: 22

1 Ohio State 171.26

2020 National Ranking: 3
2019 National Ranking: 2
2018 National Ranking: 2
2017 National Ranking: 2

– CFN Program Analysis Ranking Categories

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Big Ten Preseason Rankings: CFN College Football Preview 2020

In what might be the craziest of college football seasons, how good are all of the teams? Here are the CFN Big Ten Preseason Rankings.

In what might be the craziest of college football seasons, how good are all of the teams? Here are the CFN Big Ten Preseason Rankings of every team.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

This is NOT a ranking of where the teams are going to end up. This is only based on how good we think the Big Ten teams are going into whatever the 2020 season is going to be.

– CFN Preview 2020: All 130 Team Previews

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14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers CFN 2020 Preview

Be Excited About … new head coach Greg Schiano isn’t going to make this too difficult. The Rutgers offense needs to be able to do something right, and it’s going start by pounding away with RB Isaih Pacheco and hope for the defensive front to hold up better. But …

Be Concerned About … the offensive line isn’t good enough to blast away. The Scarlet Knights were second-to-last in total and scoring offense averaging 273 yards and 13.3 points per game. The front five wasn’t totally miserable last year, but it needs a redo.

The Season Will Be Successful If … it wins three games. That might be a sad goal to shoot for, but with an all-Big Ten schedule, finding one win – considering the Maryland game will likely be on the road – would be good, much less three.

13. Maryland Terrapins

Maryland CFN 2020 Preview

Be Excited About … the potential of the passing game. The Terps were disastrous at times through the air last season, but if Josh Jackson can stay in one piece and be more consistent – Alabama transfer Taulia Tagovailoa will likely have to sit a year – the receivers are there for the offense to start moving.

Be Concerned About … the secondary. There are a whole lot of concerns and issues going into the season – starting to score again would be nice – but stopping someone’s passing game could be the biggest thing to deal with. The Terps were dead last in the Big Ten in pass defense allowing 271 yards per game.

The Season Will Be Successful If … the Terps win three games. That’s a BIG ask considering head coach Mike Locksley’s career record is 6-40, but there aren’t going to be a whole lot of easy wins in whatever the Big Ten-only schedule will be. Rutgers is one, and … ?

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12. Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois CFN 2020 Preview

Be Excited About … enough in the starting 22 to hang around with most teams on the slate. The depth is concerning, and the skill parts are just okay, but the lines are good enough, the special teams should be great, and the defensive back seven will be a plus. But …

Be Concerned About … the offense that struggled to consistently get anything going. The Fighting Illini couldn’t go on long drive and averaged just 330 yards per game. Josh Imatorbhebhe is a terrific receiver, but there’s a whole lot of meh around him.

The Season Will Be Successful If … the Illini go back to a bowl game. Now the bar has been set. The Lovie Smith era has had enough time to get going to have all the parts he needs in place, and beating Wisconsin and Michigan State showed what’s possible. There’s no taking any steps back now.

11. Purdue Boilermakers

Purdue CFN 2020 Preview

Be Excited About … a passing game that should go from very good to a whole other level. The Boilermakers led the Big Ten averaging 310 yards per game, and now if the quarterback situation is settled and consistent, Rondale Moore and the receiving corps will make sure the numbers are phenomenal.

Be Concerned About … the running game that will be totally blown off from time to time. The passing attack is too good to not keep using, and the defense won’t be good enough to clamp down in what should be shootout after shootout, but being dead last in the Big Ten in rushing again won’t be okay.

The Season Will Be Successful If … the Boilermakers go bowling. It’s the fourth season under Jeff Brohm, and he’s coming off two straight losing seasons. Rutgers, at Illinois, and Northwestern are winnable, but the team has to be good enough to beat a few of the better teams, too.

NEXT: Big Ten Preseason Rankings Top Ten

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