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2020 B1G Season - Starts Oct. 23/24

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JOHNNY: OHIO STATE WILL WIN EVERY B1G GAME BY AT LEAST 10 POINTS
Ohio State will win every game on their Big Ten schedule by at least 10 points. Look, I hedge at life more than anyone. I don't trust expired salad dressing, I look both ways before walking around in my own house, and I signal about a half mile before the exit. But dammit, not only is this team loaded, they're playing a bunch of B1G teams that almost assuredly haven't put in the work or prep the Buckeyes have in what's generally a down year for the conference. Ohio State is just too ready and talented, and the Big Ten doesn't stand a chance.
 
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THIRD QUARTER: TEN BIG TEN STORYLINES TO WATCH

After leading the sport in Sturm und Drang in August and September, the nation’s oldest and richest conference gets back to blocking and tackling this week. It’s late, but not too late.

Fans of full Saturdays have missed the Legends and Leaders of the greater Midwest, as has Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff crew. (When you’re stuck trying to hype Kansas-West Virginia, times are tough. Nebraska-Ohio State arrives like a lively guest at a boring party.) The Dash provides a 30,000-foot preview:

The conference has no room for error. In an effort to get in as many games as possible in a limited window, the Big Ten has built no open dates into the schedule. Through last week, the postponement/cancellation rate nationally has been 10.6%. Apply that to the Big Ten’s 56-game regular season slate and there would be six games lost. (The conference will be down at least one head coach for opening weekend, with Purdue’s Jeff Brohm announcing his positive test Sunday. Younger brother Brian will be acting head coach when the Boilermakers host Iowa.)

How much COVID-19 could impact both the league race and the league’s College Football Playoff chances largely depends on which teams are affected, and when. If the top teams drop below nine games (eight for the regular season, plus one for everyone in a crossover jamboree thereafter), it could make for a tougher sell alongside those who play up to 11 games.

That said, the CFP door is wide open for Ohio State or anyone else good enough to win the league and play all nine games. While the Big Ten has been getting its COVID-19 testing house in order, the conferences that have been playing for seven weeks have rapidly weeded themselves out. With the majority of non-conference games ceasing to exist, a red-meat schedule has kicked most national championship pretenders to the curb already. Alabama already has put distance between itself and the rest of the SEC; Clemson has once against demoralized most of the rest of the ACC; and the Big 12 has all but recused itself. It should take the Big Ten almost no time at all to re-establish its credentials.

The contender list starts with the Buckeyes, and specifically starts with what should be an explosive offense led by quarterback Justin Fields. The leading returning QB in the nation in terms of pass efficiency has his top receiver back in Chris Olave, plus sophomore Garrett Wilson primed for a breakout season, plus additional talented options. Running back should be fine with Oklahoma transfer Trey Sermon and last year’s backup, Master Teague, though he is coming off an Achilles tendon injury. Guard Wyatt Davis is the best in the nation at his position.

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An emerging trend that keeps gaining momentum: You don’t make the CFP without a high-powered offense, and you certainly don’t win it all without one. If there is one Big Ten team that seems best outfitted to match points with Alabama and Clemson, it’s Ohio State. The Buckeyes were No. 3 in the nation in scoring last year and No. 4 in total offense.
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Entire article: https://www.si.com/college/2020/10/19/big-ten-football-preview-2020-ohio-state

S/I still has excellent articles.
 
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Can Ohio State crash the Alabama-Clemson party?

The Buckeyes are playing from behind, no question.

No. 1 Clemson is 5-0 with a Top 25 win against No. 11 Miami. No. 2 Alabama is 4-0 with two Top 25 wins against No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 4 Georgia. According to the Allstate Playoff Predictor, Clemson (87%) and Alabama (82%) are prohibitive favorites to reach the CFP.

The number cruncher gives Ohio State the third-best shot at 68%. As long as Ohio State wins the Big Ten with one or fewer losses, the Buckeyes should finish in the top four as Big Ten champions, but they don't want to raise any doubts along the way in case they finish as a one-loss division runner-up. With the exception of Penn State and Michigan, Ohio State's eight-game conference schedule isn't exactly daunting (and that's assuming Ohio State plays all eight games during a pandemic). The final schedule would be compared against other Power 5 conference champions and their second-best teams, too.

The ACC and SEC already have had a few weeks to shake off the dust. The Buckeyes will have about a quarter on Saturday against the Huskers.

"I said after last season that was one of the best college football teams that I've been on a field with," Frost said. "I think they were one of the best teams in the country and could have easily won everything last year. That being said, I thought we did a really good job of keeping the game close last year for about five minutes."

On paper, it would be fair to expect the same again on Saturday, but the reality is nobody in the Big Ten has played a football game in almost a year. If the Buckeyes do come out of the gate looking like national title contenders, it would certainly make a statement and reinforce their top-four potential, but it would also be taken into context against an unheralded Nebraska team.

Ohio State is trying to become the first team in conference history to win four straight outright Big Ten titles, and ESPN's Football Power Index gives the Buckeyes a 55% chance to win it again this season -- significantly ahead of Wisconsin (30%).

Ohio State coach Ryan Day told his team two weeks ago there would be no conversations about the national championship, but as the season goes on, and if the team is winning, then it can ask, "OK, where is this thing headed?" Knowing how much talent is on his roster, Day said it was important to give the players an opportunity to showcase it this year and compete for the national title.

"Guys come here to play for championships," he said. "That was a big deal for us. I can't tell you how excited our players were when they found out they had that opportunity."

Can the Big Ten get two teams in?

Yes, and according to the Allstate Playoff Predictor, no conference has a better chance to place two teams in the semifinals than the Big Ten, at 1-in-3. According to ESPN's Football Power Index, Penn State -- the last team not named Ohio State to win the league -- has the best chance to beat the Buckeyes this season (28%).

Penn State coach James Franklin said his players have a mature approach to this season, some of it stemming from the upperclassmen's appreciation that they are able to play.

"I do think we're a talented team," he said. "I do think we have a significant amount of depth -- more than we did a few years back. We're just in a much different situation from that standpoint, but I also know there's really talented teams in this league, including Indiana. ... This is a tough league. Our side of the league is really tough, and you better be ready to play week in and week out."

It's not just Ohio State and Penn State that could be in the mix for a semifinal spot -- especially since both are in the East Division. What if Wisconsin beats Ohio State in the Big Ten title game and that's the Buckeyes' only loss? The committee would consider both teams. Minnesota can also contend for the West Division and have a similar opportunity. And of course, there is the chance the committee considers the loser of the Ohio State-Penn State game, if it is that team's only loss and the winner goes on to win the Big Ten.

There are plenty of scenarios, but the same can be said for the ACC, which could have Clemson and Notre Dame, and the SEC, which could have Alabama and its conference runner-up.
 
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Bucklion said:
Almost go time...Bucky versus Lovies beard...who ya got?
Click to expand...

Illinois beating Wisky last year was a fluke. Lovie's recruiting is pathetic, Illinois can't even get the best players in the state of Illinois. Lovie gets a couple JC players and transfers; but that ain't cutting it. His classes per Rivals (look at the trend the last 4 years):

2016: #67
2017: #48
2018: #50
2019: #73
2020: #90

Illinois will be lucky to beat Rutgers this year. Illinois isn't able to play the 3 cupcake nonconference teams this year. If they get to play all their B1G games, they could very easily go 0-9 this year.
 
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Illini Dylan said:
Illinois will win a few this year, 2021 and beyond is when the dismal recruiting will really rear it's ugly head.

But they can always surprise me and collapse this year like Script says. That's never out of the question.
Click to expand...

Wisconsin secured revenge in convincing fashion with a 45-7 victory over the Fighting Illini on Friday night in the first Big Ten football game of the season.
Click to expand...



:lol:
 
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