Penn State Football: Ranking 2020 opponents by toughness

A game between two of the premier programs in the Big Ten, this will be a chance for both programs to show that they are the primary challenger to Ohio State for the conference title.

Michigan has won the last two games in Ann Arbor, both of them blowouts, but this will be a difficult challenge for the Wolverines.

Michigan is replacing its starting quarterback, four offensive linemen and some defensive stars as well. The Wolverines will be well tested by the time they play Penn State, as they open the season with a road trip to Washington and a game against Wisconsin as well. Michigan has been a program stuck in neutral and are looking for that big break through that many expect under head coach Jim Harbaugh.

These two programs have traded wins the past few seasons, with the Wolverines winning three of the last five. This could be a pivotal point in the season for Michigan. With those two early tests on the schedule, I figure Michigan will lose at least one of those games and this game will be a huge point early on in their season. This is a game everyone should have circled on their calendars.

In what should be the game of the year in the Big Ten and one of the biggest of the entire season, Ohio State and Penn State will meet in late October in a game that may decide the Big Ten East and the conference itself, while also having College Football Playoff implications.

James Franklin scored a major win for his program in 2016 when he upset the second ranked Buckeyes in Happy Valley and that was a major turning point in Penn State’s program. Since that game, Ohio State has won the last three games, with two of them being instant classics.

This is the hump that Penn State has failed to get over ever since their 2016 Big Ten  Championship and it’s a game that they must win if they want to be taken seriously in the national picture. Franklin has spoken before about how his program is a really good program, but not elite just yet.

Penn State will have a chance to join the elite on Oct. 24.