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ESPN’s Joe Lunardi upped a new mock 2020 bracket on Wednesday and the Big Ten again led the way with eight teams represented.
It was another indication that the Big Ten could be in for another strong year when March Madness comes around.
You can take a look at the entire bracket here. Below is how it shook out for the Big Ten seeding and match ups.
Bracketology
| Team | Seed | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| Team | Seed | Opponent |
| Michigan State | 1 | Delaware State/St. Francis PA |
| Maryland | 3 | Loyola-Chicago |
| Purdue | 3 | Northern Kentucky |
| Ohio State | 4 | College of Charleston |
| Penn State | 8 | Georgetown |
| Iowa | 9 | LSU |
| Michigan | 9 | Davidson |
| Wisconsin | 10 | Auburn |
| Minnesota | First Four Out | None |
| Illinois | Next Four Out | None |
The bracket is mostly the same as the one released in June. There are a few key differences. Programs such as Purdue, Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan all earned seed rises. Iowa fell from a 6-seed to a 9-seed. Wisconsin makes its first appearance of the off-season as a 10-seed. Minnesota was an 11-seed in a play-in game in June’s bracket, but now doesn’t appear at all. Indiana fell out of mention. And finally, Illinois appears as a “Next Four Out” team for the first time.
Of course, all of this should be taken with a grain of salt. Still, it appears likely again that 10-11 teams in the Big Ten are thinking about realistic chances to make the Big Dance.