CHICAGO _ Conspiracy Theory Saturday got off to a bang when the Big Ten's Week 1 schedule was released on Fox Sports' "Big Noon" kickoff show.
Guess where Nebraska, the Big Ten's rogue member, starts the season?
Columbus, Ohio. The Shoe. Have fun starting 0-1 on Oct. 24 (or 23).
"I think Ohio State will be a two-to-three touchdown favorite," said Fox Sports analyst Urban Meyer, whose Buckeyes just slid past the Huskers (36-31) during his final season as coach.
Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields learned of the Nebraska matchup during ESPN's "GameDay" show. He helped bring Big Ten football back by launching a #LetUsPlay online petition: "The stuff we had to go through was crazy. It's mind-blowing the way God works. Our whole team's excited. We can't wait."
More fodder for the pro-conspiracy crowd: Nebraska's other crossover opponent (from the East) is Penn State.
The Huskers, who semi-threatened to play outside the Big Ten after fall football originally was postponed in August, could not have a tougher draw.
Ohio State is the league's best hope for a College Football Playoff berth. Its other crossover opponent is Illinois _ not Wisconsin or Minnesota, considered by most the best from the West.
Penn State's second crossover is Iowa.
Here are 10 other takeaways:
