Top 5 lookahead spots for the 2020 CFB season

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If you aren't usually jotting down future dates on the college football calendar, now might be a good time to start.

Though most bettors traditionally take it week by week, it never hurts to pinpoint situational spots down the road. All 130 FBS teams have their schedules in place months before the start of the season; why not keep tabs on some of the premier lookahead spots?

Lookahead spots - or "trap" games - typically refer to potential opportunities for slip-ups. We see it every year: An elite team sleepwalks against an inferior opponent with its biggest game on deck, or a program has a non-conference game three time zones away with conference play kicking off the following week.

Below, we outline five of the biggest spots to file away for the 2020 season.

Oregon - Week 1 vs. North Dakota State

Oregon knows what it left on the table last season. If the Ducks beat Auburn in the opener and saw a different result at Arizona State later in the year, they undoubtedly break the Pac-12's playoff drought. Oregon will have another chance at an early statement win in non-conference play when Ohio State visits Eugene in Week 2. But the opening opponent - North Dakota State - is no slouch.

If the Ducks are caught looking ahead to the Buckeyes, Bison quarterback and potential first-rounder Trey Lance has the tools to make an elite defense look silly.

Oregon: Beware in Week 1.

Texas - Week 1 vs. South Florida

Texas is another team that can't afford to nap in Week 1. The Longhorns open against South Florida, but how focused will they be with a rematch against LSU on deck?

The Bulls were AAC punching bags last season, but they were a full win better than their 4-8 record suggests. They should be on your radar if they're catching more points than expected.

Tennessee - Week 3 @ Furman

Tennessee is one of those teams that finished 2019 with a ton of momentum and could see a ripple effect in the market this season. I'm not sure how frequently I'll be buying or selling the Volunteers, but count me out for Week 3 against Furman of the FCS.

This one is a bit of a cop-out since we're dealing with both a lookahead and sandwich spot; Tennessee has its biggest game of the season in Week 2 on the road against Oklahoma, then a date with Florida in Week 4 to open SEC play.

Go Paladins.

Notre Dame - Week 4 @ Wake Forest

Notre Dame always has an interesting schedule. As an independent program not tied to any single conference, the Fighting Irish typically see their slate of opponents change on a yearly basis. For this upcoming season, I'm highlighting their Week 4 road game at Wake Forest.

It'll be the first road game of the year for the Irish, who are at home the first three weeks of the season. This tilt with Wake Forest also precedes arguably the most critical game of Notre Dame's season - a Week 5 showdown at Lambeau Field against Wisconsin.

Penn State - Week 4 vs. Northwestern

Penn State should be 4-0 when it travels to Ann Arbor to face Michigan. Besides a trip to Virginia Tech in Week 2, the Nittany Lions should make quick work of the first month of their schedule. But if Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald can perform as well as he has in previous underdog spots, this contest might be closer than the experts think.

Northwestern was one of the nation's worst squads last year, but it was also one of the unluckiest. I predict the Wildcats will be severely undervalued to start the year before the market corrects. They should still be playable in Week 4 if the number is particularly lopsided.

Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.