The 2020 college football national champion won’t just receive a trophy and a No. 1 ranking at the end of the season this year, it will also have an asterisk beside its name. At least that’s going to be the case if you ask ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit.

Joining “3HL” on Nashville’s 104.5 The Zone, Herbstreit was asked about the legitimacy of the 2020 college football national championship, considering four conferences have already backed out of the fall season. Without the B1G and Pac-12 playing this year, can the sport crown a legitimate champion?

“I’ve thought about that, and I think there will be an asterisk no matter what,” Herbstreit said, according to 247Sports. “I just heard you guys before I came on talking about the AP Top 25. I think Ohio State was No. 2. Penn State was up there. Oregon was up there. All up in the top 10. If we just threw them in, for argument’s sake, and we asked the entire nation of analysts, ‘Who is going to be in your playoff?’ The consensus is probably going to be an Alabama or Georgia type of team, an Ohio State, a Clemson, and then an argument about is there a second SEC team or B1G team? Does Oregon make it? Does Oklahoma make it? That would be the discussion. So, you’re really eliminating Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State from the potential playoff.”

Ohio State has been projected as one of the favorites to win a national championship this year, along with the likes of Clemson and Alabama. Many believe Penn State could give the Buckeyes a run for their money, and Oregon had plenty of returning talent to win the Pac-12 and make its case for a bid.

But, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the B1G and Pac-12 are out, opening up more opportunities for the ACC, SEC and Big 12 for the 2020 season.