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Iowa Football: November 5 Will Decide the Big Ten West
A look at how November 5 will decide the Big Ten West
Despite Iowa football being on a bye week, the Big Ten West picture got a bit clearer when the Wisconsin Badgers survived at home against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Winning 23-17 in overtime, the Badgers kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive, as well as putting them in a very good position to win the Big Ten West.
Currently, Nebraska still sits atop the Big Ten West division, although they could have run away with the division on Saturday with a win over Wisconsin. Because of the loss, the division could have a lot of movement next week on November 5.
While many marked this past week as the week that will decide the division, next week will almost for sure show who represent the Big Ten West in Indianapolis this year.
Here’s a look at the Big Ten West Standings:
Nebraska Cornhuskers 7-1 (4-1)
Wisconsin Badgers 6-2 (3-2)
Northwestern Wildcats 4-4 (3-2)
Iowa Hawkeyes 5-3 (3-2)
Minnesota Golden Gophers 6-2 (3-2)
Barring major upsets in the last couple weeks of the season, Minnesota won’t win the division. However, Minnesota technically controls their own destiny with Purdue, Nebraska, Northwestern and Wisconsin left on their schedule. An amazing stretch by them and the Gophers will win the division.
Although, considering Minnesota’s struggles at times this season, there are four teams with a legitimate chance of finishing at the top. While upsets can happen later in the season, all four teams desperately need a win this week or their chances of winning the West will become more bleak.
The three games that will decide the division are:
Nebraska Cornhuskers @ Ohio State Buckeyes
Wisconsin Badgers @ Northwestern Wildcats
Iowa Hawkeyes @ Penn State Nittany Lions
If Iowa loses to Penn State then they’ll be out of the division race, barring major collapses by all three teams ahead of them. It would be their third conference loss, with their previous two coming against Northwestern and Wisconsin. Therefore, both teams hold the tiebreaker over Iowa, so the Hawkeyes would have to hope each lose two more times.
That being said, with Michigan and Nebraska also left on their schedule, Iowa would seemingly need to go undefeated the rest of the way to have a shot. However, for the sake of things, this could be the week that officially ends their chances.
For Nebraska, they’re still the division leader with a tie breaker over Northwestern. That will be a huge advantage if Northwestern beats Wisconsin because both teams will have two losses. Although, if Nebraska upsets Ohio State, the Cornhuskers will be in the driver’s seat and control their own destiny, and should have a lot of confidence that they’ll win the division.
Still, a lot can happen in their last three games. They play Minnesota, Maryland and Iowa. But considering Nebraska will be favorites against all three, a win over the Buckeyes would most likely end Northwestern’s hopes, who need them to lose two more times.
However, if Wisconsin beats Northwestern, the Badgers are still very much alive in the West. Beating Nebraska on Saturday means they own the tiebreaker, so a loss to Ohio State by Nebraska would put Wisconsin at the top of the division.
Northwestern is playing their best football of the year, though, so winning at Northwestern won’t be easy. A Northwestern win would almost certainly end Wisconsin’s hopes of winning the division, and also give Northwestern a very good chance of winning the division themselves.
With Purdue, Minnesota and Illinois remaining after Wisconsin, it wouldn’t be surprising if Northwestern won their last thee games. Then, if Nebraska lost to Ohio State, it would put a lot of pressure on the Cornhuskers to not trip-up the rest of the way because Northwestern would then control their own destiny.
A lot more can happen between now and the end of the season. A bottom-dweller team could catch a team on an off day and upset them. Although, assuming none of the four teams still in the division race get upset, this upcoming week will give us a better picture of the division and show us who is in the driver’s seat the rest of the way.
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