Every truly big Big Ten football matchup remaining will be played in Iowa City ... all three of them

OK, that headline is a little crazy.  (Especially since there's still a Michigan-Ohio State game in November.) Or, in the words of Cosmo Kramer, is it just so sane that you just blew your mind?

First, let's look at the Big Ten standings.

Michigan State 3-0

Iowa 2-0

Purdue 2-0

Wisconsin 2-1

Ohio State 2-1

Northwestern 1-1

Michigan 1-2

Illinois 1-2

Indiana 0-2

Penn State 0-2

Minnesota 0-3

Now, let's toss out Purdue. It has played Northwestern and Minnesota. If it wins two more games, include Danny Hope in the league's Coach of the Year derby.

And let's bounce Northwestern. You lose at home to Purdue, you aren't going to snap back with six straight Big Ten wins including home games against Michigan State and Iowa, and a visit to Wisconsin. The Wildcats will have to play very well in the second-half of this season to avoid the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.

Michigan, Illinois, Penn State, Indiana, Minnesota ... no title-contenders there, folks.

So we're left with the four horsemen of Michigan State, Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio State.

Michigan State has already beaten Wisconsin and doesn't play Ohio State. Wisconsin has already beaten Ohio State.

The remaining meetings between teams in this quartet:

Wisconsin at Iowa.

Michigan State at Iowa.

Ohio State at Iowa.

You might think one of these four contenders surely will get upset by someone outside their group, but who and by whom?

I see no one left on Ohio State's schedule that can beat the Buckeyes but Iowa.

People are already complaining about Michigan State's remaining slate being soft (the Spartans did polish off Wisconsin and Michigan in successive weeks). Outside of its game at Iowa, it has trips to Northwestern this Saturday and Penn State on Nov. 27. Neither is a gimmee, but would you bet against MSU in either today?

After Wisconsin leaves Iowa Saturday, it plays at Purdue, at home against Indiana, at Michigan, and at home against Northwestern. The game at Michigan is far from a sure thing, but you'd think the Badgers have an excellent chance to win all four.

So, after Wisconsin beat Ohio State last Saturday and people around the planet started looking at the Big Ten schedule, they were right to proclaim the road to the Big Ten title runs through Iowa City.

If you are going to represent the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl or BCS title game this year, you almost surely have to win every game you play in Iowa City this season ... whether that's one game or seven.