Iowa's Schedule, Worst to Best: No. 8 Michigan State

I'm on vacation, but the Hlog is not. Through the power of time-stamping, while I'm gone this blog will publish a ranking of Iowa's 12 football games in 2013 in terms of being interesting.

To see the teams that have already been ranked, click here and scroll. And if I never return, try to think well of me. Behind my gruff exterior was a heart of gold. Well, maybe zinc.

No. 8. Michigan State. Oct. 5, Game #6

I'm surprised I ranked this game so low. Maybe I need to re-evaulate. Nah. I simply like the seven remaining games on my list better than this one.

Some years, Iowa-MSU would be near the top. This year, I'm not feeling it. That's probably because last year's meeting in East Lansing, an Iowa 19-16 double-overtime win, really wasn't a pretty game. And, it was fool's gold for the Hawkeyes. Or rather, the Iowa fans and the Iowa media.

Iowa rose to 2-0 in the Big Ten after that victory, and that was after losing to Iowa State and Central Michigan in nonconference play. But as it turned out, Michigan State was in the middle of a season it would find almost as disappointing as Iowa did. The Spartans, after two consecutive 11-win seasons, fell to 7-6.

But it is a deceiving 7-6. The Spartans lost by one point to Ohio State, by two points at Michigan, by three points to Northwestern, by four points to Nebraska, and in two overtimes to Iowa. That calls to mind one of my favorite songs, sung by the wonderful Aimee Mann. It's called "Coming Up Close." And the first line of the song has the word "Iowa" in it.

Til Tuesday - Coming Up Close by jpdc11

I'm ranking these games without knowing how the games before them will play out. If Iowa is 5-0 entering this matchup, then of course it's a boffo game in Iowa City and everyone's cranked up. But as just one of 12 games on a blank slate, I'm not grabbed. As an important game, this takes a backseat to no others on Iowa's schedule. But I'm not a fan of the smash-mouth MSU style with a buffalo playing running back.

When the Spartans have a Kirk Cousins at quarterback, it's a whole different deal. The team that battled Wisconsin fang-and-claw in the 2011 Big Ten title game was a different deal. That team blended a fine passing game with a punishing running game, and was a fun team to behold. Without an ace quarterback last year, the Spartans were cave-man on offense.

Mark Dantonio seems to be permanently set on "white-hot intensity." But behind that facade is a very good coach, whether you like him and his team or not. MSU had three straight losing seasons before Dantonio was hired. MSU has gone to six bowls in six years under him.

I'm again thinking I ranked this game too low. But science, this ain't.