Hawkeye fans, here’s how to handle this Saturday

It's the only week of the regular-season in which Iowa doesn't have a game.

For me, it's a strange day because I stay home and, if I want, watch college football on the telly, as we call it in Liverpool. I started a band there long ago with three mates and we were pretty good, but that's another story.

So, what do we watch Saturday? It's not a day with great matchups. Thus, I've ranked the five Big Ten games (four teams have the week off) and five other games.

I'm not listing the TV networks. You all have remotes. If I can find the games, anyone can. And I can. Most of them, anyhow.

BIG TEN

1. Wisconsin at Illinois, 2:30

This is a Big Ten West elimination game. The loser has two defeats. Given that the loser already has been beaten by Iowa, that rules out a tiebreaker even if the Hawkeyes stumble twice.

Illinois seemed as physical as Wisconsin in the games in which Iowa played them. The Illini had last week off.

Wisconsin is favored by a touchdown, but do the Badgers have the aura they've had for most of this decade? Does Illinois have enough mustard to do what it did at home against Nebraska in Champaign on Oct. 10? Why not?

Also, what does mustard have to do with this?

2. Northwestern at Nebraska, 11

Here's what Iowa would love: Northwestern wins this game and returns the Huskers to wobbliness and self-doubt.

I don't see it happening. My gut says Nebraska will be salty from here until at least the Iowa game in Lincoln on Black Friday.

I'll say it here and now: The Huskers beat Michigan State at home on Nov. 7.

I wouldn't bet cash money on it, but I believe it to be true.

3. Penn State vs. Maryland in Baltimore, 2:30

This will be a pseudo home game for Penn State. It's a relatively easy trip to Baltimore for a lot of Nittany Lion fans, and Maryland football is turning on no one in the Beltway.

I rank this game third instead of fifth only because Maryland is Iowa's next foe, and Hawkeye fans can get all educated about the Terrapins.

Maryland in the Big Ten. I'll wrap my mind around it one of these years.

Rutgers? Never.

4. Indiana at Michigan State, 2:30

The Hoosiers have to be gutted after they blew the Rutgers game last week. Plus, they sure didn't do much in their previous road game, against Penn State.

But ... IU quarterback Nate Sudfeld didn't play at Penn State, and he's back. And he's good. Plus, Michigan State has to have a hard time popping back up after spending as much emotion as a team is ever likely to spend in the middle of the season with that insane ending after a torrid battle at Michigan.

Maybe this is a ballgame. Heck, it's got to be better than Penn State-Maryland, and you can get all educated about the Hoosiers since Iowa plays them in two weeks.

OK, this is No. 3 and Penn State-Maryland is No. 4.

5. Ohio State at Rutgers, 7

This is an ABC prime-time game? Well, it is Ohio State.

Rutgers poured its heart and soul in its 31-24 home loss to Michigan State two weeks ago. Then it went to Indiana, fell behind 52-28, and won.

So who's to say the Scarlet Knights haven't turned a corner and won't throw a scare into the Buckeyes?

Me, that's who. But I could easily be wrong.

NON-BIG TEN

1. Utah-USC, 6:30

Utah is unbeaten and the underdog against a USC team on a 2-game losing streak.

The Utes have a hard road to going 12-0. They still have to go to Washington and Arizona. But they've been a resilient team.

2. Western Kentucky at LSU, 6

LSU will win, of course, but WKU averages 44 points and is 6-1. So this could be fun.

Check that. With Leonard Fournette running the ball for LSU, it will be fun no matter what. That, folks, is a special player.

3. Iowa State at Baylor, 11

This probably won't be the national showcase Iowa State wants. It's another chance to see Baylor run amok before November when its actual season finally starts and it faces Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and TCU in succession.

4. Tennessee at Alabama, 2:30

Alabama is a big TV draw, I'm told. Tennessee was supposed to be on the way to glory based on what I was hearing from Volunteer fans in Jacksonville last winter. That turned out to be a lot of gobble-wobble.

5. Pittsburgh at Syracuse, 11

Syracuse stinks, but Pitt hasn't slipped since its overtime loss at Iowa.

That was a good, tough team then, and it may shape up as Iowa's best win before this thing is all over. The Panthers have won at Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech. They have a heck of a schedule after this game, but consider this really, really, really, really remote possibility:

Iowa goes 13-0. Pitt goes 12-1. Iowa gets the fourth and final spot in the College Football Playoff, and Pitt is the first team out as ACC champs.

Suddenly, 100 different authors and filmmakers take on the story, the legend, the myth of the Saturday night game in Kinnick Stadium that was settled by a last-second, 57-yard field goal.

Hey, it's fun to pretend.