Iowa’s Big Ten West path is suddenly alive and well, what it would take for the Hawkeyes
In quite the turn of events, the Iowa Hawkeyes find themselves not only on the cusp of becoming bowl eligible, but they are not out of the race for the Big Ten West yet. Actually, this weekend could completely flip things upside down.
After rattling off two wins, Iowa has climbed back to 3-3 in Big Ten play. This has them sitting in second place behind the Illinois Fighting Illini who fell to 4-2 after an upset at the hands of Michigan State. That loss brought the Illini back to the rest of the pack.
This weekend’s games of Iowa hosting Wisconsin and Illinois hosting Purdue are going to go a long way in determining the fate of the Big Ten West and who will take on Michigan or Ohio State.
Here is the path it would take for Iowa to return to Indianapolis, the help that they would need, and what a tie-breaker would look like.
Remaining Schedules
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Iowa: Wisconsin, at Minnesota, Nebraska
Wisconsin: at Iowa, at Nebraska, Minnesota
Illinois: Purdue, at Michigan, at Northwestern
Iowa vs. Wisconsin is a Big Ten West elimination game
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Iowa and Wisconsin each find themselves at 3-3 in conference play. For either of them to take the Big Ten West crown, it would requiring winning out the rest of their games.
Saturday in Kinnick is a Big Ten West elimination game for these two teams. Lose this and the only other goal to strive for is getting to six wins for a bowl game.
What Iowa has to do
(Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
For Iowa, it is rather simple. The Hawkeyes must win out the rest of their games over Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska to make the trip to Indy.
The bad news: all of these games are coinflips on who will win. The good news: all of these games are coinflips on who will win. Winning out is the only avenue for Iowa.
What help Iowa needs
Noe Padilla/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
As fate would have it, the Hawkeyes need immediate help from old friend Charlie Jones and the Purdue Boilermakers, the team they just beat up on last week. Iowa needs Purdue to knock off Illinois this weekend to get the both of them to 4-3 in Big Ten play. If Purdue fails, the Hawkeyes have one last grasp of hope in Northwestern knocking off Illinois in the final week of the season. Simply put, Illinois has to lose to one of Purdue or Northwestern.
Following that, Iowa needs Michigan to handle business at home against Illinois and not let anything funky happen. Those two combined losses between Purdue, Michigan, or Northwestern would swing the door wide open for the Hawkeyes.
Summary
(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
So, long story short, the door is cracked for the Iowa Hawkeyes right now. It isn’t much, but some light is shining through. Should there be a tie with Illinois and Iowa or Wisconsin, the Illini would win the West due to head-to-head wins over each.
Win out and get some help with Illinois losing to one of Purdue or Northwestern (this assumes they lose to Michigan), and the Hawkeyes are returning to Indianapolis as Big Ten West Champions.
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