By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The 14 Big Ten football teams have sort of separated into three groups.

In one group are the conference’s top four teams, while another group consists of nine slightly above average to slightly below average teams, including Iowa. And the third and final group consists solely of lowly Illinois.

The only debate about the top four teams is whether to put Ohio State or Wisconsin in the second spot. I still think the Buckeyes have the most upside in the conference, but Penn State is undefeated, at least for now.

There used to be a debate whether to put Illinois or Rutgers in the basement, but a lot has changed in two weeks.

As for the other nine teams, you could draw names from a hat because none of them besides maybe Michigan really standout as being much better or worse than the others.

1. Penn State, 7-0, 4-0 – James Franklin deserves a ton of credit for Penn State’s remarkable resurgence, not quite as much as the NCAA, but still worth mentioning.

2. Ohio State, 6-1, 4-0 – Already with one loss, Ohio State’s season will be considered a failure it if loses to Penn State on Saturday. How’s that for pressure?

3. Wisconsin, 7-0, 4-0 – It wouldn’t surprise me if Barry Alvarez is considering giving himself a raise and an extension for hiring Paul Chryst.  

4. Michigan State, 6-1, 4-0 – Mark Dantonio was born in El Paso, Texas, attended high school in Ohio and college in South Carolina. This has nothing to do with anything, but I found it interesting how well-traveled Dantonio has been.  

5. Northwestern, 4-3, 2-2 – The Fighting Fitzgeralds probably aren’t as good as the Fighting Harbaughs, but we’re living in the now, so Northwestern gets the fifth spot by default.

6. Michigan, 5-2, 2-2 – Jim Harbaugh lived in Iowa City for three years while his father was a member of Frank Lauterbur’s coaching’s staff from 1971-73. Again, it has no relevance, but you can only make so many jokes about sleepovers, khakis, picking your nose and failing to beat Ohio State and Michigan State, and Iowa for that matter.

7. Iowa, 4-3, 1-3 – Kirk Ferentz will work the crowd to a frenzy on Saturday by riding into Kinnick Stadium on a live pig.

8. Indiana, 3-4, 0-4 – The Hoosiers are proof that it’s hard to build a football program at a school known more for men’s soccer and men’s swimming.

9. Maryland, 3-4, 1-3 – The Terrapins are proof that it’s hard to build a football program if you don’t play defense.

10. Minnesota, 4-3, 1-3 – P.J. Fleck will work himself to a frenzy before, during and after breakfast on Saturday because that’s just being P.J. Fleck.

11. Nebraska, 3-4, 2-2 – I’m hearing the Nebraska fans are having a hard time choosing between Nick Saban, Urban Meyer and Bill Belichick as the next head coach, and have Scott Frost ready as Plan D just in case.

12. Rutgers, 3-4, 2-2 – Thanks to a bye week and to back-to-back victories over Illinois and Purdue, the Scarlet Knights have gone nearly a month without losing a football game. Wow!

13. Purdue, 3-4, 1-3 – Purdue coach Jeff Brohm called the loss at Rutgers two steps back for the program. After hearing that, I immediately thought of former Purdue men’s basketball coach Gene Keady doing the two-step. That says more about me than the Purdue program.

14. Illinois, 2-5, 0-4 – Sept. 9, 2017 is a day that Illinois fans will cherish forever because it marks the last time Illinois won a football game.