By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa football team is one-third of the way through the 2022 regular season and preparing to face fourth-ranked Michigan on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.

Iowa’s offense has become a national story, but for all the wrong reasons, while Iowa’s defense has become a national story for all the right reasons, allowing just 23 points in the first four games.

Iowa punter Tory Taylor has also been spectacular, and he and the defense are carrying the load while the offense tries to figure things out.

This seems an appropriate time to update my Big Ten power rankings as conference play heats up, so here is how I see the 14 teams at this moment.

1. Ohio State, 1-0, 4-0: The Buckeyes are playing like a team that knows its heads head coach might be feeling some heat since Ohio State only finished 11-2 last season, and won the Rose Bowl by just thee points (48-45).

2. Minnesota, 1-0, 4-0: P.J. Fleck seems to annoy a lot of people with his catchy phrases and look-at-me mindset. But what’ll be even more annoying is if his Gophers prove to be as good as they’re showing signs of being right now.

3. Michigan, 1-0, 4-0: Jim Harbaugh’s father spent three years on Frank Lauterbur’s coaching staff at Iowa from 1971 to 1973, so maybe that’s why Jim Harbaugh is winless as a Michigan player and head coach at Kinnick Stadium.

4. Penn State, 1-0, 4-0: James Franklin is now back in the running for other jobs with the Nittany Lions undefeated and showing signs of being pretty good.

5. Wisconsin, 0-1, 2-2: Prediction: Barry Alvarez will be coaching the Badgers by November.

6. Iowa, 1-0, 3-1: Iowa is showing signs of being what would have to be the first college football team in which the defense outscores the offense.

7. Illinois, 0-1, 3-1: Even though he was a defensive lineman in college, Bret Bielema wishes he were 30 years younger, so he could play receiver for Iowa, which is his alma mater.

8. Maryland, 0-1, 3-1: Combine Maryland’s offense with Iowa’s defense and bring on the Buckeyes!

9. Purdue, 0-1, 2-2: Jeff Brohm should consider hypnotizing his players into thinking they’re facing Iowa in each game.

10. Indiana, 1-0, 3-1: Indiana is a men’s soccer school.

11. Michigan State, 0-1, 2-2: Mel Tucker’s Spartans have some serious flaws as was shown in the embarrassing home loss to Minnesota this past Saturday, but he always has pay day.

12. Rutgers, 0-1, 3-1: New Jersey natives believe in the Jersey Devil more than the Rutgers offense.

13. Northwestern, 1-0, 1-3: Insert what was said about Jeff Brohm here with Pat Fitzgerald.

14. Nebraska, 0-1, 1-3: Rumor from a Nebraska fan/friend is that the seven finalists to replace Scott Frost as head coach are as followed in no particular order: Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, Bill Belicheck, Sean McVay, Tony Dungy, Andy Reid and Barry Alvarez.