By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – If the bye week proved anything related to Hawkeye football, it would be that Iowa’s remaining schedule is tougher than previously thought.

That’s because Nebraska, Rutgers and Northwestern are all on the rise and playing much better than what was expected.

Those three teams are on Iowa’s remaining schedule, with Northwestern up next on Saturday at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Iowa will then close out the regular season against Rutgers (Nov. 11) and Illinois (Nov. 18) at Kinnick Stadium before facing Nebraska in the regular-season finale on Black Friday (Nov. 24) in Lincoln, Nebraska.

None of the four remaining teams on Iowa’s schedule are anywhere close to being elite, but neither is Iowa.

The Big Ten West Division race has turned into a mosh pit of mediocrity and opportunity, and the fact Northwestern is just one game out of first place with an interim head coach is all you need to know about the condition of the division.

David Braun would be my pick right now for Big Ten Coach of the Year in how he has led the Wildcats under very difficult circumstances.

It was tough enough losing long-time head coach Pat Fitzgerald as part of the fallout from the hazing scandal.

But Northwestern also finished 1-11 last season with Fitzgerald leading way, its worst season since going winless in 1989.

Braun took over a program in disarray on and off the field, but now his Wildcats have climbed up my latest Big Ten power rankings after having started the season at rock bottom.

Here are my latest power rankings:

1. Michigan, 5-0, 8-0 – The true test of a person’s character is how they act when they’re not being filmed by low-ranking Michigan staff members.

2. Ohio State, 5-0, 8-0 – Some spoiled and irrational Buckeye fans are probably criticizing Ryan Day for not being 9-0 after eight games.

3. Penn State, 4-1, 7-1 – The Nittany Lions would be in the national title hunt every season if they just didn’t have to play Ohio State and Michigan.

4. Nebraska, 3-2, 5-3 – I’m being told by my delusional Cornhusker friend that it’s starting to feel like the 1990s again in Lincoln.

5. Minnesota, 3-2, 5-3 – I’m hearing Floyd is already annoyed with P.J. Fleck and wants to come back to Iowa City.

6. Iowa, 3-2, 6-2 – Kirk Ferentz seems out to prove that offense and points are overrated.

7. Wisconsin, 3-2, 5-3 – Time to put Barry on speed dial.

8. Rutgers, 3-2, 6-2 – I used to believe in the Great Pumpkin more than Rutgers football. No more.

9. Northwestern, 2-3, 4-4 – Haze this.

10. Maryland, 2-3, 5-3 – Losers of three straight games, the real Maryland team is starting to reveal itself.

11. Illinois, 1-4, 3-5 – Bret Bielema is learning that coaching the Illinois football team is harder and less rewarding than walking on the Iowa football team.

12. Purdue, 1-4, 2-6 – The men’s basketball season can’t get here soon enough for Purdue fans.

13. Indiana, 0-5, 2-6 – The women’s basketball season can’t get here soon enough for Hoosier fans.

14. Michigan State, 0-5, 2-6 – The word mess is defined as a dirty or untidy state of things, or of a place, and as a situation or state of affairs that is confused or filled with difficulties.

Sadly, that’s the Spartans right now.