Kirk Ferentz
The winner will be officially in but the playoffs begin on Saturday for Iowa and Michigan State when they collide in the Big Ten Championship Game in Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Hawkeyes completed a perfect 12-0 regular season and were fourth in last week’s College Football Playoff rankings. The Spartans are 11-1 and were sitting in fifth last week.
“I just can’t imagine whoever wins this game not being in the playoffs”, said Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. “I don’t know all the dynamics of that whole equation but both teams have had tremendous seasons and I just can’t the team that emerges from this thing not being in it.”
The history of this series has featured a lot of close games but they have not met since a 26-14 Spartan victory in Kinnick Stadium in 2013.