This article originally appeared on The Sports Quotient The Big Ten Championship is finally here! But, who had it being against No. 3 Iowa vs. No. 5 Michigan State? Well, the 46th meeting between these two teams will practically be a quarterfinal playoff game, with the winner being in prime position for a spot in either the Cotton or Orange Bowl semifinal. Unlike last year, the reigning Big Ten Champions Ohio State are out, as their loss to Michigan State on Nov. 21 was the tiebreaker, giving the Buckeyes the unwanted bye during championship week. Iowa’s path was decidedly less nerve racking, as they cruised to an undefeated conference regular season (8-0) for the second time under Kirk Ferentz — and the first time since the Orange Bowl campaign of 2002. Storylines (and some fun facts) This is as close as you will get to a playoff game without it actually being a playoff game. Michigan State has been playing with a playoff mentality after their heartbreaking loss at Nebraska in early November. Last-second heroics by Michael Geiger — a 41-yard field goal against a swirling wind — lifted the Spartans against the then-No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio, and ultimately put the Spartans in the driver seat of the Big Ten East…
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