The dust has settled on another Big Ten football season.

Ohio State remains a wagon. Indiana’s turnaround is legitimate. Oregon is headed back to the College Football Playoff. USC and Michigan football are just on that next tier. Iowa , with four losses by 15 total points, just missed out on a truly special year. Illinois was solid. Northwestern has plenty to be excited about. Penn State salvaged a year headed for the toilet. Nebraska, for the second year in a row, is going bowling. The boat keeps rowing in Minneapolis. Everyone else ... well, there’s always next year. Gulp.

It was a fun, wild and, at times, topsy-turvy year in one of the best football conferences in America. But, as is often the case, the cream rose to the top by the end.

RAINER SABIN: Michigan football stu

See Full Page