Ohio State's national-title dreams are hazy, but it's riding high in the Big Ten after a very easy rout of Iowa. AP

At the Big Ten's preseason media gathering in Chicago in early August, reporters casually tossed around references to the conference's "Big Four," as if it were a forgone conclusion that Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa and Purdue would be staging a season-long race for the league title solely amongst themselves.

After the first week of conference competition, three of the four are 0-1 in the standings. And two have kissed their BCS hopes good bye before the end of September.

So long, Wolverines and Hawkeyes. Who would have thought you'd both suffer your second losses of the season before Penn State endured its first. Hello, Michigan State, Minnesota and Wisconsin. And thanks for sticking around, Buckeyes.

The Big Ten couldn't have asked for a much more eventful opening weekend: A double-overtime thriller in Minneapolis, a back-and-forth final quarter in Evanston and an ultra-dramatic ending in Madison. The conference race has been turned on its head before it's barely begun.

All summer long, we heard about Purdue's stout, veteran defense and fortuitous schedule. Neither seemed to help the Boilers too much against Minnesota, which shredded Purdue's defense for 572 yards in a 42-35 double-overtime victory.

That the Gophers have one of the nation's most talented tailbacks, Laurence Maroney (who ran 42 times for 217 yards against Purdue), is no real secret, but the revelation of Saturday's win was quarterback Bryan Cupito. The Gophers' weak link a year ago looked improved and poised in completing 22 of 35 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns. Then again, he also threw three interceptions. Still, it's hard to deny that these did not look like the same old choke-artist Gophers of old. Will this finally be the year Glen Mason's team rises above the middle of the pack?

Maybe, but Minnesota's opponent next week, the Nittany Lions, may have something to say about it. Joe Paterno's celebrated freshmen were the difference-makers in Saturday's 34-29 comeback win over Northwestern, with receiver Jordan Norwood catching five passes for 83 yards, Justin King busting a handoff 43 yards and Derrick Williams catching the game-winning, 36-yard touchdown to lift long-suffering PSU to its first 4-0 start in six years. QB Michael Robinson, who had four first-half turnovers, still leaves you holding your breath every time he drops back to pass, but a win is a win, ugly or not.