IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Iowa was let down by its offense, defense and special teams against Minnesota last week and wound up with one of the worst losses of Kirk Ferentz’s 13-year tenure as coach.  Iowa hosts Michigan (7-1, 3-1 Big Ten) on Saturday looking to bounce back from a stunning 22-21 loss to the Gophers. Ferentz says it was his fault the Gophers recovered an onside kick that led to the winning touchdown because he failed to call timeout just before the kick.  Ferentz also says the Hawkeyes (5-3, 2-2) aren’t playing defense well enough. The Hawkeyes need just one win in their last four games to earn bowl eligibility.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – Time is running out on Kansas to pick up its first Big 12 win of the season. Its first road win under second-year coach Turner Gill, too.  Just maybe, time is running out on Gill altogether.  The Jayhawks (2-6) have lost six straight by an average of 34 points, and the closest they’ve come to winning away from home was a 31-16 loss to Southern Miss early last season. They get another chance – perhaps their best remaining chance – on Saturday at Iowa State, which is coming off a where-did-that-come-from 41-7 romp over Texas Tech last week.  After that, the Jayhawks finish up with Baylor’s high-powered offense in Lawrence, a tough trip to Texas A&M and the annual Border Showdown against Missouri at Arrowhead Stadium.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) – Interim Big 12 Commissioner Chuck Neinas says he expects West Virginia to start play in the conference next season despite the Big East’s attempts to keep the university from a quick exit.  Neinas attended a reception in Morgantown officially welcoming the Mountaineers into the Big 12 on Tuesday. A day earlier, the university sued the Big East, seeking to clear the way for it to
start Big 12 play next fall. The Big East has said it plans to keep West Virginia for two more years West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck and university President James Clements declined comment on the lawsuit. Neinas says he’s not concerned about the lawsuit because he has confidence in Luck and Clements.

Two different story lines have emerged midway through the Big Ten’s inaugural season of divisional play.  The Legends Division is locked in a logjam at the top, as Michigan State, Nebraska and Michigan are tied with identical 3-1 conference records.  But one school has emerged from the pack in the Leaders Division. Surprisingly, it’s not preseason favorite Wisconsin.  Penn State is the last team unbeaten in Big Ten play at 5-0 in the conference. The Nittany Lions have a bye this week before a three-game gauntlet to close the regular season begins Nov. 12 against Nebraska.  Road games also loom at Ohio State and Wisconsin.  Penn State might have trouble scoring points, but Purdue coach Danny Hope says coach Joe Paterno has one of the nation’s best defenses.