I know when you haven't gone to a BCS equivalent game since 1966 and you are 5th in the country, you want to give your team every chance possible to have a special season.
If Iowa wins and Wiscy wins out, Iowa will jump Sparty in the minds of many BCS bowls simply because of our traveling fanbase.
As big as this game is for KF's legacy at Iowa and the Hawkeyes season, it's even bigger for Sparty. We're trying to not have another disappointing season when expectations are high, but we've been there before. Sparty is just now coming to the party.
That being said, off the field things nearly sunk the ship in Iowa City, and it certainly will for the second biggest football story in that state.
Dantonio had a plenty good chance in Iowa City without Rucker. I think this has negative long term implications for a program that has been anything but a picture of stability in college football.