NW has been a challenge for Iowa in the past, not sure what happened to them the last couple years. Purdue looked like it was getting better last year, but fell on their faces this year. NU will eventually get better under Frost. He is a very good recruiter, and will make a move eventually, but the talent level is startlingly bad right now. MN and P. J Fleck, who know. IL, there is no excuse for them not being better with the recruiting base that they have.
Right now, besides WI and IA the rest of the east looks like a conference KU would dominate.