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Yeah, in the abstract, Wisconsin has "great" years when it wins conference championships. 2017 was a great year, despite losing the conference championship; winning the Orange Bowl after a narrow loss to Ohio State in the CCG redeemed it.
A good year for Wisconsin is ten wins and a quality bowl game. Less than that--currently--is not a good year. Pinch me. I had friends in college who left games whichever came later: Wisconsin was down 21, or the halftime show.

I enjoy seeing programs like Minny and Baylor and Utah have good years.  I think it adds a lot to the sport.  If only the Blue Bloods had great years and everyone else fought over crumbs it would be boring.  I think that means that some BBs have to have down periods to allow for that.  If the "real" BBs, I'd say USC, Texas, and Nebraska are struggling.  ND and Michigan are having solid years but not "meeting expectations".  Then you have Bama and OU and OSU.

I am not sure what to think when Boise State wins 12 games because of their slate.

Yeah, in the abstract, Wisconsin has "great" years when it wins conference championships. 2017 was a great year, despite losing the conference championship; winning the Orange Bowl after a narrow loss to Ohio State in the CCG redeemed it.
A good year for Wisconsin is ten wins and a quality bowl game. Less than that--currently--is not a good year. Pinch me. I had friends in college who left games whichever came later: Wisconsin was down 21, or the halftime show.

I always stayed for the 5th quarter, which in my early days as a fan, was the highlight of the day (inside the stadium, that is). Then Barry came along.

PC has won >50 games in his 5 years. So yeah, 10 wins is the thing now, with a bowl win against a good team.

I think the floor has to be 6-6 and a bowl game.  Maybe for Rutgers et al. 4-8 would be a good year?

I don't think anybody considers 4-8 to be a good year, even Rutgers.  

are you proposing this matchup for a postseason game?

erase the "really"

If your team is the Hawkeyes, every year the expectation is different.

Iowa lost 4 outstanding juniors to the NFL draft last February. So this season looked hopeless to me in the spring, and I projected a 5-7 season for Iowa with a good year being 6-6.

In August the NCAA declared Oliver Martin, a WR transfer from Michigan who Harbaugh indicated was expected to start there, eligible to play at Iowa. So Iowa, usually is short in the receiving corps, appeared to have gained big time. Martin was a 4* recruit for Michigan, from Iowa City, which makes little sense. Immediately before the season started, when Oliver became eligible, I was thinking, 7-5 would be good, as I thought the Hawkeyes would lose to Iowa State. Oliver Martin is now stuck in 3rd string, and hasn't caught a pass, as far as I recall, since the Rutgers game which was Game 4, I think.

Well, 9-3 this week is now the expectation, but 8-4 wouldn't be so bad.

If none of the early out players went to the NFL, I would have been disappointed if Iowa had not been in the Big Ten Championship game.