Iowa's Marvin McNutt (7) pulls in the game-winning touchdown pass in front of Michigan State's Chris L. Rucker on their game's final play Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich. (Brian Ray/The Gazette)

Which is more memorable: a touchdown pass on the game’s final play that lifts your team to victory or a heartbreaking field goal that stuns your squad? Which stays with you longer?

Most great games feature a back-and-forth struggle between two good teams with a memorable conclusion. Often the game features a rivalry with something more at stake than just a result. Many times the game boasts an epic comeback, a statistical record or a major upset.  Since 2002, the Big Ten has featured games filling every one of the categories.

Which are the best? That’s a question with a purely subjective answer. Your joy is another man’s pain. Your team’s great last-second field goal is your opponent’s kick-to-the-gut loss. Here’s an attempt to define the 10 (in true Big Ten math) best Big Ten games of the last decade.

Here are numbers 12-7.

12 (tie). Oct. 8, 2011: Nebraska 34, Ohio State 27

One week after Wisconsin pulverized Nebraska 48-17 in the Cornhuskers’ Big Ten debut, Ohio State led Nebraska 27-6 early in the third quarter. All the pomp and circumstance with Nebraska’s Big Ten home debut arrival quickly faded into head shakes and laughter. Then, Nebraska got rolling with an epic comeback, the greatest in school history.

Linebacker Lavonte David had a strip-and-score to ignite the rally, and Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez played one of his best games to lead the Cornhuskers to 28 unanswered points. The victory provided a major exhale for Husker Nation that the Big Red could compete in the Big Bad Ten.

12. (tie) Oct. 21, 2006: Michigan State 41, Northwestern 38

OK, neither team was any good. They combined for three Big Ten wins that season, including one against each other. But a great game usually involves a great comeback. This was the greatest comeback in college football history.

The Spartans trailed 38-3 midway through the third quarter. Michigan State rallied furiously and was aided by a pair of interceptions. The first thwarted one Northwestern threat while the second led to the game-winning touchdown. It was Michigan State’s only Big Ten win that season and both teams finished 4-8. But it was a comeback for the ages.

11. Oct. 24, 2009: Iowa 15, Michigan State 13

The hard-hitting battle boasted nothing but field goals until late in the fourth quarter when Michigan State converted a hook-and-ladder and followed with a long touchdown pass. Iowa rallied with a last-minute drive that concluded with a touchdown strike from Ricky Stanzi to Marvin McNutt on the game’s final play. Iowa stayed undefeated at 8-0 in a magical season.

10. Oct. 30, 2004: Michigan 45, Michigan State 37 (3OT)

Michigan trailed their cross-state rival 27-10 with less than seven minutes left in regulation. Michigan cut the deficit to seven with a field goal, a successful onside kick followed two plays later with a touchdown pass. Michigan WR Braylon Edwards caught two leaping TDs in the fourth quarter to send the game to OT and then hauled in the game-winning score in the third overtime. Edwards finished with 11 catches for 189 yards.

9. Nov. 6, 2010: Michigan 67, Illinois 65 (3OT)

The highest-scoring game in league history was contrary to every stereotype about the Big Ten. It featured two high-powered offenses matching one another score for score and the defenses were mere spectators.

Michigan and Illinois combined for 1,237 yards and 58 first downs. Illinois rushed for five touchdowns, while Michigan ran for four. Both Illinois QB Nathan Scheelhaase and Michigan counterpart Denard Robinson threw for three TDs. The game finally ended when Scheelhaase’s 2-point conversion pass fell incomplete in the third OT.

8. Nov. 10, 2007: Illinois 28, Ohio State 21

The Illini earned its first win over a top-ranked team in 51 years. Illinois kept the ball for the final eight minutes of the game, converted on a four-and-inches from inside its own 40 and ended Ohio State’s 20-game conference winning streak. Ohio State still advanced to the BCS Championship Game and Illinois earned a Rose Bowl nod. Both teams were blasted in those bowl games.

7. Nov. 8, 2008: Iowa 24, Penn State 23

Penn State was 9-0, ranked third nationally and had a chance to secure a BCS title game shot for legendary (and since disgraced) coach Joe Paterno with wins in its final three games. Penn State twice built double-digit leads and was ahead 23-14 in the fourth quarter. Iowa rallied with a touchdown and a last-second field goal that send Kinnick Stadium into a frenzy. Penn State won its final two afterward, still earned a share of the league title and the Rose Bowl slot. The win sent Iowa to 13 straight victories and the Hawkeyes were arguably the Big Ten’s best team by season’s end.

HONORABLE MENTION:

• 2011: Ohio State 33, Wisconsin 29. For the second consecutive week, the Badgers were stunned by a long pass near the end of regulation. This time Ohio State QB Braxton Miller hit Devon Smith with a 40-yard pass to knock out the Badgers. It’s likely Wisconsin would played for a BCS title with a win.
• 2011: Michigan 40, Ohio State 34. One of many close, hard-fought games between the rivals, but this one had special importance for Michigan, which had lost seven straight in the rivalry. Despite a subpar season, the Buckeyes were up to the challenge and matched the Wolverines score-for-score until a last-second interception by QB Braxton Miller ended Ohio State’s hopes of extending its series dominance.
• 2007: Northwestern 48, Michigan State 41, OT. Northwestern QB C.J. Bacher threw for 520 yards, five TDs and no interceptions to help the Wildcats get even for the Spartans’ 2006 comeback.
• 2005: Wisconsin 38, Minnesota 34. The Gophers had the game virtually locked up until the Badgers blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone with 30 seconds left to win probably.
• 2004: Iowa 6, Penn State 4. The emotion was strong for Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz, whose father died that week. The teams engaged in a defensive struggle and Iowa even took a safety late in the fourth quarter to keep the Nittany Lions from getting the ball with a short field.
• 2002: Iowa 31, Purdue 28. The Hawkeyes used the longest pass play in team history — a 95-yard catch-and-run by tight end Dallas Clark — and a brilliant fourth-quarter drive engineered by QB Brad Banks to pull out the heart-stopping win. It set the stage for an unbeaten Big Ten run by Iowa and an Orange Bowl berth.
• 2002: Ohio State 10, Purdue 6. This was a gut-check game for the Buckeyes and a gut-check moment kept alive the Buckeyes’ national title hopes. Facing fourth-and-1 at the Purdue 37 and trailing by three points with less than 3 minutes remaining, Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel chose to go for the first down. He called a pass play, and QB Craig Krenzel hit WR Michael Jenkins down the left sideline for the game-winning touchdown pass. Ohio State would finish the Big Ten season unbeaten and win the national title.