Retiring after a 37-year coaching career, Wacker watched his team rally from a 17-point deficit to tie No. 24 Iowa before collapsing in a 1:55 span of the third quarter on the way to a 43-24 loss Saturday night.
Sedrick Shaw and Tim Dwight scored two touchdowns apiece, and the Hawkeyes (6-2 Big Ten, 8-3 overall), heading to a bowl game for the 12th time in the past 14 seasons, scored 26 straight points after blowing their big lead.
Wacker, who resigned 12 days ago after five dismal seasons, leaves with a 160-130-3 record in 26 seasons as a head coach. But he was just 16-39 with the Gophers, losing 24 of his last 27 Big Ten games.
Minnesota (1-7, 4-7) finished in a three-way tie for last place in the Big Ten with Indiana and Illinois, the third time in Wacker's five seasons the Gophers finished in the basement. Iowa tied Penn State for third, and will await a postseason invitation, probably to either the Outback or Alamo bowls.
Penn State 32, Michigan State 29
Brett Conway kicked a 30-yard field goal with 12 seconds left Saturday as No. 7 Penn State defeated Michigan State, 32-29, to strengthen its chances for an alliance bowl berth.
On the previous Spartan possession, a 33-yard field goal attempt by Chris Gardner sailed wide left.
Penn State (6-2, 10-2) won its fourth straight game overall, and its fourth straight over Michigan State (5-3, 6-5).
Conway's winning kick capped a 11-play, 67-yard drive that consumed 4:15.
Penn State's Curtis Enis carried 28 times for 165 yards and a touchdown, Joe Jurevicius had eight receptions for 117 yards, and Wally Richardson completed 21 of 31 passes for 281 yards and a touchdown. Aaron Harris scored three touchdowns for the Lions.
Nigea Carter caught seven passes for 142 yards for the Spartans. Todd Schultz completed 17 of 30 passes for 218 yards
Wisconsin 35, Illinois 15
Freshman running back Ron Dayne piled up 289 yards and four touchdowns in the Badgers' 35-15 thrashing of Illinois.
The 5-10, 260-pound Dayne has 1,524 yards in his first season. With one game to go - next week at Hawaii - he needs just 92 yards to break Herschel Walker's freshmen record of 1,616 yards.
The win kept bowl hopes alive for the Badgers (3-5, 6-5).
Indiana 33, Purdue 16
Alex Smith rushed for 164 yards and two touchdowns and the Hoosiers added touchdown returns on an intercepted pass and a blocked punt in a 33-16 Old Oaken Bucket victory over Purdue on Saturday.
It was the final game both for Mallory, who was fired three weeks ago, and for Purdue's Jim Colletto, who resigned four days later. Wyoming coach Joe Tiller, named Friday to succeed Colletto, watched the game from a booth in the Ross-Ade Stadium press box.
Purdue (2-6, 3-8) led, 16-10, at halftime after two touchdown passes from Rick Trefzger to Brian Alford. But a 31-yard pass to Steve Lee and an interference penalty against Purdue's Derrick Winston put the Hoosiers at the Boilermakers' two, and Smith's first touchdown run gave Indiana the lead for good late in the third quarter.