Really?

Knocking off a team that was weaker than advertised and a program that hasn’t won a Big Ten title since 2004 is a landmark win?

That I don’t buy — and I don’t think Mark Dantonio should either. If he wants to take this program to newfound heights, see eye-to-eye with programs like Ohio State and Michigan, then you don’t count a road win at Iowa as a notch in your belt.

“I think you define the games at the end of the season to be honest with you, but I knew that coming to this game was an important game for us,” Dantonio said.

Now, let’s be clear: Saturday’s win absolutely was paramount for the Spartans. A loss greatly handicaps them in the conference race after just one game.

Instead, the football team returns to East Lansing rightfully confident, feeling it can manage anything this watered down 2013 schedule throws at it.

Dantonio’s word choice is the nag here. It gives the impression that his program is content with average, whether or not that’s true, because nobody outside of the Midwest is impressed with that win.

Sophomore quarterback Connor Cook, who is making great strides with each game he starts, put it better, calling it a “statement” game.

He’s right. It was much less an earthshaking victory than it was a memo to the rest of the conference that MSU is for real.

“Things are on the line,” Cook said. “If we lose this game, that really hurts us. We want to go to the Rose Bowl, we want to play in the Big Ten championship game. If we lose this game, that really, really hurts us.”

For the first time since 2011, the Spartans looked like a complete team. Everything came together at the ideal time.

Was it a must-win game? Probably, considering the ease of MSU’s schedule this year. Was it a long overdue breakout performance from the offense? Absolutely, and it probably couldn’t have waited another week.

Most importantly it validated the formula Dantonio stood behind since day one, that if his offense could get anywhere close to matching the effort of the tormentors he has on defense, the Spartans would be as formidable as they come in the Big Ten.

“I’ve always said when our offense gets a little more confident, things are going to blossom,” Dantonio said. “And we saw some confidence today and that’s gonna happen. And when we get our offense playing at our same level as our defense is playing, great things are gonna happen.”

But a future-altering, monumental win for the program? Nah.

Saturday was a big game for MSU. But if the folks inside that program consider it a program win, it’s time to reevaluate their perspective.

Expectations are higher here now thanks to Dantonio. There are bigger things to play for these days than solid road wins against middling foes.

Iowa was just the first step in achieving something truly worthwhile this season.

Stephen Brooks is a State News football reporter. Reach him at sbrooks@statenews.com.