Hlastradamus: Hawkeyes will show tender mercy

Hlastradamus doesn't focus well in the summer. He gets distracted by the 500-year-old girls in their summer clothes in the cool of the evening light.

But summer's over, and the prophet is putting behind all distractions to give you winner after winner this week.

North Texas +25

at Iowa

Is Iowa a blowout team? Will Kirk Ferentz, if given a chance to run up a score in the fourth quarter, eschew it? Will you find anyone in your daily life who uses the word 'eschew?”

Hlastradamus says maybe, probably, and definitely not.

Michigan -5.5

vs. BYU

BYU has played at Nebraska, Boise State at home, at UCLA, and now travels to Michigan. That's four games in four weeks in four different time zones.

Fortunately, the clocks on the BYU kids' cellphones automatically change as they bounce from time zone to time zone. In Hlastradamus' day, this would have been too much strain on a sun dial.

But Michigan still covers.

Michigan State -27

vs. Central Michigan

The Spartans haven't had that one nonconference game where they cuff someone around as if they were a street punk who needed a good comeuppance.

Playing the likes of Oregon and Air Force has sharpened MSU, which is 0-3 against the point spread this season. It will take it out on their little in-state brothers.

When you call yourself 'Central” something, aren't you trying to make everyone else feel like they're on the fringe? That can only make fellows like the Spartans angry.

Wisconsin -24.5

vs. Hawaii

Hawaii lost by 38 at Ohio State two weeks ago and it should have been worse.

Hlastradamus has been to Hawaii. It isn't like Wisconsin. You can ask any travel agent.

But that doesn't apply when it comes to making this pick.

Wake Forest +3.5

vs. Indiana

Indiana has wriggled its way out of danger against three straight foes, as if it were Indiana Jones. That's an old movie references for you young people who came to this site by accident thinking it was about the occult or something idiotic like that.

But the Hoosiers have played SIU, FIU and WKU at home. It's time to go on Winston-Salem, and not for success. Or cigarettes.

Winston-Salem is just one city, by the way. It used to be two. Hlastradamus says we will be one big city in the year 2525. If man is still alive.