College football Week 9 picks: Northwestern vs. Iowa, Penn State vs. Wisconsin, Wartburg vs. Coe

The Gazette’s Pick ‘Ems for Week 9 of the college football season, including Iowa’s homecoming game against Northwestern and a Division III showdown between Wartburg and Coe in Cedar Rapids.

Northwestern (3-4, 1-3 Big Ten) at Iowa (4-3, 2-2)

2:30 p.m. Saturday (BTN)

Line: Iowa -13.5

Mike Hlas (1-2, 18-6) — I enjoyed being grand marshal of Iowa’s Homecoming parade Friday night. Bluto Blutarsky tore up the “Welcome Alumni” banner while sliding down from a rooftop to the street, and the Deathmobile rammed the reviewing stand, tossing Dean Wormer into the air. Good times. Iowa 19, Northwestern 9

John Steppe (1-2, 18-6) — My predecessor went to Northwestern. I like to remind her that she went to the second-best journalism school in the Midwest (behind Marquette of course). Iowa 20, Northwestern 9

Jeff Johnson (2-1, 19-5) — To make Northwestern feel at home, they ought to play this game at Iowa’s practice facility. Iowa 17, Northwestern 10

Rob Gray (2-1, 18-6) — Unless the Hawkeyes lose the turnover battle, this shouldn’t be much of a game. The Wildcats rank 129th nationally in total offense at 286.6 yards per game. Iowa — to no one’s surprise — ranks 102nd, but Kaleb Johnson’s ability to pierce pretty much any defense should help the Hawkeyes get well at home. Iowa 17, Northwestern 6

Beth Malicki (2-1, 17-7) — My daughter chose a college out of state because she wanted warmer weather. Karma is that our temps are warmer than hers lately. Iowa 28, Northwestern 12

Todd Brommelkamp (2-1, 18-6) — Iowa’s issues run deeper than QB play but you’d be hard pressed to find anyone more loyal than Kirk Ferentz is to his starting signal callers. Iowa 28, Northwestern 16

No. 3 Penn State (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) at Wisconsin (5-2, 3-1)

6:30 p.m. Saturday (NBC)

Line: Penn State -6.5

Hlas — If the Badgers lose Saturday, it would be the worst thing in Wisconsin since the cows went on strike. Wisconsin 21, Penn State 17

Steppe — I’d be tempted to bribe one of the UW writers to bring some Spotted Cow next week if I didn’t already live next to a brewery. Penn State 27, Wisconsin 20

Johnson — They used to have greyhound race tracks all around Wisconsin. Made a day of it once, going from Dubuque to Geneva Lakes to Kenosha. I miss greyhound racing. Wisconsin 27, Penn State 24

Gray — The Luke Fickell-led Badgers are trending in the right direction with three straight wins by 20-plus points after a shaky start. But the Nittany Lions field a top-10 defense and a top-30 offense averaging 34 points per game. Unless Wisconsin finds a way to score on special teams or defense, I have a hard time believing they can keep this a one-possesion game. Penn State 27, Wisconsin 17

Malicki — I work with a lot of Wisconsinites: Joe Winters and Jim Mertens to name a couple. They aggressively love the Badgers, the fact they’re from Wisconsin and cheese curds. Penn State 31, Wisconsin 15

Brommelkamp — The Badgers fattened up on Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern. Penn State comes off a bye. As much as I’d like to see one, I can’t call an upset here. Penn State 20, Wisconsin 14

D-III No. 13 Wartburg (5-1, 4-0 ARC) at Coe (7-0, 5-0)

1 p.m. Saturday (Hudl)

Hlas — Like me and the ground squirrel living under my deck, these teams are two rivals who respect one another. Coe 28, Wartburg 24

Steppe — The last time Coe beat Wartburg was two years before I was old enough to enjoy a Spotted Cow. Wartburg 28, Coe 24

Johnson — This is going to be the best college football game in Eastern Iowa on Saturday. Coe 21, Wartburg 17

Gray — It’s a clash between the only two teams unbeaten in American Rivers Conference play. The Knights have won the past six meetings — though only two have been played at Clark Field because of the pandemic (presumably). Look, I don’t know much about these two proud programs, but I do know the Kohawks’ only win in the past nine meetings has come at home. Sooooo … let’s get crazy as this one’s decided in the final seconds. Coe 28, Wartburg 27

Malicki — I wear a different wedding ring from week to week. My real one doesn’t always fit (thanks perimenopause) so I just wear whatever I can find. Once I wore a bent paper clip so viewers wouldn’t get concerned about my status (we get emails every time I forget entirely). Wartburg 27, Coe 24

Brommelkamp — Remember the idiot who picked against the Kohawks the last time they appeared here? What was that guy’s deal? Coe 31, Wartburg 19