Hlastradamus’ autumn of contentment continues with his Iowa-Purdue pick

Hlastradamus told you last week that Iowa would defeat Northwestern by 20 points.

The math has been computed. Lo and behold, the Hawkeyes’ 33-13 win was by exactly that margin.

Skeptics, show yourself to the door. And to the parking lot. And to another time zone, hemisphere, galaxy.

Now, as Mavis Staples tells us, let’s do it again.

Iowa +4.5 at Purdue

What is Purdue, really? Is it the team that lost 35-24 at Wisconsin two weeks ago? Is it the one that beat Minnesota 20-10 in Minneapolis at the start of October?

Is it a school with a lot of red brick? Yes.

What is Iowa, really? Is it the team that has yet to beat an FBS opponent that currently has a winning record? Yes.

Purdue doesn’t have the defense to keep Iowa from staying close, and Iowa has the defense to stay close. So while the prophet isn’t insisting that the Hawkeyes win, he is saying they’ll cover.

Iowa State -7 vs. West Virginia

You lose five straight games, you don’t get to be a 7-point favorite over anyone that isn’t Northwestern. Yet, here we are.

The Cyclones will use this game as an exorcism for all the sins of their Big 12 season. Well, for some of the sins. You don’t wipe out 0-5 in your conference with a wipe-out of a team that is 1-4.

Nebraska +16 vs. Minnesota

Come on, you’re at home and getting 16 points, Huskers. You cannot, cannot, cannot fail to cover.

(Hlastradamus knows they can, but he can be a glutton when it comes to getting 16 points at home.)

The Gophers are 14-5-1 against the spread in their last 20 road games. The soothsayer isn’t listening, can’t hear you, la la la la.

Illinois -16.5 vs. Michigan State

It’s the Fighting Illini against the Fighting Spartans. Illinois does its fighting on the field, not in a stadium tunnel with dozens of cheap shots.

Illinois being a 16.5-point pick in a Big Ten game is a strange sight indeed. But the seer can’t side with the Spartans no matter the number after its despicable display at Ann Arbor last week.

Georgia -8 vs. Tennessee

When it comes to putting big-time teams on college football fields, SEC states know what they’re doing. In fact, they’ll do whatever it takes.

Is that really the best way to go about your business? Hlastradamus is a prophet, not a lecturer. Besides, he says, this isn’t about winning. It’s about covering.