Hlastradamus: Purdue will be grounded by Hawkeyes

Hlastradamus is old school.

A lot of your 200- and 300-year-old young whippersnappers have their analytics and other newfangled ways of predicting college football games. But Hlastradamus says it's still sometimes as easy as checking the weather. As in this pick:

Iowa -21.5

vs. Purdue

Yes, that's enough points to fill Purdue's World's Largest Drum. The number was 17.5 when Wynn Las Vegas posted it Sunday, and it rose two points within a half-hour as the sharps of the desert bet up Iowa.

It's the same Purdue team that lost by just seven at Northwestern last week, that beat Nebraska by 10. It also fell to Illinois by 34.

The cold, raw, blustery weather expected to engulf Kinnick Stadium plays into Hawkeye hands. Iowa can run the ball. With just about anyone carrying the ball, in fact. Three different Hawkeyes have rushed for 195 yards in a game. No team has seen that since LSU in 1997.

Purdue's offense is passing top-heavy with a freshman quarterback, David Blough. In the Big Ten, the Boilermakers have 1,214 passing yards, 633 rushing yards.

Saturday will be no day to pass. It will especially be no day for a visiting freshman to pass.

Ohio State -13.5

vs. Michigan State

That's a crazy number of points against a team that is 9-1 and has the loss only because the Big Ten officiating crew saw a receiver forced out of bounds who wasn't forced out of bounds.

But Hlastradamus says the Michigan State defense cannot, will not be able to contain Ohio State's offense.

Everyone has said the Buckeyes have scuffled along this season, haven't measured up to expectations. But they're 10-0! The season they've been waiting for - Michigan State, Michigan and the Big Ten title game - has arrived. They will greet it with vigor.

Penn State +4

vs. Michigan

The Nittany Lions had a bye week to lick their wounds after losing by two points at Northwestern.

Michigan has failed to cover in three of its last four games, and was genuinely fortunate to win at Minnesota and Indiana, two of its last three games.

So it's two pretty even teams, with the home team getting four points. Let's not overthink it.

Minnesota -5

vs. Illinois

The Fighting Illini are 5-5, the Gophers 4-6. Minnesota can really screw things up for the Big Ten's lower-tier bowls by helping Illinois take a big step toward non-bowl eligibility.

Hlastradamus says there will be a 5-7 team or two in some of the crummiest bowls. And they will still get better ratings than most of the other junk on television.

The Gophers lost their last three games, all to ranked teams. But they covered in each of them. Illinois was flummoxed 28-3 by Ohio State last week.

The points scare the prophet, but he says Minnesota will have far more spirit than the Illini on the frozen FieldTurf in Minneapolis.

Virginia -2

vs. Duke

Duke failed to cover by 13, 28 and 15.5 points in its last three games, all losses.

Virginia covered in its last four games.

You're welcome, earthlings.