You’d think someone who has been on the football-forecasting scene for as many centuries as Hlastradamus would know what the above sign says. But the prophet will gamely again try to profit from Iowa, and despite the wrong-headed selections of the Hawkeyes over the last two weeks, is picking Iowa to cover the 4.5-point spread against Purdue on Saturday.

Why? It’s Purdue.

Some things don’t require elaborate explanations.

Hlastradamus was 3-3 against the spread last week for a season-record of 26-24-1. That’s mediocre. And kind of dull. Like, well … Purdue. (You didn’t think the seer would say Iowa to an Iowa crowd, did you?)

On with the rest of this week’s selections:

Wisconsin -7 at Indiana. The Hoosiers are a cute little story.  A team with a 4-5 record is in contention to play in the Big Ten’s title game. Not on Wisconsin’s watch. While the Hoosiers have won two games in a row, the Badgers have won two Big Ten titles in a row.

Northwestern +10 at Michigan. The Wildcats have had two weeks to rejuvenate for this game. They are 7-2, and led by double-digits in the fourth quarter in the games they did lose, to Penn State and Nebraska.

Nebraska -8 vs. Penn State. Hlastradamus has a vision. After dodging bullets left and right (Wisconsin, at Northwestern, at Michigan State), the emboldened Cornhuskers will begin trampling teams by margins of up to 11 points.

TCU +7 vs. Kansas State. There are forces in the universe that you can’t deny. Everyone knows Alabama is destined to play Oregon in the Mother of All National-Championship Games. For this to happen, Kansas State must step aside. Hlastradamus says that day is Saturday, in Fort Worth.

Texas Tech -25 vs. Kansas. It’s Kansas.

Oregon State +4.5 at Stanford. What kind of world do you live in where Oregon’s second-best team is superior to the best team in Michigan or Pennsylvania or Wisconsin or … Iowa?