All my snark about Iowa’s offense aside, shouldn’t I have remembered that Kinnick Stadium is where opposing attacks are introduced to the Grim Reaper?

Yes, yes I should have.

But didn’t.

Rutgers, my pick on the road for whatever unfathomable reason, laid the proverbial goose egg. As in, the Scarlet Knights swords were dull to the point that they scored exactly zero points. The Hawkeyes in arguably their best offensive performance of the season — perspective is required — hit double digits.

Then some, but not too many more. Enough to provide my only miscue of the weekend.

That’s right, ye naysayers, just another November 80% correct slate.

Thank you Mizzou. And Arizona. And Kentucky. And the University of Louisville Cardinals.

4-1 makes my season total even glossier at 39-21.

That’s what I oh so humbly call “Peerless.”

This week’s winners:

North Carolina @ Clemson. A week after many Cardinal fans — none name Seedy — stayed up late, hoping to cheer on a Tar Heel demise to the most Bluish of Devils, here we are again. Having to set aside any animosity toward Dabo to root for the Orange and Purple team. Because a W by the home town guyz lifts U of L into the ACC title game, regardless of what happens in South Beach. Let it be hoped for, let it be done. Tigers.

Southern California @ UCLA.  Chip Kelly’s seat has an elevated Fahrenheit. Lincoln Riley just sent his DC packin’. There shall be a strange vibe in the Rose Bowl for this annual affair, the last one before the schools pack their bags and move from La La Land to the Heartland. In a trend you will note is not unusual, both schools are coming off two game skids. Does Chip Kelly, with but a .500 record in Westwood, cool matters off with a W? Does Lincoln Riley rally his squad to prevent what would be the most disappointing L in a season with way more of them than any SC booster could have imagined? Caleb Williams wins it.

Kansas State @ Kansas.  What we have here is the Network Battle of Sunflower State coaches on Lists To Go Somewhere Else. Jayhawk mentor Lance Leipold appears to be on many school’s Christmas wish list. Chris Kleiman can also be found in the stocking stuffer aisle for the steady uptick of his performance in the Little Apple. Rock Chalk has been up — See ya Sooners — and down, succumbing to the Red Raiders. The Wildcats are less flighty, as is the program’s nature. Chalk holds. And it’s not Rock. State.

Kentucky @ South Carolina. The Wildcats have lost four of their last five. Reeling. The question at this late juncture of the season is whether their will is broken? Or, already bowl eligible, might Stoops’ dudes be gazing a week ahead to rivalry week, thereby overlooking the Gamecocks? The luster of last year’s surprising surge has worn off for Beamer’s bunch. They lost four in a row, and Ws over Vandy and the other Gamecocks since don’t really foster legit confidence. Plus they got their own li’l rivalry game next weekend. This one has me baffled. So I’m giving home team the slight edge.

Louisville @ Miami. Win and you’re in. But, hey, no pressure, Cards. In U of L’s most meaningful game of the season, most impactful game in years, at noon o’clock on a national network, they have their work cut out for them. Yes, the Hurricanes have dropped their last two, four of their last six. But, still, there’s that pride thing, spoiling Louisville’s advancement, yada, yada, yada. (No, I’m not really sure what they means, Jason.) But, somehow some way — by land, by air — the Cardinals git ‘er done. But, fingers do need to be crossed, and winning garments need to be worn during the battle.

— c d kaplan