Of course you could predict anything and a bookie would probably give you odds on your prediction being correct. eg if your prediction was that Man City,Liverpool or Spurs will win the English Premier league this year the odds would be very short but if your prediction was that non league Barnet are going to win the FA cup the odds would be much longer.
With powerful computers and more information we can make informed decisions. eg weather forecasting is much more accurate these days but only for a few days ahead.
I think the learned professor is rambling. What about chaos theory?. The complexity is such that even the most powerful computer could only make a rough guess at future events, After all it is only basing future forecsats on historical events.

As for free will. I believe it does exist but only up to a point. We are at the mercy of our upbringing, our current environment and beliefs which must colour any decision made.