(No) Weekend TV Six-Pack

There is no six-pack this week. There is a case.

Without even getting into the NFL schedule, you could find 24 college football games worth some eyeball time, because it’s … Rivalry Week.

This is it. From Bedlam (Oklahoma-Oklahoma State) to the Civil War (Oregon State-Oregon) to the Iron Bowl (Alabama-Auburn) and the Egg Bowl (Ole Miss-Mississippi State) and so many other intrastate hatefests: UCLA-USC, Florida State-Florida, Baylor-TCU, Clemson-South Carolina, North Carolina-North Carolina State, Northwestern-Illinois.

If that’s not enough, feast on Notre Dame (10-1) at Stanford (9-2). The sixth-ranked Irish need this one if they have any hope of jumping into the four-team playoff pool. And there is, of course, Ohio State (10-1) and Michigan (9-2), with ramifications for the Big Ten East.

That’s an even dozen right there – two six-packs. No, don’t thank me. And there are plenty more.

These games all mean something. To somebody. Somewhere. Throw darts, choose a TV channel randomly and park your carcass in the Barcalounger. You’ll be fine.

NFL

Thursday’s triple-dip thins the Sunday field a bit. Even though Peyton Manning won’t play, the Denver Bronco, behind Brock Osweiler, s will try to stop the New England Patriots from going 11-0. The Buffalo Bills-Kansas City Chiefs game pits a pair of 5-5 teams that can’t afford much more in the way of losses to keep their wild-card playoff hopes alive.

Have fun. Put fresh batteries in the remote, fresh drinks in the fridge and let footballs fill your mind.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .