A Football-Filled Weekend

Time gets tight now for the college football teams struggling to find their way into the playoff committee’s top four. The one-loss teams can’t afford a second and the undefeated would prefer to stay that way.

There’s always No. 1 Alabama’s way – play Mercer (not Johnny). The Crimson Tide (10-0) get their gimme on Saturday against a 5-5 Mercer team. Mercer has an enrollment of 8,600; that’s how many players Alabama has. So we don’t recommend you spend time on this.

No, our Weekend TV Six-Pack has more to offer.

Let’s give you a different unbeaten to watch. No. 5 Wisconsin (10-0) just quietly pounds the life out of opponents. The Badgers welcome a tough but somewhat erratic Michigan (8-2) to Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday. Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor (1,525 yards, 12 touchdowns) is a pleasure to watch. And you can, at noon ET Saturday on Fox.

At 3:30 p.m., CBS brings you unranked (but pretty good) Kentucky (7-3) at No. 7 Georgia (9-1). Georgia was unbeaten until last week’s pounding at Auburn, and the Bulldogs dropped six spots from No. 1. Will its defense rebound?

You throw out the records (and the cassettes and 8-track tapes) for a rivalry such as California (5-5) at No. 22 Stanford (7-3). Passion, hatred, history, all there for you on Fox at 8 p.m.

Our NFL offerings: The surprising Los Angeles Rams (7-2) play the Minnesota Vikings (7-2) at 1 p.m. on Fox. Rams QB Jared Goff has been a stunning surprise after a miserable rookie year.

Same time, same network, so check your local listings for the Washington Redskins (4-5) at the New Orleans Saints (7-2). The Saints have won seven straight. Injury-strafed Washington competes.

NASCAR’s Monster Energy Cup Series crowns a champion on Sunday at Homestead-Miami. Martin Truex Jr. is the favorite and you have to wonder if the lingering hostilities between Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski will lead to exchanges of paint. Kevin Harvick is the fourth driver eligible for the championship. Truex is seeking is his first title, the other three are looking for their second. It’s also the last race for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Danica Patrick. Sunday, 3 p.m., on NBC.

Your heiner. Your recliner. May they be united through the weekend.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman