Getting Ready For The Weekend With Our Sports Review

It’s not time yet for the major college football bowls, but two dominant programs at the NCAA Division III level can help you get your viewing weekend off to an interesting start. You can never get your heiner in the recliner too soon.

Mary Hardin-Baylor and Mount Union, both 14-0, meet Friday night in the Stagg Bowl for the championship in a rematch of last year’s title game won 12-0 by the Purple Raiders of Mount Union. Kickoff is 7 p.m. on ESPNU. Will this game be as low-scoring as last year’s? Mary Hardin-Baylor averages 55.5 points per game to lead D3, while Mount Union was second, averaging 51.1. Mary Hardin-Baylor also led in scoring defense.

College basketball presents a strong matchup on Saturday on ESPN at noon. No. 1 Kansas (8-0) is at home against No. 17 Villanova (8-3), which comes off an upset loss against Penn. ‘Nova is also struggling defensively, an oddity for that program.

At 7 p.m., on ESPN2, another pair of ranked teams — No. 4 Gonzaga (9-1) and No. 12 North Carolina (7-2) – go at it at the Deandome in Chapel Hill, N.C.

In the NFL (check local listings), the Green Bay Packers (5-7-1) need to beat the Chicago Bears (9-4) to clamber back into the playoff race in their second game under interim head coach Joe Philbin. That’s on Fox on Sunday at 1 p.m. We’ll also offer up the Dallas Cowboys (8-5) at Indianapolis Colts (7-6) at 1 p.m. on Fox. The Cowboys have won five straight and lead the NFC East; the Colts are in the thick of the wild-card chase.

The New England Patriots (9-4) come off a shocking loss to the Miami Dolphins on the last play of the game and visit Pittsburgh to take on the sinking Steelers (7-5-1), who have lost three in a row, the last to the Oakland Raiders. That’s on CBS at 4:25 p.m.

There’s the menu. Choose your favorite items.

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