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At last, at long last, we get to the bowl games that mean something.

Not that we have anything against the ServPro First Responder Bowl or the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl. But we couldn’t tell you who played in them (and you couldn’t tell us). They are entertainment programming, and no more.

Saturday brings us the College Football Playoff’s first two matchups, the games that will set the stage for the national championship battle. And there’s one other bowl game we think will be fun. We’ll start with that. Get that heiner in the recliner!

At noon ET on Saturday (and the following three games will all be on ESPN), No. 10 Florida plays No. 7 Michigan in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta. Then come the CFP games: No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Clemson in the Cotton Bowl at 4 p.m. and No. 4 Oklahoma at No. 1 Alabama at 8 p.m. in the Orange Bowl.

The CFP winners play Jan. 7 for the national title.

The NFL winds up its regular season and three of the 12 playoff berths are still there for the taking. The key game is Sunday night between the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans at 8:20 p.m. on NBC.

One makes it to the postseason and one makes its final appearance. Earlier in the day (check local listings) the Cleveland Browns play the Baltimore Ravens (4:25 p.m., CBS). The Ravens clinch the AFC North with a victory.

If you simply must tune in for some college basketball, No. 14 North Carolina has a home engagement on Saturday at noon with Davidson on ESPN2.

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