A Big Sports Weekend Ahead
At last. After mediocre bowl games named for companies we don’t now involving teams we never follow, the bonanza arrives. The College Football Playoffs begin, with both semifinals on Saturday.
We will label them as the first two reasons – but certainly not the only ones – to plant your heiner in the recliner and be deeply moved by the best college football teams that fit in a four-team playoff (sorry, Penn State and Michigan).
ESPN’s got the package on Saturday, beginning at 3 p.m. with No. 4 Washington vs. No. 1 Alabama in Atlanta at the Peach Bowl. Alabama is the closest thing in the college ranks to an NFL team; Washington is the closest to the Pacific Ocean. Pick: Bama. At 7 p.m., from Glendale, Arizona, comes No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Clemson. Pick: Ohio State, but a little voice keeps nagging about the Tigers, who were runner-ups last year.
Working backward on Sunday with the NFL, the game to see is the Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions. They’re both 9-6 and the winner takes the NFC North division title and the playoff berth that comes with it here on the last weekend of the regular season. The Lions haven’t been division champs since 1993. This one is at 8:30 p.m. on NBC.
You’ll want to take in the New York Giants (10-5) at Washington Redskins (8-6-1) because the Redskins make the playoffs if they win, so long as the Green Bay-Detroit game does not end in a tie. So they have to win and then sit around for a few hours to know their fate, but don’t expect a tie (unless your Christmas present is late). The last three times the Redskins faced a win-and-in, they won. Fox, 4:25 p.m.
Another biggie is the Oakland Raiders (12-3) at Denver Broncos (8-7). The Broncos are already eliminated but the Raiders can win the AFC West and the AFC’s top seed. To do that, they need a victory and a loss by the New England Patriots (13-2) earlier in the day against the Miami Dolphins (10-5). Matt McGloin has a lot on his shoulders as Oakland’s quarterback with Derek Carr (broken leg) out.
We’ll throw one college basketball game into the mix because if you haven’t seen the likely player of the year, Josh Hart, you really should. He’s the star (one of them, anyway) of No. 1 Villanova, which plays No. 10 Creighton at 1 p.m. on Fox Sports 1.
Does this sound like the start of a Happy New Year or what? Enjoy. Watch responsibly. Stay hydrated.
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman
Using Food to Fight the Flu!
-
The Bears got Claypool in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick. This week, the Pittsburgh Steelers cut a deal...
-
Belichick has cycled through several players in search of the right one. Recently, the New England Patriots have been...
-
The field needs new posts after overzealous fans dumped the old ones in the river. Over the weekend, the...
-
Hutchinson grew up idolizing the Patriots and Tom Brady. This Sunday, the Detroit Lions are scheduled to take on...
-
Judge has broken Babe Ruth’s record and tied with Roger Maris. Last week, New York Yankees center fielder and...
-
Judge is one homer away from beating the Bambino’s record. Babe Ruth, AKA The Great Bambino, AKA The Sultan...
-
Trout is one homer off from an MLB record. Last night, the Los Angeles Angels played the Cleveland Guardians....
-
Jones spoke about the new offense at their training camp. The New England Patriots are currently in the midst...
-
A fight broke out on the last day of joint practice. Thursday was the last day of joint practice...
-
Donaldson clinched the game for his team in extra innings. Wednesday night saw a major nail-biter game between the...
-
The Yankees have landed two impressive players from the Oakland Athletics. The New York Yankees, superstars of the American...
-
NFL+ offers game coverage for $4.99 a month. Following suit with other companies and brands establishing their own streaming...