TRIPLE THREAT CLE: LSU

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Thursday, November 2, 2017

Spread Offense 11/2/17: College Football Week 10 Preview

By Pat Luhta, @PLuhta

WEEK 10 TOP TEN

10. Wisconsin (last week: 10)
9. Oklahoma State (last week: NR)
8. Penn State (last week: 2)
7. Miami (last week: 6)
6. Oklahoma (last week: 9)
5. Notre Dame (last week: 8)
4. Clemson (last week: 7)
3. Ohio State (last week: 5)
2. Georgia (last week: 2)
1. Alabama (last week: 1)

Two of the top 5 teams went down last Saturday, and as the first college football playoff ranking of the season are released this week, my top 4 is who I currently would have in.

While the SEC isn’t what it used to be, the conference does account for the top 2 teams in the country now as Georgia jumps up to 2nd after a dominating win over Florida coupled with a Penn State loss. Penn State was well on their way to making a statement against Ohio State, but a big 4th quarter comeback by the Buckeyes lead to a thrilling 39-38 OSU win, catapulting the Buckeyes up to #3 while dropping Penn State to #9. And Iowa State’s victory over TCU moved the needle for 2 teams in the top 10, 1 obviously being TCU who fell out of the top 10 after the loss. The other being Oklahoma, who lost earlier in the season to Iowa State, who at the time we all thought the Cyclones were average at best. Well that Iowa State team is now 6-2 and tied for the Big 12 conference lead, so maybe that loss to them wasn’t such a terrible loss overall, although the way they lost was somewhat unacceptable(up 24-13 at halftime and at home.) Knowing what we know now about ISU, Oklahoma gets a slight bump in the rankings since they really don’t have a "bad loss" after all.

I typically hate the "pat me on the back" kind of fan, so naturally I’m going to do that here. Leading up to their game against USC, I ranked Notre Dame at #9 (AP/coaches poll had them #13) and said that it’s time to start believing in this team. Well after a beat down of USC followed by another beat down of #14 North Carolina, looks like the rest of the country is joining me in buying in to this Notre Dame team. They’re good and should definitely be a team to watch going forward this season.

Wisconsin yet again remains at #10, their 24-10 win over a 2-6 Illinois team just wasn’t enough to convince me to move them up at all.

HEISMAN WATCH

5. J.T. Barrett, QB, Ohio State
4. Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
3. Bryce Love, RB, Stanford
2. Josh Adams, RB, Notre Dame
1. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

Saquon Barkley all but had the Heisman trophy wrapped up after the 1st quarter against Ohio State. He returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and followed it soon after with a 36 yard touchdown run. After that though, he was stuffed all game and finished with just 44 yards on 21 carries in which 9 of those 21 carries went for negative yards and he also only had 4 receptions for 23 yards. His 2.1 YPC looks bad especially since OSU came back and won the game, take away his lone touchdown run and that’s 20 carries for 8 yards even so he became a non-factor in a game that his team needed him the most.

Josh Adams on the other hand, closed the gap big time with his 202 yard performance against North Carolina State. The Notre Dame RB carried the ball 27 times with a 7.4 YPC and helped the Fighting Irish overwhelm the #14 ranked Wolfpack. He’s right there in discussion now for the Heisman and may very well take over as the favorite with Wake Forest, Miami, and Stanford left on their schedule.

Bryce Love’s best case for the Heisman might have came last Thursday, in a game that he didn’t play in. Without him, the Cardinal struggled against Oregon State and needed a costly turnover by the Beavers to pull out the win, 15-14. In his absence, Stanford looks like a middle of the road team, not the #21 ranked team that could win the Pac-12 North division.

And J.T. Barrett makes his way on the list after an incredible performance against Penn State. Barrett has been playing excellent ever since the Oklahoma loss, but it was against lesser competition so he really needed to show it against a top team before he could be considered a Heisman candidate. 33-39 for 328 yards and 4 TD’s against Penn State, he completed his final 16 passes, went 13-13 with 3 TD’s in the 4th quarter alone, which included the game winning TD pass with under 2 minutes left in the game.
With Barkley’s stumbling and Adams and Barrett on the rise, this Heisman trophy is wide open for the taking now.

#7 Penn State at #24 Michigan State - 12:00 PM

A meeting between two teams coming off very emotional losses last Saturday. Penn State traveled to Columbus in attempts to put their stamp down on Big Ten dominance, got up 35-20 in the 4th and then a big comeback by the Buckeyes happened which ended in a 39-38 Penn State loss. Michigan State was at Northwestern hoping to remain unbeaten in conference play, the game went into triple OT where MSU needed a touchdown to match Northwestern but an interception sealed the deal for the Wildcats and MSU suffered it's first conference loss. This game will be about how each team bounces back from that loss, could see both teams firing on all cylinders in a rage or could see them have the "hangover" effect, or one of each which will make for a lopsided game. Penn State just needs to stick with what they have been doing, which is getting the ball to Saquon Barkley while mixing in some read option QB runs and an occasional deep pass. Michigan State needs to find some offense, they only scored 14 points on 5 turnovers against Michigan, 10 points against Indiana and 17 points in regulation against Northwestern. Their defense is stellar but even the best defense will give up 14+ points to Penn State so they'll need to be able to answer those scores if they want a shot at this.

PREDICTION: Penn State 27-14

#21 Stanford at #25 Washington State - 3:30 PM

This game has a lot of variables going into it. The main variable is Stanford RB Bryce Love and if he's playing this week. Love sat out last week with an ankle injury and the Cardinal offense looked bad without him. The Heisman candidate is their main key to success on offense, so him being able to not only play but be effective will be huge for Stanford in getting a win here. The other variable is Washington State QB Luke Falk, who was benched last week due to his poor performance as the Cougars lost 58-37 to Arizona. Falk was once a Heisman candidate as well, but has been off ever since their loss to Cal and head coach Mike Leach saw enough last week to finally bench him. This can either motivate him to get back to playing like he was earlier in the season or could rattle his confidence and make him play just as bad, if not worse. This game really is a wait and see type game, a lot of factors will be going into this one to see which team will be able to get the win.

PREDICTION: Stanford 37-20

#4 Clemson at #20 North Carolina State - 3:30 PM

Clemson had a nice bounce back game against Georgia Tech, the Tigers defeated the Yellow Jackets in their first game back since suffering their first loss of the season. Their defensive line looked as good as ever, stifling the GT triple option running attack and controlling the tempo all game. They'll need that again this week as they go up against a NC State offense that's capable of putting a lot of points up on the board. The Wolfpack have a balanced offense, led by QB Ryan Finley and RB Nyheim Hines, they'll look to chip away at the Clemson defense with sustaining drives and tiring the defense out. Also, look for NC State DE Bradley Chubb to be all over QB Kelly Bryant, getting pressure and disrupting the Clemson QB will be a priority for one of the best defensive ends in the country. This is going to be a close game, they mimic each other in a lot of ways but Clemson may just have a little more talent here. The homefield advantage could even things out though, NC State will be building momentum off of that and looking to get a big win here in front of the home crowd.

PREDICTION: Clemson 27-21

#5 Oklahoma at #11 Oklahoma State - 4:00 PM

Get ready, because it is time for the Bedlam game. This matchup here is as even as it gets, both teams averaging close to the same amount of points, total yards, rushing yards and passing yards while on defense they are similar in points allowed and passing yards allowed (Oklahoma State has a slightly bigger edge in rushing defense.) The Sooners put together a complete game last week after struggling the previous 4 weeks and beat Texas Tech 49-27. If that teams shows up then it could be bad news for Oklahoma State, but the Sooners also struggled to beat Baylor, Texas and Kansas State while losing to Iowa State so it's a toss up on how the Sooners will play. Oklahoma State has also been up and down this season, they are capable of putting up a lot of points but also have some games where their offense just isn't clicking. 2 weeks ago against Texas for example, after beating Texas Tech 41-34 they were barely able to score on the Longhorns and squeaked out a 13-10 victory. So both teams are a bit of a wildcard here, we could have a shootout on our hands or see a defensive game while the offenses struggle. Both teams have the Big 12 championship and a playoff spot well within reach, the loser of this game though will all but be eliminated from playoff contention and will need help reaching the Big 12 championship game.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 38-33

#13 Virginia Tech at #10 Miami - 8:00 PM

The battle for the top spot in the ACC Coastal division is right here. Miami has struggled to score points in their last 4 games, escaping with a win in every one of those 4 games. Their struggle started right around the time that RB Mark Walton went down with a season ending injury and the offense shifted to QB Malik Rosier. While Rosier throws for a lot of yards, his inaccuracy tends to kill drives, as he is over 50% completion percentage in just 2 of his last 4 games and is just 56% on the season. He'll need to be a lot more fluid and sustain drives if Miami wants to win this one, that may be a tough task though as the Hurricanes face a Virginia Tech team that only allows 11.5 points per game. If Virginia Tech can continue their dominance on defense and get their normal offensive output then that should be enough to take this win back home. The offense, led by QB Josh Jackson, loves spreading it out and playing fast so expect them to put up 24+ points in this game, leaving the onus on Miami to score with them. The Hokies have bounced back after losing to Clemson, they've won their last 3 and look to build off that here to take over the division lead.

PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 31-17

#19 LSU at #2 Alabama - 8:00 PM

Here's a game that always tends to be a big time defensive slugfest. Alabama may be playing with a chip on their shoulder now that the college football playoff rankings were revealed and they came in at #2 instead of their assumed spot at #1. The main thing for the Crimson Tide in this is to control the line of scrimmage and not turn the ball over, if they accomplish both of those things they should cruise to a victory. LSU needs to find some offense here, RB Derrius Guice will be keyed on so the Tigers will need QB Danny Etling to get the passing game going in order to open things up on offense. LSU's front 4, which includes projected top 10 pick Arden Key, will need to win the battle in the trenches and not let RB's Damien Harris and Bo Scarborough run all over them. If they can stop the run and put it in the arm of QB Jalen Hurts then they have a chance at forcing some turnovers and controlling time of possession.

PREDICTION: Alabama 27-6

Friday, October 13, 2017

Spread Offense 10/13/17: College Football Week 7 Preview

By Pat Luhta, @PLuhta

Week 6 provided us with some serious shake-ups to the top 10, I'll go straight to my top 10 ballot here.

WEEK 7 TOP TEN

10.Wisconsin (last week: NR)
9. Miami ( last week: NR)
8. Washington State (last week: 10)
7. Ohio State (last week: 8)
6. Washington (last week: 6)
5. TCU (last week: 8)
4. Georgia (last week: 4)
3. Penn State (last week: 3)
2. Alabama (last week: 2)
1. Clemson (last week: 1)

The top 4 remained the same from last week, but the rest all got jumbled around as we have 2 new teams to the top 10. I've been severely reluctant to rank Wisconsin in the top 10 because they have an incredibly soft schedule until November, but they come in at 10 which is where they'll top out at until they get themselves a big win on the resume. The Miami Hurricanes kept their undefeated season alive with a last second win against Florida State, and make their debut in my top 10 by coming in at #9. They are currently 5-0 and have a few big games coming up in November that will truly show if this team is a playoff contending team.

With 2 debuts in the top 10 means that 2 teams are out of the top 10. First, the Michigan Wolverines dropped a tough game to in-state rival Michigan State, 14-10. The defense did what they could but the offense turned the ball over 5 times and it's practically impossible to win under those circumstances. The Oklahoma Sooners lost a game at home to an Iowa State team that was just 2-2 on the season. The Sooners were 31 point favorites in this game and had a 24-10 lead before squandering the lead and eventually losing 38-31. They nearly coughed up a game the week before to a winless Baylor team and now this loss, Oklahoma needs to get it together soon with Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and TCU looming.

HEISMAN WATCH

5. Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
4. Luke Falk, QB, Washington State
3. Bryce Love, RB, Stanford
2. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
1. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

A little movement in the Heisman watch this week, Baker Mayfield slides down to 5 after an Oklahoma loss in which he did not perform very well. Stanford RB Bryce Love continues to climb up the watch list, he has 1240 yards and 9 TD's in 6 games this season putting him on an incredible pace to be well over 2,000 yards.

Saquon Barkley holds down the #1 spot, as he accounts for nearly 40% of Penn State's offense. A bye week this week then back to back tests against Michigan and Ohio State will be a huge proving ground for his Heisman campaign.

WEEK 7 PREVIEW

#12 Oklahoma vs Texas - 3:30 PM

The Red River Rivalry kicks off at 3:30 in the Cotton Bowl, one of the biggest rivalries in the entire country. Oklahoma has not looked very good these past 2 games, a narrow win against Baylor followed by a home loss to unranked Iowa State. They will need QB Baker Mayfield to be the true leader of the team and right this ship, they still can make the playoffs if they win out so this is the beginning of "must win" games for the Sooners. Texas' new Head Coach, Tom Herman, started out last season with a win over the Oklahoma Sonners when he was coaching the Houston Cougars. He'll need more of that success here as this would be a signature win for him and also keep Texas in the Big 12 title game picture. As it goes for any rivalry, this one has proven to be wildly unpredictable and with the way both teams have been playing, do not be surprised at any outcome.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 37-27

#10 Auburn at LSU - 3:30 PM

SEC West foes collide right here. Auburn is starting to climb their way back up the polls and are making people believe that they are a contender still. They lost a lopsided game in week 2 at Clemson and have been on a roll ever since, winning 4 straight which includes a 49-10 drubbing of then #24 Mississippi State. QB Jarrett Stidham has been leading this team on offense as they've put up at least 44 points in each of the last 3 games. LSU has been their kryptonite though as they've lost their last 8 trips to Baton Rouge, and LSU is looking to make it 9 here. LSU had high expectations this season, but a conference loss to Mississippi State and then an upset loss against Troy 2 weeks later really derailed those expectations. They had a bounce back game last week though against Florida, defeating the #21 ranked Gators 17-16. They have a tough defensive front that will look to shut down Stidham, much like Clemson did. They'll ride their running attack on offense, led by Darrius Guice, in order to move the ball and pull off the upset.

PREDICTION: LSU 19-17

Utah at #13 USC - 8:00 PM

This game lost a bit of it's luster after Utah, ranked #20 at the time, lost a close game to Stanford which dropped them out of the top 25. Physicality will be the name of the game for Utah, they'll look to control the trenches on both sides of the ball in order to dictate the flow of the game. Their defense was gashed by Stanford RB Bryce Love last week, but their run defense still is #1 in the Pac-12 with only giving up 108 rushing yards a game. They should also get a boost if QB Tyler Hunley is back for this game, he injured his shoulder in a game against Arizona two weeks ago and missed last week's game against Stanford. If he cannot go then Utah will turn to QB Troy Williams, who started for the Utes last season.

For USC, it will be controlling Utah's pass rush and not turning the ball over. Turnovers have haunted the Trojans this season, QB Sam Darnold has thrown 9 INT's and lost a fumble this season and they've been their own worst enemy in games this season. They are one of the most talented teams in the country, but always seem to either play down to competition or make crucial mistakes that keep opposing teams in the game and it's bit them once(Washington State) and could bite them again here.

PREDICTION: USC 30-14

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Split Decision 12.21.16: The Choices of Fournette & McCaffrey

By Jason Disantis, @JasonInCLE

I get it.

I understand.

I don't blame them for their decision, but I don't agree with it.

Following the lead of Louisiana State running back Leonard Fournette, Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey recently announced that he is going to sit out the Sun Bowl, bringing his college career to an end.

The biggest difference for these players between college ball and the NFL is that the players can finally start treating the game, and themselves like a business. Heaven knows NFL teams will.

These players are protecting their biggest investments... Themselves.

Both of these players are projected as first or second round draft picks and an injury in a bowl game can cost you A LOT of money. Just ask Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith.

For those not familiar, Smith was assuredly going to be a top 10 pick in the 2016 draft before a devastating knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl tore his ACL, LCL, and left him with nerve damage in his leg. Smith dropped to the second round because of that injury.

Whats the difference between a top five and a second round pick? Roughly $17 million dollars, give or take a couple million.

But despite the pain and injury, the lost money, and the time spent missing the game he loves, he doesn't regret it. Recently Jaylon Smith tweeted out his thoughts on that game and the high profile players currently sitting out saying: "Honestly. With everything I've been through, if I could go back to Jan. 1st I'd play again. #ClearEyeView"

Another top ten talent was also playing in that game, Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott.

Elliott was drafted no. 4 overall and never thought about sitting out Ohio State's last game. Elliott tweeted out: "All these young guys deciding to skip their bowl games. I would do anything to play one more time with my brothers in that scarlet and gray."

Elliott also tweeted: "One last time to honor your university and one last chance to play with your boys who will be your brothers for life."

"And there is a difference between no coming back for your last year and not finishing your last season."

"I just know how much I loved my university and the guys I played with. My last game was the most memorable moment form my college career."

And within Elliott's tweets lies my own thoughts on McCaffrey and Fournette.

How often do you hear these guys talk about their teammates as being their brothers? Being their family? Guys they go to war with?

Well, not all of your "brothers" are going to the NFL. Only a small percentage do.

How many seniors are on those teams, playing in the last game of their careers? How many are playing in their last chance at a bowl win, and now doing it without their best player?

Fournette and McCaffrey obviously understand what is on the line for themselves during these games. But there is something to be said for understanding what it means for everyone else as well.

Will it affect their draft stock? Maybe.

If I'm a GM looking for a running back and I have Fournette and Florida State running back Dalvin Cook neck-and-neck, I could easily be swayed in Cook's direction because of this. And McCaffrey isn't even a sure-fire first round pick. If McCaffrey played like he did in last years Rose Bowl (amassing 368 all purpose yards), he could possibly solidify himself as a first round pick. The difference between guaranteed years and money from first to second round and even within the first round can be significant.

Myles Garrett is another all-world talent who currently projects as the first pick in the NFL draft next spring. But unlike McCaffrey and Fournette, Garrett is going to play.

Why would he risk injury and losing millions to play in a "meaningless" bowl game you wonder?

Garrett recently tweeted: "You play because you love it, not because you can make money from it."

Thursday, November 24, 2016

TV Tonight 11.24

By Raven Williams, @nevaRWilliams

NFL
Redskins @ Cowboys (FOX, 4:30pm)
Steelers @ Colts (NBC, 8:30pm)

NHL
Hurricanes @ Canadiens (NHL, 7:30pm)

COLLEGE FOOTBALL
LSU @ Texas A&M (ESPN, 7:30pm)

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
New Mexico vs. Virginia Tech (ESPN, 4:30pm)
Gonzaga vs. Quinnipiac (ESPN 2, 6:30pm)
Butler @ Vanderbilt (FOX Sports 1, 8pm)
Seton Hall vs. Florida (ESPN 2, 8:30pm)
Dayton vs. Nebraska (ESPNU, 8:30pm)
Santa Clara @ Arizona (FOX Sports 1, 10:30pm)
Portland vs. UCLA (ESPN2, 11pm)

=====

The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration (ABC, 8pm)
Rosewood (FOX, 8pm)
The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 8pm)
IMPACT Wrestling (POP, 8pm)
The Great Indoors (CBS, 8:30pm)

Pitch (FOX, 9pm)
Mom (CBS, 9pm)
Life In Pieces (CBS, 9:30pm)

Pure Genius (CBS, 10pm)

Friday, November 11, 2016

TV Weekend 11.11 - 11.12

By Raven Williams, @nevaRWilliams

Caught On Camera With Nick Cannon (FRI, NBC, 8pm)
Last Man Standing (FRI, ABC, 8pm)
MacGyver (FRI, CBS, 8pm)
Hell's Kitchen (FRI, FOX, 8pm)
The Vampire Diaries (FRI, The CW, 8pm)
New Japan Pro Wrestling (FRI, AXS TV, 8pm)
Dr. Ken (FRI, ABC, 8:30pm)

Dateline NBC (FRI, NBC, 9pm)
Shark Tank (FRI, ABC, 9pm)
Hawaii Five-0 (FRI, CBS, 9pm)
The Exorcist (FRI, FOX, 9pm)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (FRI, The CW, 9pm)
Z Nation (FRI, Syfy, 9pm)

Blue Bloods (FRI, CBS, 10pm)
Van Helsing (FRI, Syfy, 10pm)
ELeague (FRI, TBS, 10pm)

--

All Def Comedy (SAT, HBO, 10pm)
Saturday Night Live Classic (SAT, NBC, 10pm)
Saturday Night Live: Dave Chappelle, A Tribe Called Quest (SAT, NBC, 11:30pm)

======

COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Harvard @ Pennsylvania (FRI, NBC Sports, 8pm)

Baylor @ Oklahoma (SAT, ABC, 12pm)
South Carolina @ Florida (SAT, CBS, 12pm)
Mississippi State @ Alabama (SAT, ESPN, 12pm)
Penn State @ Indiana (SAT, ESPN 2, 12pm)
SMU @ East Carolina (SAT, ESPNews, 12pm)
Cincinnati @ UCF (SAT, ESPNU, 12pm)
Kentucky @ Tennessee (SAT, SEC, 12pm)

Ohio State @ Maryland (SAT, ESPN, 3:30pm)
Notre Dame @ Army (SAT, NBC, 3:30pm)
Pittsburgh @ Clemson (SAT, ABC, 3:30pm)
Auburn @ Georgia (SAT, CBS, 3:30pm)
Illinois @ Wisconsin (SAT, ESPN 2, 3:30pm)
Georgia Tech @ Virginia Tech (SAT, ESPNU, 3:30pm)
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma State (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 3:30pm)
Vanderbilt @ Missouri (SAT, SEC, 3:30pm)
Tulane @ Houston (SAT, CBS SportsNet, 3:30pm)

LSU @ Arkansas (SAT, ESPN, 7pm)
Wake Forest @ Louisville (SAT, ESPN 2, 7pm)
South Florida @ Memphis (SAT, ESPNU, 7pm)
Minnesota @ Nebraska (SAT, Big Ten, 7:30pm)
Mississippi @ Texas A&M (SAT, SEC, 7:30pm)

USC @ Washington (SAT, FOX, 7:30pm)
Michigan @ Iowa (SAT, ABC, 8pm)
Colorado @ Arizona (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 10pm)
New Mexico @ Utah State (SAT, ESPN 2, 10:15pm)
California @ Washington State (SAT, ESPN, 10:30pm)

NFL
Top 10: Tight Ends (FRI, NFL Network, 8pm)
A Football Life: Jim Brown (FRI, NFL Network, 9pm)

NBA
Cavaliers @ Wizards (FRI, FOX Sports Ohio, 7pm)
Clippers @ Thunder (FRI, NBA TV, 8pm)

Pistons @ Nuggets (SAT, NBA TV, 9pm)

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Vanderbilt vs. Marquette (FRI, CBS SportsNet, 6:30pm)
Arizona vs Michigan State (FRI, ESPN, 7pm)
La Salle @ Temple (FRI, ESPNews, 7pm)
Oral Roberts @ Baylor (FRI, ESPNU, 7pm)
Boston College @ Florida State (FRI, ESPN 2, 7:30pm)
Indiana vs. Kansas (FRI, ESPN, 9pm)
Ohio State @ Navy (FRI, CBS SportsNet, 9pm)
Harvard vs Stanford (FRI, ESPN 2, 11pm)
San Diego @ San Diego State (FRI, ESPNU, 11pm)

NHL
Maple Leafs @ Penguins (SAT, NHL, 7pm)
Blues @ Blue Jackets (SAT, FOX Sports Ohio, 7pm)

NASCAR & RACING
XFINITY Series: Ticket Galaxy 200 (SAT, NBC Sports, 7:30pm)

MMA & BOXING
Bellator MMA Live (FRI, Spike, 9pm)

UFC 205: Alvarez vs McGregor - Prelims (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 8pm)
BOXING: Premier Boxing: Danny Garcia vs Samuel Vargas (SAT, Spike, 9pm)
BOXING: Luis Ortiz vs Malik Scott (SAT, HBO, 11pm)

SOCCER
FIFA World Cup 2018 Qualifying: United States vs. Mexico (FRI, FOX Sports 1, 8pm)

OTHER SPORTS
Red Bull Signature Series: Rampage (SAT, NBC, 2pm)

Friday, November 4, 2016

TV Weekend 11.4 - 11.5

By Raven Williams, @nevaRWilliams

Caught On Camera With Nick Cannon (FRI, NBC, 8pm)
Last Man Standing (FRI, ABC, 8pm)
MacGyver (FRI, CBS, 8pm)
Hell's Kitchen (FRI, FOX, 8pm)
The Vampire Diaries (FRI, The CW, 8pm)
New Japan Pro Wrestling (FRI, AXS TV, 8pm)
Dr. Ken (FRI, ABC, 8:30pm)

One & Done: Ben Simmons (FRI, Showtime, 9pm)
Dateline NBC (FRI, NBC, 9pm)
Shark Tank (FRI, ABC, 9pm)
Hawaii Five-0 (FRI, CBS, 9pm)
The Exorcist (FRI, FOX, 9pm)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (FRI, The CW, 9pm)
Z Nation (FRI, Syfy, 9pm)

Blue Bloods (FRI, CBS, 10pm)
Burgers, Brew & Que (FRI, Food Network, 10pm)
Van Helsing (FRI, Syfy, 10pm)
ELeague (FRI, TBS, 10pm)

--

Saturday Night Live Classic (SAT, NBC, 10pm)
Saturday Night Live: Benedict Cumberbatch, Solange (SAT, NBC, 11:30pm)

======

COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Temple @ Connecticut (FRI, ESPN 2, 7pm)
San Jose State @ Boise State (FRI, ESPN 2, 10:15pm)

Notre Dame vs. Navy (SAT, CBS, 11:30am)
Wisconsin @ Northwestern (SAT, ABC, 12pm)
Vanderbilt @ Auburn (SAT, ESPN, 12pm)
Louisville @ Boston College (SAT, ESPN 2, 12pm)
Texas @ Texas Tech (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 12pm)
Michigan State @ Illinois (SAT, ESPNews, 12pm)
Georgia Southern @ Mississippi (SAT, ESPNU, 12pm)
Air Force @ Army (SAT, CBS SportsNet, 12pm)
Indiana @ Rutgers (SAT, Big Ten, 12pm)
Texas A&M @ Mississippi State (SAT, SEC, 12pm)

Syracuse @ Clemson (SAT, ABC/ESPN 2, 3:30pm)
Maryland @ Michigan (SAT, ESPN, 3:30pm)
Florida @ Arkansas (SAT, CBS, 3:30pm)
TCU @ Baylor (SAT, FOX, 3:30pm)
Oklahoma State @ Kansas State (SAT, ABC/ESPN 2, 3:30pm)
Virginia Tech @ Duke (SAT, ESPNU, 3:30pm)
Purdue @ Minnesota (SAT, Big Ten, 3:30pm)
BYU @ Cincinnati (SAT, CBS SportsNet, 3:30pm)
Missouri @ South Carolina (SAT, SEC, 4pm)
Memphis @ SMU (SAT, ESPNews, 4pm)

Oregon @ USC (SAT, ESPN, 7pm)
Kansas @ West Virginia (SAT, ESPN 2, 7pm)
Florida State @ North Carolina State (SAT, ESPNU, 7pm)
Iowa @ Penn State (SAT, Big Ten, 7:30pm)
Georgia @ Kentucky (SAT, SEC, 7:30pm)

Nebraska @ Ohio State (SAT, ABC, 8pm)
Alabama @ LSU (SAT, CBS, 8pm)
Nevada @ New Mexico (SAT, ESPNU, 10:15pm)
Utah State @ Wyoming (SAT, ESPN 2, 10:15pm)
Washington @ California (SAT, ESPN, 10:30pm)

NFL
Top 10: Players Comebacks (FRI, NFL Network, 8pm)
A Football Life: Michael Vick (FRI, NFL Network, 9pm)

NBA
NBA Countdown (FRI, ESPN, 7pm)
Knicks @ Bulls (FRI, ESPN, 8pm)
Warriors @ Lakers (FRI, ESPN, 10:30pm)

Cavaliers @ 76ers (SAT, FOX Sports Ohio, 7pm)
Clippers @ Spurs (SAT, NBA TV, 8:30pm)

NHL
Canadiens @ Blue Jackets (FRI, FOX Sports Ohio, 7pm)
Jets @ Red Wings (FRI, NHL, 7:30pm)

Rangers @ Bruins (SAT, NHL, 7pm)

NASCAR & RACING
Camping World Truck Series: Texas (FRI, FOX Sports, 8:30pm)

XFINITY Series: O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge (SAT, NBC, 3:30pm)

MMA & BOXING
Bellator MMA Live (FRI, Spike, 9pm)

UFC Fight Night: Dos Anjos vs. Ferguson - Prelims (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 8pm)
UFC Fight Night: Rafael Dos Anjos vs. Tony Ferguson (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 10pm)

SOCCER
English Premiere League: Chelsea FC vs Everton FC (SAT, NBC, 1:30pm)

OTHER SPORTS
2016 Breeders Cup (SAT, NBC, 8pm)

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Spread Offense, College Football Week 6: The Bridge Episode

By Pat Luhta, @PLuhta

Now that was a fun last Saturday, wasn't it? Last second dramatic wins with multiple lead changes in the final minute in the Tennessee-Georgia and North Carolina-Florida State game, 2 Big Ten heavyweights in Michigan and Wisconsin just pulverizing each other in a great defensive game, and did Louisville and Clemson put on a show or what? Last Saturday delivered big time overall, those types of exhilarating games are what makes this sport so great.

Each season of a TV series has something called a bridge episode. TV series typically start fast to hook you in followed by an episode or two that is more about building characters and storylines by being dialogue heavy while taking away the majority of action. That episode's purpose is to bridge the beginning of the season to the finale, hence the "bridge episode" name. This is what week 6 seems to be, with only 4 games involving 2 ranked teams it seems as though this will be less about the action on the field and more about what's to follow based off of this week. We are starting to get into conference play and we have some rivalry games this week so it will still hold everyone's attention, but this will be a natural come down after week 5's fantastic games and finishes.

SATURDAY OCT 8TH

Noon kickoffs are headlined by Texas and #20 Oklahoma playing in their annual Red River Rivalry game. Oklahoma came in to last year's game at a perfect 5-o and ranked #10 in the country while Texas was a disappointing 1-4 at the time. They always say to throw the records out in a rivalry game though and last year was a perfect example, as the Longhorns handed Oklahoma their only regular season loss by a score of 24-17. This year, both teams are in need of a big win as Oklahoma just evened their record out to 2-2 after outlasting TCU 52-46 last weekend, and a promising start to the season for Texas has turned sour after 2 straight losses. Texas coach Charlie Strong will be calling defensive plays now after the Longhorns gave up 49 points to Oklahoma State, some reports are saying that this is a make or break game for him as far as determining his future as coach of the team.

They'll need to slow down an Oklahoma offense that finally got rolling last weekend and looked like the playoff contender that they were expected to be. Oklahoma's main concern will be the 2 QB system that Texas runs, last week they had a ton of problems with stopping TCU and Texas is the type of team that could put up some points if they find a weakness. The luster may be off this rivalry game a bit since both teams are just 2-2, but there's a lot at stake for these two teams and always expect some great moments when bragging rights are on the line.

We also have LSU at #18 Florida at noon. The post Les Miles era started out big for LSU as they rolled Missouri 42-7. Florida gets their starting QB back, Luke Del Rio, as they hope that provides a spark on the offense that they were missing last weekend against Vanderbilt. They still managed to win but the offense was stagnant overall and they coasted to a 13-6 victory. Can a rejuvenated LSU team go on the road and knock off a healthy Florida team on the road? It's a pretty big task for interim head coach Ed Orgeron.

The 3:30 games give us 2 of the 4 games involving 2 ranked teams. In ACC action, we have the #25 Virginia Tech Hokies going on the road to face the #17 North Carolina Tar Heels. The Hokies have moved on from "Beamer ball" and are now running a full time spread offense under 1st year head coach Justin Fuente. The switch is paying off right now, as they are averaging 40 points per game and QB Jerod Evans has found himself on some Heisman sleeper lists. After suffering their lone loss on the season (45-24 to Tennessee), the Hokies have shut out Boston College 49-0 and rolled East Carolina 54-17. North Carolina has also been putting up some impressive numbers on offense, along with pulling out games in crunch time. In back to back weeks, the Tar Heels outscored Pitt 14-3 in the 4th quarter to win 37-36 then had a last second drive against Florida State culminating in a 54 yard game winning field goal for the 37-35 win. Bud Foster's Virginia Tech defense may be the key factor in this, he's one of the best at game planning and disguising blitzes in order to rattle the opposing teams' QB, if he can dial up a game plan to get Mentor, Ohio's own Mitch Trubisky off his game then that will be the deciding factor. It will be close though and North Carolina thrives in close games, expect this game to play out in the final minutes.

We also have the #9 Tennessee Volunteers at the #8 Texas A&M Aggies. Tennessee seems to be living a charmed life, they start slow and sloppy and as it looks like they are going to lose, they seem to do just enough to get the win. OT win against Appalachian State, uninspired win against Ohio, 21 point comeback against Florida and then last week, a last second Hail Mary win over Georgia. This will be their toughest task to date, Texas A&M looks very good and Kyle Field provides a big home field advantage. The Aggies use a balanced attack to put up nearly 40 points and 520 yards per game, with QB Trevor Knight leading the charge for them. Their defense also seems legit this season, as 24 points is the most that they have given up in a game. If they hold Tennessee to that then they have a very good chance of winning this game. This game will tell us a lot about both teams, starting with how serious a contender each team is going forward.

The 7 pm start time takes us to Fayetteville where the #16 Arkansas Razorbacks host the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide. Arkansas looks for a statement win right here to show that they aren't a middle of the road type team. QB Austin Allen is the type of QB that has given Alabama's defense problems in the past and the Razorbacks are going to need him to play at his peak in order to win this game. Arkansas will also look to their 2 RB's, Rawleigh Williams and Devwah Whaley, to provide a big punch and balance out the attack so the Crimson Tide won't have the benefit of keying on Allen. If Arkansas does become one dimensional then that plays right into Alabama's hands, their defense thrives on getting after the QB to force sacks and turnovers. The Crimson Tide offense will look for the same success as Texas A&M had against Arkansas, which is the big play.

The Razorbacks, while a good defensive team overall, are susceptible to giving up big plays and that was their Achilles heel in their 45-24 loss to the Aggies. The Tide does have the weapons, both in their running and passing game, to score quickly and Arkansas has got to do a better job of containment if they want to stay in this game. This is Alabama's 1st of 4 straight big games with Tennessee on deck, Texas A&M in the hole and LSU awaiting after a bye week. Arkansas needs this one badly if they want any shot of earning the SEC West title.

Then our 8pm primetime matchup pits 2 in-state rivals against each other, with the #23 Florida State Seminoles facing off against the #10 Miami Hurricanes. At the beginning of the season, not many people would have believed that FSU would be the team with 2 losses while Miami is undefeated. The Seminoles rebounded against South Florida after the beating they took against Louisville, only to lose on a last second field goal last week to North Carolina. FSU certainly has the talent on offense, starting with RB Dalvin Cook, but miscues on defense have haunted them this season. Mark Richt has revitalized the Miami program already in his 1st season as head coach, and people are starting to buy into this team. This will be their chance to really prove it though as they have yet to play a ranked team and their opponents have a combined 7-13 record.

Their offense, led by QB Brad Kaaya and RB Mark Walton, have been lighting up the scoreboard while their defense has been one of the stingiest in the country. If they can take advantage of FSU's problems on defense and keep their offense rolling then this could be a long night for the Seminoles. We will see just how good they are though in this game, whether they are a contender in the ACC or fool's gold that put up numbers due to softer competition. Rivalry games always bring an added amount of intrigue and with two teams ranked in the top 25 and with the history they have for playing close, memorable games, then this is a perfect game for that 8pm time slot.

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Radio Show 9.28.16: On Browns & NFL Week 4, Indians, College Football, BET Hip Hop Awards & More

Spread Offense, College Football Week 5: Clear Your Weekend Schedule

By Pat Luhta, @PLuhta

For most people, the weekends are a time to catch up on things around the house. Whether it's yard work or house work or even a DIY project, most of those chores occur on the weekend since the majority of people usually don't have the time throughout the week. Friday and Saturday night are also popular date nights. Dinner and a movie, maybe a stop at a local bar for a few drinks or a walk in the park even, perfect time to stay out a little bit later and spend some quality time together.

I'm here to tell you to clear that schedule and give yourself a whole weekend of free time in order to watch football. The house work can be done early Saturday morning or pushed to Sunday or even next weekend, it can wait. As for date night, hopefully you are fortunate enough to be with someone that also enjoys college football, maybe even have a date night that is football-centric (can't go wrong with a sports bar). If not, then hopefully he/she understands your passion of football and will understand that you want to just sit home and watch TV all weekend, make it up to them by taking them out to a Sunday morning brunch and/or buy them something to show your appreciation for their understanding (just some suggestions).

Before we get started, I just wanted to fit in a little paragraph on my thoughts on LSU firing Les Miles. I see some people saying that if they would have snapped the ball just a half second sooner against Auburn then he would still have a job and his only other loss this season being by 2 points to a top 10 team in Wisconsin. Fair points, but after last season where LSU practically fired him then brought him back, he basically had to win a national championship in order to keep his job this season. If a program is sold on not retaining their current head coach then it's much more beneficiary to let him go earlier in the season rather than later, especially for recruiting. Les Miles will land on his feet somewhere, he had a great run at LSU and a coaching career that most would love to have. He'll be fine but the writing was blatantly on the wall that his time was up, LSU made the right call for their program.

Week 5 is loaded with games and you won't want to miss a snap, here's a rundown of the top games, starting on Friday night.

FRIDAY SEPT 30TH

We get a battle of 2 top 10 teams on Friday Night. The #7 ranked Stanford Cardinal is 3-0 and every one of their games has been spotlighted so far in my weekly article (Kansas State, USC, UCLA). They face the #10 ranked Washington Huskies in Seattle, who have yet to play a marquee game. The Huskies have a lot of preseason hype and so far their record is beginning to prove themselves, but this will be the big test in truly showing that they belong. Rutgers, Idaho and Portland State followed by an OT win against Arizona have been Washington's current schedule, so while both sides of the ball has looked impressive, many are waiting for this game before giving them credit. To show that they deserve a top 10 ranking, they'll need to slow down Ryan Burns and Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey was stifled, for his standards, against UCLA last week but in crunch time the Cardinal found different ways to get the job done. While offensive players like McCaffrey and Washington's QB Jake Browning get a lot of attention, it's been both teams' defenses that have truly been their strong point. Washington leads the NCAA in takeaways while only giving up an average of 14.5 points per game, Stanford is even a bit better there with only 12 points per game. Get ready to see some big plays sprinkled in with an overall defensive game in this highlighted Friday night game.

SATURDAY OCT. 1ST

Ok...so I lied. If there's a time to do some house or yard work then during these noon games would be it. #13 Baylor at Iowa State, #23 Florida at Vanderbilt, #22 Texas at Oklahoma State, #14 Miami at Georgia Tech and Rutgers at #2 Ohio State makes this a somewhat "meh" start to the college football day. By all means still watch but if there's a pressing needs that has to get done then there's definitely some time to take care of it here.

At 3:30 though, we get rolling! #11 Tennessee, coming off their big win over rival Florida, heads to Athens to take on the #25 Georgia Bulldogs. The Vols finally broke the losing streak against Florida (11 straight), are still undefeated and have their sights set on the SEC East title. Georgia was undefeated until last week, where they were outplayed and overmatched by Ole Miss, ending in a 45-14 lopsided loss. Tennessee still has a history of slow starts and one of these games it is going to get them unless they can get it together and start figuring out how to have better starts. They are currently in the gauntlet stretch of their schedule, with Texas A&M and then Alabama looming, so it's time for them to put a full 4 quarters together. Georgia has to find another playmaker other than Nick Chubb to step up in order to win this game. They've scraped by in their first 3 games and then did not have an answer for Ole Miss, it's also time for them to play to their full potential and see what kind of team they truly are or else this could end up being a long season for them.

Also at 3:30 is a battle of 2 of the top teams in the Big Ten, which btw, is the best conference in the NCAA. #8 Wisconsin, coming off a statement win against Michigan State, travels to the mitten again to face the #4 Michigan Wolverines. Wisconsin looked about as a good as a team could look last weekend, their defense stymied the Spartans and their offense continually picked up big first downs on their way to a 30-6 win in East Lansing. MSU and LSU (who Wisconsin defeated in week 1) typically have 2 of the best offensive and defensive lines in the country and the Badgers controlled the trenches all game against both teams. They'll need to do so again if they want to remain undefeated by beating the Michigan Wolverines. Michigan is looking like a well-oiled machine this year, the kind of team we come to expect from Jim Harbaugh. QB Wilton Speight has been way more than a game manager and he throws to 2 of the country's elite WR's (Darboh, Chesson) along with a top Tight End(Butt). The return of CB Jourdan Lewis is big for an already good defense and their LB/DB/KR/PR/WR(practically everywhere) playmaker, Jabrill Peppers, has become of the most electric players in the country. Wisconsin has been battled tested and will go on the road in this one, Michigan looks to pass their first big test by playing and beating a top 10 team, this game has everything a college football fan wants.

Smothered in between the 3:30 and 8pm games is a 5pm kickoff between the Oklahoma Sooners and the #21 TCU Horned Frogs. Not sure if anyone predicted in the offseason that the Oklahoma Sooners, Big 12 champs and college playoff team from last year, would be unranked with a 1-2 record. Fortunately for them, both losses were non-conference games, meaning they still control their own destiny in winning the Big 12. They will need a good defensive game on top of good performances from Mayfield, Mixon and Perine on offense though if they want to avoid 1-3. TCU sits at 3-1, with their lone loss being an OT thriller against Arkansas. Former Texas A&M QB Kenny Hill has been their dual-threat that they need for this offense and RB Kyle Hicks has been a big complement to him in the run game. Both teams leave a lot to be desired on defense though, both giving up more than 380 yards and 25 points a game on average. This game looks to be a offensive firepower game that we are all so used to when it comes to the Big 12.

And then, we arrive at our main event of the evening. #3 Louisville vs. #5 Clemson in a conference clash that takes place in Death Valley. Before we get to the game, be sure to tune in for the pregame where they will almost for certain show the Clemson entrance. It is easily the best entrance in all of college football, they arrive via bus and enter through the stands and run down a hill and onto the field. Trust me, it's worth tuning in early for and if it doesn't get you hyped up for the game then you may not have a pulse. The game will be about the QB's here, Lamar Jackson of Louisville and Deshaun Watson of Clemson. Both are top 5 in the Heisman race with Lamar Jackson right now being the heavy favorite to win it. After a slow start in the first 2 weeks and just when people started to wonder if something is wrong with Clemson, they have turned it up big time and are looking like they are in full form now. Louisville has started off fast and continued a torrent pace of putting up ungodly offensive numbers, including a 63-20 beat down at Florida State. Both defenses have looked good this season as well, Clemson's has kept them in those first two games while their offense struggled and Louisville's just doesn't get the talk that it deserves considering how good their offense has looked. Clemson has one of the best home-field advantages in the country and Louisville has already gone on the road this season and won a big game, this game just looks so close and so good on paper, it's truly a can't miss game.

Friday, September 23, 2016

TV Weekend 9.23 - 9.24

By Raven Williams, @nevaRWilliams

Last Man Standing, PREMIERE (FRI, ABC, 8pm)
Hell's Kitchen, PREMIERE (FRI, FOX, 8pm)
MacGyver, PREMIERE (FRI, CBS, 8pm)
New Japan Pro Wrestling (FRI, AXS TV, 8pm)
Masters Of Illusion (FRI, The CW, 8pm & 8:30pm)
Dr. Ken, PREMIERE (FRI, ABC, 8:30pm)

Dateline NBC (FRI, NBC, 9pm)
Shark Tank, PREMIERE (FRI, ABC, 9pm)
The Exorcist, PREMIERE (FRI, FOX, 9pm)
Hawaii Five-0, PREMIERE (FRI, CBS, 9pm)
Z Nation (FRI, Syfy, 9pm)

Blue Bloods, PREMIERE (FRI, CBS, 10pm)
Burgers, Brew & Que (FRI, Food Network, 10pm)
Van Helsing, PREMIERE (FRI, Syfy, 10pm)
Quarry (FRI, Cinemax, 10pm)
High Maintenance (FRI, HBO, 11pm)

======

COLLEGE FOOTBALL
TCU @ SMU (FRI, ESPN, 8pm)
USC @ Utah (FRI, FOX Sports 1, 9pm)

Florida State @ South Florida (SAT, ABC, 12pm)
Georgia @ Mississippi (SAT, ESPN, 12pm)
Iowa @ Rutgers (SAT, ESPN 2, 12pm)
Nevada @ Purdue (SAT, ESPNews, 12pm)
Colorado State @ Minnesota (SAT, ESPNU, 12pm)
Wisconsin @ Michigan State (SAT, Big Ten, 12pm)
Kent State @ Alabama (SAT, SEC, 12pm)
Syracuse @ Connecticut (SAT, CBS SportsNet, 1pm)

Duke @ Notre Dame (SAT, NBC, 3:30pm)
Penn State @ Michigan (SAT, ABC, 3:30pm)
Florida @ Tennessee (SAT, CBS, 3:30pm)
BYU @ West Virginia (SAT, ESPN 2, 3:30pm)
Miami (OH) @ Cincinnati (SAT, ESPNews, 3:30pm)
Pittsburgh @ North Carolina (SAT, ESPNU, 3:30pm)
Boise State @ Oregon State (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 3:30pm)

LSU @ Auburn (SAT, ESPN, 6pm)
Houston @ Texas State (SAT, ESPNU, 7pm)
Nebraska @ Northwestern (SAT, Big Ten, 7:30pm)
Oklahoma State @ Baylor (SAT, FOX, 7:30pm)
Stanford @ UCLA (SAT, ABC, 8pm)
Louisville @ Marshall (SAT, CBS SportsNet, 8pm)

Arkansas @ Texas A&M (SAT, ESPN, 9pm)
California @ Arizona State (SAT, ESPN 2, 10pm)

NFL
A Football Life: Rodney Harrison (FRI, NFL Network, 9pm)

MLB
White Sox @ Indians (FRI, STO, 7pm)
Yankees @ Blue Jays (FRI, ESPN 2, 7pm)
Giants @ Padres OR Rockies @ Dodgers (FRI, MLB, 11pm)

Royals @ Tigers (SAT, FOX, 1pm)
Yankees @ Blue Jays OR Rangers @ Athletics (SAT, MLB, 4pm)
White Sox @ Indians (SAT, STO, 7pm)
Phillies @ Mets OR Diamondbacks @ Orioles (SAT, MLB, 7pm)
Rockies @ Dodgers OR Giants @ Padres (SAT, MLB, 10pm)

NASCAR & RACING
XFINITIY Series: Visitmyrtlebeach.com 300 (SAT, NBC Sports, 8pm)

MMA & BOXING
Bellator Kickboxing (FRI, Spike, 9pm)

UFC Fight Night: Cyborg vs. Lansberg - Prelims (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 8pm)
UFC Fight Night: Cris Cyborg vs. Lina Lansberg (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 10pm)

SOCCER
English Premier League: Arsenal FC vs. Chelsea FC (SAT, NBC Sports, 12:25pm)

GOLF
2016 TOUR Championship, Third Round (SAT, NBC, 12pm)

Friday, September 16, 2016

TV Weekend 9.16 - 9.17

By Raven Williams, @nevaRWilliams

Z Nation, PREMIERE (FRI, Syfy, 8pm)
New Japan Pro Wrestling (FRI, AXS TV, 8pm)
Masters Of Illusion (FRI, The CW, 8pm & 8:30pm)

New Japan Pro Wrestling (FRI, AXS TV, 9pm)

Burgers, Brew & Que (FRI, Food Network, 10pm)
ELeague (FRI, TBS, 10pm)
Dark Matter, SEASON FINALE (FRI, Syfy, 10pm)
Quarry (FRI, Cinemax, 10pm)
High Maintenance, PREMIERE (FRI, HBO, 11pm)

======

COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Baylor @ Rice (FRI, ESPN, 8pm)
Arkansas State @ Utah State (FRI, CBS SportsNet, 9pm)
Arizona State @ Texas-San Antonio (FRI, ESPN 2, 9:30pm)

Florida State @ Louisville (SAT, ABC, 12pm)
Miami @ Appalachian State (SAT, ESPN, 12pm)
North Dakota State @ Iowa (SAT, ESPN 2, 12pm)
Iowa State @ TCU (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 12pm)
Ohio @ Tennessee (SAT, SEC, 12pm)
Akron @ Marshall (SAT, CBS SportsNet, 12pm)
Georgia State @ Wisconsin (SAT, Big Ten, 12pm)

Oregon @ Nebraska (SAT, ABC, 3:30pm)
Alabama @ Mississippi (SAT, CBS, 3:30pm)
Pittsburgh @ Oklahoma State (SAT, ESPN, 3:30pm)
Boston College @ Virginia Tech (SAT, ESPNU, 3:30pm)
Colorado @ Michigan (SAT, Big Ten, 3:30pm)
Western Michigan @ Illinois (SAT, ESPNews, 4pm)
East Carolina @ South Carolina (SAT, SEC, 4pm)

Texas A&M @ Auburn (SAT, ESPN, 7pm)
Mississippi State @ LSU (SAT, ESPN 2, 7pm)
Ohio State @ Oklahoma (SAT, FOX, 7:30pm)
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (SAT, NBC, 7:30pm)
USC @ Stanford (SAT, ABC, 8pm)

UCLA @ BYU (SAT, ESPN 2, 10:15pm)
Texas @ California (SAT, ESPN, 10:30pm)

NFL
Top 10: Free Agents (FRI, NFL, 8pm)
A Football Life: Curtis Martin (FRI, NFL, 9pm)

MLB
Tigers @ Indians (FRI, STO, 7pm)
Yankees @ Red Sox (FRI, MLB, 7pm)

Yankees @ Red Sox (SAT, FOX, 1pm)
(SAT, MLB, 1pm)
Tigers @ Indians (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 4pm)
(SAT, MLB, 10pm)

NASCAR & RACING
Camping World Truck: Chicagoland (FRI, FOX Sports 1, 8:30pm)
XFINITY Series: Chicagoland (SAT, NBC, 3:30pm)

MMA & BOXING
Bellator MMA Live (FRI, Spike, 9pm)

UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Johnson - Prelims (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 8pm)
UFC Fight Night: Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Johnson (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 10pm)

HOCKEY
World Cup of Hockey Preview (FRI, ESPN 2, 7pm)
2016 World Cup of Hockey: Team USA vs. Team Europe (SAT, ESPN 2, 3:30pm)

SOCCER
English Premier League: Everton FC vs. Middlesbrough FC (SAT, NBC, 12:30pm)

WNBA
Minnesota Lynx @ Indiana Fever (FRI, NBA TV, 7pm)
San Antonio Stars @ Los Angeles Sparks (FRI, NBA TV, 10:30pm)

OTHER SPORTS
Volleyball: FIVB World Tour Finals, Women's Gold Medal Game (SAT, NBC Sports, 4pm)

Friday, September 9, 2016

TV Weekend 9.9 - 9.10

By Raven Williams, @nevaRWilliams

Stand Up To Cancer (FRI, NBC/ABC/FOX/CBS, 8pm)
New Japan Pro Wrestling (FRI, AXS TV, 8pm)
Masters Of Illusion (FRI, The CW, 8pm & 8:30pm)

10th Annual ACM Honors (FRI, CBS, 9pm)
New Japan Pro Wrestling (FRI, AXS TV, 9pm)
Killjoys (FRI, Syfy, 9pm)

Burgers, Brew & Que (FRI, Food Network, 10pm)
ELeague (FRI, TBS, 10pm)
Dark Matter (FRI, Syfy, 10pm)
Quarry (FRI, Cinemax, 10pm)

======

COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Louisville @ Syracuse (FRI, ESPN 2, 8pm)
Maryland @ Florida International (FRI, CBS SportsNet, 7:30pm)

Central Florida @ Michigan (SAT, ABC, 12pm)
Penn State @ Pittsburgh (SAT, ESPN, 12pm)
Wyoming @ Nebraska (SAT, ESPN 2, 12pm)
Indiana State @ Minnesota (SAT, ESPNews, 12pm)
North Carolina State @ East Carolina (SAT, ESPNU, 12pm)
Central Michigan @ Oklahoma State (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 12pm)
Cincinnati @ Purdue (SAT, Big Ten, 12pm)
Nicholls State @ Georgia (SAT, SEC, 12pm)

Tulsa @ Ohio State (SAT, ABC, 3:30pm)
Nevada @ Notre Dame (SAT, NBC, 3:30pm)
Kentucky @ Florida (SAT, CBS, 3:30pm)
Wake Forest @ Duke (SAT, ESPNU, 3:30pm)
Western Kentucky @ Alabama (SAT, ESPN 2, 3:30pm)
SMU @ Baylor (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 3:30pm)
Akron @ Wisconsin (SAT, Big Ten, 3:30pm)
Wofford @ Mississippi (SAT, SEC, 4pm)
Ball State @ Indiana (SAT, ESPNews, 4pm)

Arkansas @ TCU (SAT, ESPN, 7pm)
South Carolina @ Mississippi State (SAT, ESPN 2, 7pm)
Jacksonville State @ LSU (SAT, ESPNU, 7:30pm)
BYU @ Utah (SAT, FOX, 7:30pm)
Iowa State @ Iowa (SAT, Big Ten, 7:30pm)
Arkansas State @ Auburn (SAT, SEC, 7:30pm)
Tennessee @ Virginia Tech (SAT, ABC, 8pm)

Texas Tech @ Arizona State (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 10pm)
Washington State @ Boise State (SAT, ESPN 2, 10:15pm)
Virginia @ Oregon (SAT, ESPN, 10:30pm)

MLB
Indians @ Twins (FRI, STO, 8pm)
Rangers @ Angels OR Mariners @ Athletics (FRI, MLB, 10pm)

Red Sox @ Blue Jays (SAT, FOX, 1pm)
Rays @ Yankees OR Mariners @ Athletics (SAT, MLB, 4pm)
Indians @ Twins (SAT, STO, 7pm)
Orioles @ Tigers OR Dodgers @ Marlins (SAT, MLB, 7pm)
Rangers @ Angels OR Giants @ Diamondbacks (SAT, MLB, 10pm)

NBA
2016 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony (FRI, NBA TV, 7:30pm)

NASCAR & RACING
XFINITY Series: Virginia529 College Savings 250 (FRI, NBC Sports, 7:30pm)
Sprint Cup Series: Federated Auto Parts 400 (SAT, NBC Sports, 7:30pm)

MMA & BOXING
Premier Boxing Champions (FRI, Spike, 9pm)

Boxing: Kell Brook vs. Gennady Golovkin (SAT, HBO, 5:30pm)
UFC 203: Miocic vs. Overeem Prelims (SAT, FOX Sports 1, 8pm)
Boxing: Carlos Cuadras vs. Roman Gonzalez (SAT, HBO, 10pm)

HOCKEY
World Cup Exhibition: Team Canada vs. Team USA (FRI, ESPNU, 7pm)

GOLF
BMW Championship, Third Round (SAT, NBC, 12pm)

TENNIS
U.S. Open Tennis, Men's Semifinals (FRI, ESPN, 3pm)
U.S. Open Tennis, Women's Final (SAT, ESPN, 4pm)