Michigan vs. Ohio State
It’s Michigan-Ohio State - a classic rivalry that unites strangers and divides friends once a year for three and half hours. The Buckeyes are 9-2 with dreams of a BCS bowl bid in their future, and a victory over the Wolverines will give them a share of their fourth consecutive Big Ten title. How bad is it for Michigan? Well, last week’s home loss to Northwestern officially stamped this season as the worst in school history. Never has a Wolverine team lost eight games in one season and Ohio State would love to lower the bar even further. National coverage begins Saturday at 12 PM on ABC. Click here for the official Michigan-Ohio State smack thread.

Michigan State vs. Penn State
A win for Joe Pa on Saturday could clinch Penn State’s first Rose Bowl appearance since 1994, their second year competing in the Big Ten. If Michigan State running back Javon Ringer cannot run the football, the Spartans will have no chance of winning this game. It will be a difficult task, as the Nittany Lions are ranked first in the Big Ten and 10th in the country against the run. Michigan State’s last victory in Beaver Stadium was in 1965, the year before Joe Paterno became head coach of the program. Regional coverage begins Saturday at 3:30 PM on ABC.

Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma
A win in Norman on Saturday night would leave the Red Raiders two victories away from playing in the BCS national championship game. But an Oklahoma win will leave us with oh so many possibilities for our little bowl series come January. First off, we will have a three-way tie (Texas-Oklahoma-Texas Tech) for the top spot in the Big 12 South, and the conference has an interesting tie-breaker to determine the representative in the Big 12 title game against Missouri. The winner will be decided by which school has the highest ranking in the BCS bowl standing. So, Orwell’s big brother will have a vested interest in the outcome of this weekend’s game. National coverage begins Saturday at 8 PM on ABC. Click here for the official Texas Tech-Oklahoma smack thread.

New York Jets vs. Tennessee Titans
Two of the hottest teams in AFC will square off this Sunday, as the New York Jets travel to Memphis to face the undefeated Tennessee Titans and the winner could emerged as the conference favorite to reach the Super Bowl. The East-leading Jets are riding a four-game winning streak into the game, while the Titans are looking to become the 13th team in league history to open a season with a 11-0 record. The media spotlight has shine brightest on quarterback Brett Favre, but the team’s turnaround can be contributed to the Jets running attack. New York has averaged over 160 yards per game and scored eight rushing touchdowns in its last five games. The Titans defense could welcome back two starters this week with defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch (groin) and cornerback Nick Harper (ankle) returning to the lineup. Regional coverage begins Sunday at 1 PM on Fox.

Alabama vs. LSU
How ironic is life…Nick Saban coached LSU to a BCS national championship in 2003, only to take the money and run to the NFL. He became frustrated at the pro level in Miami, and then brokered a deal to return to college football at Alabama. This weekend, Saban returns to Tiger Stadium with the nation’s top-ranked team. LSU’s offensive line could have a tough time opening holes for running back Charles Scott against a Bama defensive front that ranks second in the nation against the run. It would be the Tigers best interest to grab an early lead, as Alabama has dominated their opponents at beginning of games all season. National coverage begins Saturday at 3:30 PM on CBS. Click here for official Alabama vs. LSU smack thread.

Oklahoma State vs. Texas Tech
Another week, another contest in the Big 12 that matches two high-powered offenses in a game with BCS national title game implications. The Red Raiders are coming off a last second victory over then No. 1 Texas last weekend, but they cannot afford to relax as a game in Oklahoma looms ahead later in the month. Texas Tech’s 9-0 record is their best start to a season since 1938, and the Red Raiders haven’t been undefeated in conference play this late in the season since 1953, when they were a member of the Border Conference. Regional coverage begins Saturday at 8 PM on ABC.

New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles
A road win over the surging Philadelphia Eagles will secure the New York Giants as the class of the NFC and established them as the conference favorites to return to the Super Bowl. Many in the media have downplayed the Giants 7-1 record because of their relative easy schedule, as they have faced teams with a combined record of 27-40 on the season. The Eagles are second in the NFC behind the Giants with 27 sacks and will look to pressure Eli Manning in the backfield all Sunday evening. The Giants’ only loss in their last four trips to Philly came in their 2007 wild-card playoff meeting. National coverage begins Sunday at 8:15 PM on NBC.

There seems to be no such thing as an easy game when it comes to playing in the Big 12. Just ask Texas. The top ranked Longhorns (8-0) face another tough test Saturday when they visit the Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-0) in Lubbock. Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

The Longhorns feel fortunate to still be sitting at the top of the rankings after last week’s scare against Oklahoma State. Thanks to Colt McCoy, who doesn’t seem to ever throw an incomplete pass, the Longhorns were able to pull out a gutsy win against the Cowboys. McCoy finished the contest 38/45 with 391 yards and two touchdowns.

The Red Raiders are also having themselves a fine season. Mike Leach’s offense is putting up a staggering 48 points per game this season. Last week they flexed their offensive muscles with an impressive 63-21 victory over the Jayhawks in Kansas. Quarterback Graham Harrell led the way 386 yards through the air and five touchdown passes.

With both teams ranked in the top five in points scored this season, fans are surely in for one heck of a Big 12 shootout. Below is a complete list of Texas and Texas Tech blogs and information sites to get you primed for the matchup.

Top Texas Longhorn Sites

Bleacher Report: Texas Longhorns Football

MackBrown-TexasFootball.com

LongHorns

OrangeBloods.com

USA Today: Texas Longhorns Football

Top Texas Tech Red Raider Sites

SI.com: Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech Athletics

RedRaiders.com

Red Raider Sports

Sports @ Texas Tech

The two Big 12 rivals have met a total of 57 times, with the Longhorns holding 43-14 edge. Texas won last season’s meeting over the Red Raiders, 59-43.

Florida vs. Georgia
The winner of this game should become the SEC East representative against Alabama in the conference’s title game, while the loser will probably not play in a BCS bowl game. Florida has revenge on their mind; they remember Georgia’s end-zone celebration from a year ago. Bulldogs coach Mark Richt ordered the entire bench on to the field after scoring their first touchdown in a 42-30 victory. Gators coach Urban Meyer was upset by the antics but has downplayed the animosity between the schools this week. You can expect fireworks on the field this Saturday at the Gator Bowl. National coverage will begin at 3:30 PM ET on CBS. Click here for the official Florida vs. Georgia smack thread.

Texas vs. Texas Tech
Texas is completing the final leg of their gauntlet schedule; they defeated: then-No.1 Oklahoma on Oct. 11, then-No. 11 Missouri on Oct. 18, then-No.7 Oklahoma State last week, and now face No. 6 Texas Tech in Lubbock on Saturday evening. Another week, another Heisman Trophy candidate will line up against the Longhorn defense. Red Raiders quarterback Graham Harrell has thrown for 3147 yards with 28 touchdown passes on the season. The winner of this contest will have the inside track to win the Big 12 South title, a division that features four teams ranked in the top nine of this week’s BCS bowl standings. National coverage will begin at 8PM ET on ABC. Click here for the official Texas vs. Texas Tech smack thread.

Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants
Dallas Cowboys had home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs last season, thanks in large part to a pair of victories over the New York Giants that propelled them to a NFC East title. But the Cowboys postseason run came to a quick end, as the Giants defeated them during their improbable run to a Super Bowl title. The Cowboys are hurting coming into this week’s game, with quarterback Tony Romo missing his third straight game because of a broken right pinkie and tight end Jason Witten will be a game-time playing decision due to his broken ribs. 40-year-old Brad Johnson will be in charge of the Cowboys offense, and he has looked his age at times on the field. He has been sacked six times in two weeks, and against a Giant defense that leads the NFL with 26 sacks, Johnson’s lack of mobility will be a major concern for the Dallas coaching staff. Regional coverage will begin at 4:15 PM ET on Fox.

Oklahoma State vs. Texas
Top-ranked Texas has won 10 straight games against OSU and have staged some incredible comeback victories during this streak. In 2004, Oklahoma State led 35-7 before surrendering 49 straight points to the Longhorns. In 2005, Texas trailed 28-9 late in the third quarter, only to rally and win. Last year, the Longhorns came back from a 35-14 deficit late in the fourth quarter to win on a field goal as time expired. This season, the Cowboys are 7-0 and are in the top 10 for the first time since 1988, but are they mature enough to finish a game against Texas? Regional coverage begins at 3:30 PM ET Saturday on ABC.

Penn State vs. Ohio State
A win on Saturday night could put Penn State in prime position to finish the season undefeated and earn no worse than their first Rose Bowl berth since the 1994 season. The best matchup on the field could be between the Nittany Lions offensive line vs. the Buckeyes defensive front. Penn State is the No. 1 rushing offense (235 yards per game) in the Big Ten, while Ohio State has the No. 1 rushing defense (97 yards per game) in the conference. And the Nittany Lions are trying to win in Columbus for the first time since 1978. Let the pushing and shoving begin. National coverage begins at 8:00 PM ET Saturday on ABC. Click here for the official Ohio State-Penn State smack thread.

The World Series
The World Series could become the wet series this weekend when it shifts to Philadelphia. The National Weather Service latest forecast predicts a 90 percent chance of rain on Saturday. Major League Baseball officials acknowledged that Philadelphia is going to get rain, but the main question for them is how long? Game Three is Saturday at 8 PM ET and Game Four is on Sunday at 8 PM ET; all World Series games are on Fox.

New York Giants vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
They first met as rookies in 2004, Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger have led their teams to Super Bowl victories and both appear to be in good shape for another title run this season. Roethlisberger developed faster at the quarterback position and led the Steelers to three straight road wins en route to a Super Bowl title in 2005. Two seasons later, Manning did the same, guiding the Giants to three road playoff wins before defeating the previous undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl last season. Manning’s New York Giants travel to Heinz Field to take on Big Ben’s Pittsburgh Steelers in a rare matchup of 5-1 teams this Sunday. Coverage begins at 4:15 PM ET on Fox.

Ohio State vs. Michigan State
Ohio State cannot afford to look past the Spartans this week in anticipation of their game against Penn State on October 25th. The Buckeyes will be back in the national title chase if they win their next two games, and who would have predicted that after their loss to Southern Cal? Michigan State has the ultimate workhorse Javon Ringer, an Ohio native that leads the nation in rushing with 1,112 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. He has quietly become a viable Heisman Trophy candidate. Regional coverage will begin Saturday at 3:30 PM ET on the ABC/ESPN family of networks.

Missouri vs. Texas
Texas is No. 1 in the polls during the regular season for the first time since 1984. But coach Mack Brown can remind his players that the 1984 squad went on to lose four of their last five games to finish 7-4-1 and out of the national title hunt. History is working against Missouri, as the Tigers are 0-10 lifetime vs. No.1 teams, and are winless in Austin since 1896. That’s right…1896. This game pits Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel trying to re-establish himself in the Heisman race against Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy, who some believe is the Heisman front-runner. National coverage will begin Saturday at 8 PM ET on ABC.

Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Baseball fans have been lulled to sleep this post-season by uninspiring play, with no series going one game beyond the required number. And with nine outs remaining, Tampa’s bullpen fell apart and blew a seven-run lead in an 8-7 loss to the Boston Red Sox in Game Five. We now have a series to watch. The never give-up Red Sox could force a Game Seven if struggling post-season ace Josh Beckett can muster a victory against James Shields in Tampa Bay. Game Six will begin Saturday at 8 PM ET and if necessary Game Seven will begin Sunday at 8 PM ET. Both games can be seen on TBS.

Another week, another gigantic Big 12 matchup in college football. The No. 11 Missouri Tigers (5-1) travel to Austin to face the nation’s newest top ranked team, the Texas Longhorns (6-0). Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET, Saturday on ABC.

The Longhorns are coming off their most impressive victory of the season over previously top ranked Oklahoma, 45-35. Quarterback Colt McCoy’s play has made people in Austin forget about that Vince Young fella. The Longhorns signal caller was 28/35 for 277 yards and a TD against the vaunted Sooner defense. He wasn’t the only one that had himself a big day as wideouts Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley combined for 20 catches, 234 yards and one touchdown.

Meanwhile, the Tigers head into this game coming off a difficult loss to Oklahoma State. Quarterback and Heisman hopeful Chase Daniel had his worst game of the season. While he did manage to complete 39/52 for 390 yards, his three second half interceptions doomed Missouri and sent them to their first loss of the season.

The big question now is whether or not Texas can handle the pressure of being the top ranked team and having a huge target on their back. MIZZOU comes into this game desperate because a second consecutive loss will be damaging to their national title hopes.

Below is a complete list of Missouri and Texas blogs and information sites to get you primed for the matchup.

Top Missouri Tiger Sites

SportSnipe: Missouri Tigers Football

Official Mizzou Football Website

SI.com: Missouri Tigers

PowerMizzou.com

Colombia Tribune: MU Football

Top Texas Longhorn Sites

Bleacher Report: Texas Longhorns Football

MackBrown-TexasFootball.com

LongHorns

OrangeBloods.com

USA Today: Texas Longhorns Football

The programs have met a total of 20 times, with the Longhorns holding a 15-5 edge. Texas has won the last four meetings over Missouri by an average of 23 points. Oddsmakers have also made the Longhorns 7-point favorites.

Sometimes, a wedding reception can get out of hand and Brandon Backe can testify to that. The Houston Astro pitcher was among 10 people arrested during a brawl with police last weekend at a reception in Galveston, Texas. According to the Houston Chronicle, he ignored police orders to back away from a hotel barfight involving members of the wedding party.

Backe struggled with officers. One officer stated in the report that he hit Backe twice in the face before handcuffing him. The officer also reported that Backe smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes. Both the officer and Backe sustained minor injuries during the fight, according to the police report.

Backe was charged with interfering with a police officer and resisting arrest. The Galveston County district attorney office announced that both charges are misdemeanors and he was released on a $1500 bond.

Oklahoma vs. Texas
This year’s Red River Rivalry battle at the Cotton Bowl has more marquee value than in past years; as for the first time since 2004 both teams will enter the game ranked in the top five. Heading into this season, the Longhorns offense was thought to be their biggest strength. But it has been the Texas defense that has provided most of the swagger. The Longhorns are ranked fourth nationally in total defense and that is a big jump since the 2007 unit set a school record for most yards allowed in a season. They will get stiff competition come Saturday against top-ranked Oklahoma. The Sooners are in the top five nationally in all offensive scoring categories, led by the nation’s second-rated passer Sam Bradford. National coverage begins Saturday at 12 PM ET on ABC. Click here for the official Oklahoma-Texas smack thread.

LSU vs. Florida
“The Showdown at the Swamp” marks the first time the last two national champions have faced each other since Notre Dame defeated Miami, 29-20, in 1990. The stakes are high for both schools; Florida must win to maintain any realistic hope of staying in the hunt for a berth in the BCS championship game, while LSU needs the win to stay on course to repeat as National Champions. And the matchup got even more intense after Tigers defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois promised that the LSU defense will try to knock Gator quarterback Tim Tebow out of the game. Later in the week, Jean-Francois said his comments were misinterpreted by the press. National coverage begins Saturday at 8 PM ET on CBS.

Major League Baseball LCS Series
The animosity between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox is not ready to approach the level of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry, but their contempt for each other is a good undercard. Back on June 5th, the Rays’ Game One starter, James Shields, hit Red Sox outfielder Coco Crisp with a pitch that triggered a bench-clearing brawl between the two teams. Has this issue been resolved? Stay tuned for the answer. Meanwhile, the National League Championship series boils down to how well the Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed pitchers throw to the Philadelphia Phillies lethal left-handed hitting. The Phillies led the NL with 214 homeruns, with Ryan Howard leading the way with 48 followed by Chase Utley with 33, and both players bat left-handed. The top of the Phillies’ lineup also includes switch-hitting Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino, who both have outstanding on-base percentages. NLCS Game Two is Friday at 4:30 PM ET and Game Three is on Sunday at 8 PM ET; all NLCS games are on Fox. ALCS Game One is on Friday at 8:30 PM ET and Game Two is on Saturday at 8 PM ET. All ALCS games can be seen on TBS.

New England Patriots vs. San Diego Chargers
Their franchise quarterback is out for the season, and somehow the Patriots have still put together a successful start to their 2008 season. On the other side of the field, the Chargers have been one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL. To avoid falling further back in the AFC standings, the Chargers must try to defeat a Patriots team that has eliminated them from the past two post-seasons. Inconsistent play on both sides of the ball has plagued the Chargers all season; they have lost three games by a total of 10 points. Coverage begins at 8:15 PM ET on NBC

Oklahoma-Texas has long been one of the great rivalries in college football. With the two Big 12 counterparts  ranked in the top five, Saturday’s Red River Shootout is easily the top game on College Football’s schedule this weekend. The top ranked Sooners (5-0) and No. 5 Longhorns (5-0) are set for kickoff at 12:00 PM ET on ABC.

The Sooners are coming off another dominating victory after last Saturday’s 49-17 beatdown of Baylor. Quarterback Sam Bradford threw for 372 yards and two touchdowns and has totaled 1,665 yards passing and 18 TD’s this season for an Oklahoma team that is ranked No. 1 for the first time since 2003.

Texas is also playing some really solid football. The Longhorns are coming off a 38-14 victory over Colorado last Saturday where RB Chris Ogbonnaya totaled 187 yards and two TD’s. Not only has the Longhorns offense been clicking, but their defense has not allowed more than 14 points in a game this season.

Below is a complete list of Oklahoma and Texas blogs and information sites to get you primed for the matchup.

Top Oklahoma Sooner Sites

Oklahoma Sooners Football

SoonerSports.com

SoonerScoop.com

Oklahoma Sooners Blog

OU Football Info

Top Texas Longhorn Sites

HornFans.com

LongHorns football

OrangBloods.com

Texas Longhorns on USA Today

SI.com: Longhorns Football

The bitter rivals have met a total of 102 times with Texas holding a 57-40-5 edge. The Sooners won last season’s matchup 28-21.