On Tap

Helping you get your weekend viewing priorities straight since 2007

Thursday

7:45 (ESPN) Southern Mississippi @ Boise State: Southern Miss was always the little mid major who would shock someone every few years but could never quite run the table, now they travel to Boise to take on the mid major that shocked the world last year. Key Fact: Utah (Mountain West Conference) won the Fiesta Bowl in 2005, but because they beat a sorry Big East representative (Pitt) no one seems to count this as the first mid major to win a BCS bowl game.

Friday

8:00 (ESPN2) West Virginia @ South Florida: Last year an unknown USF went into Morgantown and knocked off a top five WVU team. This year a ranked USF team will not be sneaking up on anyone. Key Fact: If WVU loses this game couches will burn for days in Morgantown.

Saturday

12:00 (ESPN) Notre Dame @ Purdue: ND is 0-4 and counting. Things don’t look like they will be getting any better for the pillow Fighting Irish anytime soon. Key Fact: There are rumors the Jimmy “4 Heisman” Clausen may lose his starting job, that should do wonders for his confidence assuming he has any left after the putrid beginning to the season.

3:30 (ABC/ESPN) Michigan State @ Wisconsin: A battle that will put the winner in the drivers seat in the Big Ten. I know that there will be a lot of other undefeated Big Ten teams at this point, but this will be hands down the best conference win for any of them. Key Fact: If these teams hit 330 combined passing yards I will be surprised.

3:30 (ABC) California @ Oregon: A battle for second place in the Pac Ten. Last year Oregon got ambushed in Berkley and would love to return the favor. With the game taking place in loud Autzen Stadium and with Dennis Dixon leading the Ducks, Oregon should be able to make a run at USC for the Pac Ten crown. Key Fact: The Oregon Duck mascot will be throwing down with the Cal Bear sometime during the third quarter, and nothing is better than dudes wearing 20 pounds of awkward padding trying to kick the shit out of each other.

5:00 (CBS) Florida State v. Alabama @ Jacksonville: Nick Saban takes his Miami Dolphins up the road to play the Jacksonville Jaguars. What? Nick Saban left Miami? No way he said he would never do that. Key Fact: Bobby Bowden is old and doesn’t wear a headset on the sidelines; he might as well get rid of the title of “head coach” and become “old dude who has a respectable name who gets paid to attract five start recruits” (JoePa can also have this title).

8:00 (ABC) USC @ Washington: USC pounds on another Pac Ten team on prime time TV, can you feel the excitement. Key Fact: UW can win if Jake “Tim Tebow of the west” Locker can throw for 357 and run for 168 and 6 combined TDs, it could totally happen.

8:00 (ESPN) Auburn @ Florida: Florida attempts to avenge their only loss from last years championship season. This should not be too challenging of a game for Florida cause you could probably line up at QB for Auburn and do just as well as Brandon Cox. Key Fact: Tim Tebow once played a game of sandlot football against Bo Jackson and Chuck Norris and won 77-2, the 2 was because Tim Tebow took a safety to stop Chuck from crying about being shut out.

8:00 (ESPN2) Ohio State @ Minnesota: OSU’s QB Todd Boekman has to be licking his lips right now thinking about going up against the worst pass defense in the country. Key Fact: Nice time for Antonio Henton to get suspended, he probably could have gotten a lot of playing time against the Golden Gophers, but no, trying to pay $20 for sex seemed like a much better option.

Sunday

1:00 (CBS) Baltimore @ Cleveland: Jamal Lewis takes on his old team. Key Fact: This game might be very ugly.

8:15 (NBC) Philadelphia @ N.Y. Giants Donovan McNabb and Kevin Curtis both do a little extra, and find a way to slip past Elisha and the Giants. Key Fact: Australian kickers have to work harder to get the respect that they deserve.

Baseball

The Tribe continues the quest for the best record in the MLB, Thursday in Seattle and the rest of the weekend in K.C.

* there is very little respect for the word fact around here.

all times eastern