Yes, that sounds like some overzealous announcer on a TV promo for one of the networks which overpaid for the rights to televise football games.
In truth, I am making the case that this Saturday, December 21, will be the finest day for football viewing of the entire year.
Perhaps, it might be the best day of football viewing – EVER!
In a normal year, the “Best day in football” is generally considered one of these days:
- Super Bowl Sunday – February
- AFC and NFC Championship Sunday – late January
- Labor Day weekend – Several elite college football games – September
- Opening day of the NFL – usually the week after Labor Day – September
- Thanksgiving Day – a triple header of NFL games while you snooze from the turkey and pie – November
- January 1 and its traditional group of college football bowl games
Did you notice that there were no December days in that list?
That will change this weekend, because THIS Saturday is going to blow them all away!
Don’t laugh. You may join my chorus after hearing about this Saturday’s televised football line-up.
NCAA Division II Championship
If you like championship games, this Saturday’s TV schedule has you covered.
The NCAA Division II title game from McKinney, Texas gets underway at 1PM CST on ESPN2.
The two finalists have slugged their way through four rounds of tough hombres to make this championship game in suburban Dallas. By the way, a ticket for this title game will cost just $20 with parking at $10 per vehicle.
Sweet, eh?
The 13-1 Ferris State Bulldogs (Michigan) have won two of the past three NCAA D-II titles.
They recently knocked-off last year’s champion (Harding University of Searcy, Arkansas) in the quarterfinals by an emphatic 41-7 score. Last week, Ferris State outlasted Slippery Rock (PA) 48-38 to reach the final game.
Their opponent on Saturday afternoon will be the 13-0 Valdosta State (Georgia) Blazers.
This Southeast Georgia school with 12,000 students brings an unbeaten record to the championship game. The Blazers haven’t scored less than 27 points in a game this fall.
But wait…there’s more! The FCS Semifinals are on TV this Saturday, too
Four c-c-c-old weather teams will tee it up in the semifinal round of the smaller division Football Championship Series (FCS).
A doubleheader on ABC kicks off at 11AM Central with the defending champion 12-2 South Dakota State Jackrabbits hopping north up to Fargo to play powerhouse North Dakota State (also 12-2).
The perennially tough Bison have won nine of the past 13 titles in this football division.
Following at 2:30PM Saturday, the 14-0 Montana State Bobcats will entertain the 12-2 University of South Dakota Coyotes.
Montana State started the year off with a road win over larger division opponent New Mexico 35-31. Their 14-0 start is the best in program history.
The weather forecast in Bozeman, Montana for Saturday’s game calls for a downright balmy 45 degrees.
History will be made on Saturday with three opening round CFP games
This Saturday, three opening round games of the new 12-team College Football Playoffs for the upper division group will be played. From 11AM through 11PM Saturday night, you can watch three consecutive major college football playoff games!
The action begins from State College, Pennsylvania where 11-2 Penn State from the Big Ten will host surprising SMU (also 11-2) of the ACC. The Nittany Lions are currently an 8 ½ point favorite.
The winner will move on to face 12-1 Boise State in the quarterfinals on New Year’s Eve. By the way, this game is being televised on TNT after ESPN agreed to sell the TV rights to the first two opening round games on Saturday.
The weather may play a major factor here.
After a cold front brings snow on Friday, fair weather but sub-freezing conditions will linger Saturday with a high temperature of just 28 degrees. The high-scoring Mustangs from Dallas average more than 38 points per game. They haven’t played in such a cold temperature environment this year.
The second College Football Playoff game kicks off four hours later at 3PM on TNT in Austin, Texas.
A perfect weather day (sunshine and 63 degrees) will find the 11-2 Texas Longhorns hosting the ACC champion Clemson (10-3).
Texas, the runner-up in the SEC, is a 12-point home favorite.
If you like the color orange, this game is definitely for you! One orange-clad winner will move ahead into the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on New Year’s Day to face surprising Big 12 Champion Arizona State.
The nightcap of this trio of major college playoff games will be played on ABC and ESPN at 7PM CST in Columbus, Ohio.
The 10-2 Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten have been pegged a 7 ½ home favorite against 10-2 Tennessee from the SEC.
A New Year’s Day trip to the Rose Bowl to play 13-0 Oregon awaits the winner.
Much like the first playoff game of the day at Penn State, cold weather may be a factor. Game time temperatures at the Big Horseshoe (Ohio State’s stadium) will be at or below 20 degrees for this nighttime game.
Brr…!!!
Despite the freezing conditions, Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day will be on the hot seat.
If the Buckeyes (who lost their final game of year – at home – to 20-point underdog Michigan) should drop this game to Tennessee, he’s probably toast.
Angry alumni and supporters can pass the hat and easily raise the $37 million needed to buy-out the contract of the team’s increasingly unpopular coach.
Had enough football? Don’t forget there are two NFL gems to be played, too!
Traditionally, the NFL and college football try not to step on each other’s toes on Saturdays in the fall.
That means that the NFL usually waits until the completion of the college football regular season (the week after the Army/Navy game) before moving a few of its games to Saturday. This move gives the NFL’s TV partners more advertising opportunities before Christmas.
With college football’s first year of the new 12-team playoffs, the two television behemoths will square off against one another on Saturday.
The NFL’s doubleheader features four AFC teams likely to be seen in the playoffs come January.
NFL Game 1 – 9-5 Houston Texans at 13-1 Kansas City Chiefs (12 Noon CST on NBC)
Sunshine and a chilly 38 degree day in Kansas City may find the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs playing without starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
A high-ankle sprain sustained in last week’s game at Cleveland has KC’s MVP quarterback hobbling this week. Since Kansas City remains in a dogfight with Buffalo for home field advantage in January’s AFC playoffs, Mahomes may want to play if his ankle has mended sufficiently enough before Saturday’s kick-off.
Last weekend, the Houston Texans clinched their relatively weak AFC South division with a 20-12 win over Miami last Sunday.
After these two teams play on Saturday, Houston must turn-around and face the Baltimore Ravens at home on Christmas Day (Wednesday) just four days later.
Likewise, Kansas City is being sent to Pittsburgh for a Christmas Wednesday game next week, too.
Bah, humbug! Who is the evil scheduling Scrooge at the NFL home office?
NFL Game 2 – 10-4 Pittsburgh Steelers at 9-5 Baltimore Ravens (3:30PM CST on Fox)
Please note that this AFC divisional battle will NOT be shown on CBS. For some reason, Fox (which normally handles NFC games) is televising this game on Saturday.
We can count on these two bitter AFC Central foes to provide a physical defensive battle with a final score which nearly always goes down to the wire.
The Steelers won November’s first match-up in Pittsburgh 18-16 as place kicker Chris Boswell connected on a 50-yard game winning field goal. He went six-for-six to provide all 18 points for the Steelers.
The Baltimore Ravens have a lot of pressure to win this game Saturday. With a victory, Baltimore would be in a tie with Pittsburgh for the divisional title with two weeks to go.
With a loss, the Ravens will hand the divisional title to Pittsburgh and descend into a battle for an AFC wild-card playoff spot with Denver and the LA Chargers.
Just like the two teams in Saturday’s early game, Pittsburgh and Baltimore will be “rewarded” by having to play games on Christmas Day (Wednesday) just four days after Saturday’s encounter.
Feel free to “Boo” the greedy NFL Grinch who has ruined Christmas Day for these four teams!
Game, set, match – this Saturday will be football’s best day ever!
Get your Saturday chores and other obligations taken care of early before midday arrives.
For 12 consecutive hours starting at 11AM CST, your eyes will be able to feast on several delicious playoff college football games as you try to digest the main entrees.
Remember to save some room to catch one or both of those two tasty NFL contests for dessert!
Bon appetit!