Thanksgiving Day Football TV Schedule: NFL and College Football

Today is the third Thursday in November, which means one thing and one thing only to me and many of you reading this: we are now officially one week away from the greatest meal of the year.

We are also one week away from a day when it is generally accepted in most households that the TV will be tuned to football all day long.

And, of course, we’re one week away from being able to share a wonderful day with friends and family and let them know that we are thankful for their presence in our lives.

But you don’t need our help with that. You’re here for one thing and one thing only: the Thanksgiving Day TV schedule for the NFL and college football games that will accompany our turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and eventual food coma.

Let’s get right to it.

Keep in mind that I am posting this on November 19th. So, depending on when you view this, some of the information may be incomplete. For example, point spread and over-under info won’t be available until Monday, and I’m not sure yet who is announcing the Texas-Texas A&M game Thanksgiving night.

But bookmark this page and, like we did with last year’s Thanksgiving Day football TV schedule, we’ll get it all worked out for you a few days before Thanksgiving.

Update 11/21: The complete college football tv schedule and point spread listing for Thanksgiving weekend have been posted.

NFL Thanksgiving Day TV Schedule

Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions

• Packers-Lions Date: Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26th
• Packers-Lions Kickoff Time: 12:30 PM
• Packers-Lions TV Network: FOX
• Packers-Lions Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
• Packers-Lions Point Spread: Packers -10.5
• Packers-Lions Over-Under: 47.5
• Packers-Lions Spread Pick: Probably going to take the Packers minus the points…but not if it’s by more than seven and Stafford is playing. With the momentum of Week 11, and the injuries to GB’s D, Detroit could put up a fight. Update: Now that the spread is up at -11 and Stafford isn’t playing, I’m going with the Packers. It will probably be high scoring and the Packers have many more ways to score. Packers-Lions free pick: Packers -10.5
• MSF: Lions-Packers Preview

Oakland Raiders at Dallas Cowboys

• Raiders-Cowboys Date: Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26th
• Raiders-Cowboys Kickoff Time: 4:15 PM
• Raiders-Cowboys TV Network: CBS
• Raiders-Cowboys Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Raiders-Cowboys Point Spread: Cowboys -13.5
• Raiders-Cowboys Over-Under: 40.5
• RaidersCowboys Spread Pick: Oakland has been such an up and down team this year, pulling off upsets of Philly and Cincinnati while only winning three games. The biggest difference between those two upsets and this one is that it’s at Dallas. The Cowboys are not a great offensive team, but they certainly are better than two TDs in two weeks. I think Romo and the Cowboys get up early and don’t look back. Bruce Gradkowski will have a hard time evading DeMarcus Ware and finding anywhere to throw the ball against a D that has been playing well and picking up its offense. I think the whole thing clicks for the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Raiders-Cowboys free pick: Cowboys -13.5
• Dallas Sports Fans: Raiders-Cowboys Preview

New York Giants at Denver Broncos

• Giants-Broncos Date: Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26th
• Giants-Broncos Kickoff Time: 8:20 PM
• Giants-Broncos TV Network: NFL Network
• Giants-Broncos Announcers: Bob Papa and Matt Millen
• Giants-Broncos Point Spread: Giants -6.5
• Giants-Broncos Over-Under: 42
• Giants-Broncos Spread Pick: Denver is really playing poorly right now. The Giants haven’t been all that great themselves, but they are scoring points. I don’t think Denver will be able to contain Eli Manning and the Giants, and I don’t think the Broncos have any kind of rhythm on offense right now. Even though this game is at home for Denver, I think their precipitous slide continues. Giants-Broncos free pick: Giants -6.5
• MSF: Giants-Broncos Preview

NCAA College Football Thanksgiving Day TV Schedule

Texas Longhorns at Texas A&M Aggies

• Texas-Texas A&M Date: Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26th
• Texas-Texas A&M Kickoff Time: 8:00 PM
• Texas-Texas A&M TV Network: ESPN
• Texas-Texas A&M Announcers: TBA
• Texas-Texas A&M Point Spread: Texas -22.5
• Texas-Texas A&M Over-Under: TBA
• Texas-Texas A&M Spread Pick: Texas A&M is such a Jekyll & Hyde team this season so it’s hard to tell which team will show up. Considering the game is on Thanksgiving, it’s a rivalry game, and it’s at home, I think the Aggies will bring a decent performance. They are not going to beat Texas, but they won’t just roll over and get beaten by 40. The Longhorns will roll by at least a couple of TDs, but I think Texas A&M can beat the spread. Texas-Texas A&M free pick: Texas A&M +22.5
• Dallas Sports Fans: Texas-Texas A&M Preview

This is the only game that is actually on Thanksgiving, but there are plenty of intriguing matchups on Friday, including:

• Illinois at Cincinnati (not that Illinois really has a chance, but…)
• Alabama at Auburn
• Pittsburgh at West Virginia
• Nevada at Boise State

We will obviously have all of the information for those games when we post our Week 13 college football TV schedule on Saturday night or Sunday of this week.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving of food, family, and football everyone. I know I will.

**********

* – Lions fan ready for Thanksgiving photo credit: AP via MLive.com

---------------