Will Notre Dame’s offense still be able to produce after losing Michael Floyd for the season?

What!? Purdue lost to Northern Illinois!? Are they really that bad?

These are some very good questions, questions that need to be answered and that will be answered — at least in part — this coming Saturday.

Notre Dame at Purdue

• Purdue-Notre Dame date: Saturday, September 26th
• Purdue-Notre Dame time: 8:00 ET
• Purdue-Notre Dame TV: ESPN
• Purdue-Notre Dame Point Spread: Notre Dame -8.5

Notre Dame took a heavy blow after learning that their #1 receiver, Michael Floyd, will miss the rest of the season due to a broken left collarbone. Floyd was near the top in the nation, averaging 160 yards per game, before getting injured. This now means Golden Tate will get double covered every game for the rest of the season.

Jimmy Clausen, who might not even start on Saturday due to turf toe, will have to look for Duval Kamara, Robby Parris, or some other receiver to step it up and make some catches.

Otherwise the Irish’s offense is in for a long day.

As for the Irish’s defense, it has been terrible the last two weeks. If they play on Saturday like they have played the last two weeks, there will be trouble for Notre Dame and head coach Charlie Weis. The offense won’t be as productive because of the loss of Floyd, and because of Clausen’s injured toe. Clausen wants to play Saturday and Weis beleives he will, but even if Clausen does play, he will have to adjust his ball delivery. Clausen has stated that the toe hurts, and that he had to make an adjustment.

All that could mean bad news for the BCS hopeful Irish. They desperately need the defense to play a good game because the offense won’t be as good as in previous weeks.

One thing for the Irish to be positive about is that their opponent lost to Northern Illinois last weekend.

Surprising as it might seem, Purdue did lose to Northern Illinois 28-21. Purdue, a semi-mediocre team, looked like a D-II team last Saturday. Purdue isn’t a great team by any means, but no one expected them to lose that game either. Their passing game was non-existent, throwing for only 188 yards. They did rush for a little over 120 yards with 2 TDs, but that will hardly cover up the fact that Purdue just isn’t that good of a team this year.

Don’t expect a Purdue upset Saturday night. Even though the Irish are without Floyd, and Heisman hopeful Clausen is injured with turf toe, Notre Dame will be able to move the ball down the field and easily beat the Boilermakers on their home turf.

[Editor's note: Matt Noonan of

Read his previews and predictions below, and get all of the information you need to schedule for your football watching Sunday with our NFL Week 1 TV Schedule and Point Spreads post.]

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Follow the links to StubHub for great deals on all NFL tickets for the 2009 season.

And if you’re planning on making any bets, head on over to BetOnline to place your Week 1 wagers.

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Washington Redskins at New York Giants Preview and Prediction

• Redskins-Giants Date: Sunday, September 13th
• Redskins-Giants TV & Kickoff Time: 4:15 ET on FOX
• Redskins-Giants Location: Giants Stadium in New York
• Redskins-Giants Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
• Redskins-Giants Point Spread: NYG -6.5
• Redskins-Giants Over-Under: 37

Look for a true physical contest as both of these teams hope to start the season on the right foot.

For the New York Giants, a team that many experts believe should be the top dog in this particular division, they need to get out to an early lead and protect Eli Manning from the grueling Redskins defense. Brandon Jacobs should get a majority of the carries, probably between 20-25. But who will be Manning’s go-to target now that Plaxico Burress will not be sporting the blue and white on Sunday’s? Possibly Domenik Hixon or Steve Smith? Any suggestions?

On the other side of the ball, Jason Campbell carries not only this game, but also the entire season on his shoulders. Don’t expect anything too exciting from aging veteran running back Clinton Portis in this contest, but clearly make sure to watch for newly acquired defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, as well as linebackers Brian Orakpo and London Fletcher.

Washington has and will always be a team that looks like they belong in the Pro Bowl, but in order to win this contest they need to pressure Manning and establish an equal running and air attack.

Prediction: Giants 24 – Redskins 16

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals Preview and Prediction

• 49ers-Cardinals Date: Sunday, September 13th
• 49ers-Cardinals TV & Kickoff Time: 4:15 ET on FOX
• 49ers-Cardinals Location: University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale
• 49ers-Cardinals Announcers: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
• 49ers-Cardinals Point Spread: ARI -6.5
• 49ers-Cardinals Over-Under: 46.5

Who would have imagined Arizona was going to be the representative of the NFC in Super Bowl XLIII? Yet, after a crushing loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cardinals are energized and ready to defend their NFC crown. However, in the past, these meetings against the 49ers haven’t always been a cakewalk for the birds in the desert.

Take a look at the past few divisional meetings in Arizona between these teams:

2008: Arizona 29 – San Francisco 24

2007: Arizona 31 – San Francisco 37

2006: Arizona 34 – San Francisco 27

2005: Arizona 31 – San Francisco 14

2004: Arizona 28 – San Francisco 31

2003: Arizona 16 – San Francisco 13

2002: Arizona 14 – San Francisco 17

In the end I expect Kurt Warner to have a field day against Mike Singletary’s defense. Expect a great game for the Cardinals’ wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston.

As for the 49ers, just expect a solid running attack with Frank Gore.

Overall, this game surely belongs to the Cardinals, but who really knows what will happen once the final whistle blows.

Prediction: Cardinals 31 – 49ers 26

St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks Preview and Prediction

• Rams-Seahawks Date: Sunday, September 13th
• Rams-Seahawks TV & Kickoff Time: 4:15 ET on FOX
• Rams-Seahawks Location: Qwest Field in Seattle
• Rams-Seahawks Announcers: Ron Pitts and John Lynch
• Rams-Seahawks Point Spread: SEA -8
• Rams-Seahawks Over-Under: 41

The return of Jim Mora Jr. and Steve Spagnuolo’s debut has a head coach… hmm… may have to side with Mora in this contest.

The Seahawks are coming off an awful 2008 season, as are the Rams. The last time the Seahawks ended the season with 4 wins was in 1982, but this year look for a rejuvenated and healthy Matt Hasselbeck to lead an exciting offensive unit that features newly acquired running back Edgerrin James and wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

As for the Rams, this season and game are all about playing for pride, but also starting to improve their offense and defense for the future. Spagnuolo should turn this team around, slowly, but this game will just be a beginning in the journey of turning the Rams from a basement squad to the Greatest Team on Turf-Part II.

Prediction: Seahawks 24 – Rams 10

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• The Barclays Dates: Thursday, August 27 through Sunday, August 30
• The Barclays Course: Liberty National
• The Barclays Location: Jersey City, NJ
• The Barclays Purse: $7.5 million ($1.35 million to winner)
• The Barclays Total Course Yardage: 7,400
• The Barclays Thursday-Friday TV Schedule: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm on The Golf Channel
• The Barclays Saturday TV Schedule: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm CBS
• The Barclays Sunday TV Schedule: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm CBS
• StubHub: Great deals on tickets to The Barclays
• StubHub: Great deals on all PGA Tour tickets

Note: The Barclays can be viewed online at PGA.com

The Barclays Preview: Betting Odds and Prediction

As we’re seeing with NFL odds in the preseason, this week’s PGA Tour stop, the Barclays, carries lots of question marks with it. Can Tiger Woods bounce back from the first true collapse of his career? Can Phil Mickelson finally win another tournament? Does anyone care about the FedEx Cup “playoffs”? Let’s review a few possible picks to win this week.

Tiger Woods (+185 to win)

BOOM: Well, he’s Tiger Woods. He’s the best in the world, so much so that his current five-win season is labeled an “off” year. The Barclays lost course, Liberty National, is reasonably long, so Tiger could take advantage.

BUST: After choking against Y.E. Yang in the PGA Championship, Tiger is in uncharted territory. How can we know for sure that he’s handling the loss well and will bounce back strong? Considering that you get a small return on your investment with him compared to other sports picks, it’s worth waiting a week to see how he plays.

Phil Mickelson (+1850 to win)

BOOM: He’s long enough off the tee to score well at Liberty National and his birdie conversion percentage is the fourth-best on Tour. He’s also a member at Liberty National, giving him intimate knowledge of the course. That’s gold for an aggressive player like Phil, as he’ll know when he can afford to try a hero shot.

BUST: He still hasn’t really found his rhythm after his hiatus, so we can’t assume he’ll magically snap out of his funk this week.

Hunter Mahan (+2250 to win)

BOOM: He’s the definition of rock-solid this season. Always in the hunt, he has four top-10s in his last six starts. He also ranks highly in scoring average and greens in regulation, so his Barclays odds are good.

BUST: As well as he’s played, he hasn’t broken through for a win this season; what if he can’t handle the pressure with a lead on Sunday against a field of superstars? Also, his driving accuracy leaves a lot to be desired, ranking 85^th.

Jim Furyk (+5250)

BOOM: Here’s a guy with a similar skill set and 2009 performance to Mahan’s, yet who offers more than double his value. Furyk could be the best sleeper according to stats from betting services; he has seven top-10s this season and cracks the top 10 in scrambling, putting average and proximity to hole.

BUST: While he’s not senior Tour material just yet, he may be past his prime at age 39, not having won a tournament since 2007. What if he simply doesn’t have that extra gear that propels him to victory anymore?

THE PICK

Go with Phil Mickelson at +1850. He’s long overdue, he knows the course better than anyone else in the field, and the course should suit his game.

Here are the particulars for this weekend’s Wyndham Championship:

 

• Wyndham Championship Dates: Thursday, August 20 through Sunday, August 23
• Wyndham Championship Location: Greensboro, NC
• Wyndham Championship Course: Sedgefield Country Club
• Wyndham Championship Thursday-Friday TV Schedule: The Golf Channel
• Wyndham Championship Saturday-Sunday Weekend TV Schedule: CBS

 

Wyndham Championship Odds and Prediction 

Tim Clark is a co-favorite with US Open champion Lucas Glover at +1600, and he’s finished T-6 at Sedgefield Country Club in two of the last three years. Clark’s consistency is what makes him one of the more attractive sports picks of the weekend: he’s made the cut in 15 of his 17 starts in 2009, he’s seventh in driving accuracy, and 34^th in putting. You also need to shoot a low score to win this event, as six of the last seven winners have posed a score of -18 or better. Clark is fourth on the PGA Tour in scoring average.

Glover should push Clark for a Sunday duel, and the US Open champion is coming off an impressive top-five at the PGA Championship at Hazeltine. Glover is having a brilliant season, leading the Tour in total driving, he’s fifth in driving, 15^th in sand saves and 23^rd in putting. He finished a respectable T-20 in last year’s Wyndham Championship, and a win would give him some momentum heading into the FedEx Cup playoffs.

A good longshot bet for your gambling software is John Senden, who comes in at +3300, and he would be a much smarter wager than Sergio Garcia at +1800. Senden hasn’t shot over par in eight straight rounds at this event, and even though he’s missed the cut in three of his last four starts, his irons will give him a chance this week as he leads the Tour in greens-in-regulation.

However, Clark is the pick when doing your online betting this weekend. He’s been called the best player on the Tour who has never won, which tells you about the level of competition in the PGA. With a weak field, there’s no better place for him to break his duck. Go with Tim Clark when making your sports bet online. 

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* – Tim Clark photo credit: The Sybil Speaks

This weekend, Tiger Woods has his lost shot at capturing a Major Championship in 2009.  After disappointing finishes at The Masters, The U.S. Open, and The British Open, Tiger appeared to be “reeling” (at least by his own lofty standards).  

However, two straight victories have Tiger right back where he normally is: firmly atop the favorites board heading into a Major.

The 2009 PGA Championship will be held this weekend, and here is everything you need to know heading into the tournament:

• 2009 PGA Championship Dates: Thursday, August 12th through Sunday, August 16
• 2009 PGA Championship Course: Hazeltine National Golf Club
• 2009 PGA Championship Location: Chaska, Minnesota
• 2009 PGA Championship Purse: $7.2 million
• PGA Championship Official Website
• 2009 PGA Championship Tee Times
• StubHub: 2009 PGA Championship Tickets

And the 2009 PGA Championship TV schedule / viewing information:

• Thursday TV Schedule: 2-8 pm on TNT
• Friday TV Schedule: 2-8 pm on TNT
• Saturday TV Schedule: 11 am – 2 pm on TNT | 2 pm – 7 pm on CBS
• Sunday TV Schedule: 11 am – 2 pm on TNT | 2 pm – 7 pm on CBS
• Watch the 2009 PGA Championship Live Online

PGA Betting Odds and Prediction

Navigating through PGA Championship odds to find a potential winner seems like a daunting task, as the 2009 golf season has been quite unpredictable, particularly in the first three majors. However, the trend should stop this week. The PGA Championship’s host course, Hazeltine, is playing longer than any major in history at 7,678 yards. The course clearly favors long hitters and it’s thus easier to predict who should make a splash. Can you guess who tops our list of potential picks?

PGA Championship Odds: Tiger Woods (+140 odds to win)

BOOM: If you’re a fan of our sports predictions, you’ll notice that Tiger wins just about every time we say he will and loses when we say he will. The reason: Tiger’s success in 2009 directly coincides with playing on courses that favor long hitters. The Memorial, the Buick Open, the Bridgestone Invitational – you name the tournament Tiger won this season and it had a history of rewarding long drives. Hazeltine has three holes 600 yards or longer and a 518-yard par four. How many other golfers can get on in two shots on holes like those?

BUST: Once in a blue moon, Tiger’s putter eludes him for a weekend, so I suppose it could happen, but I wouldn’t count on it. He’s fresh off two straight wins, for cryin’ out loud.

PGA Championship Odds: Phil Mickelson (+2200 to win)

BOOM: it’s been a tough year for Lefty, but he could finally contend again this week. His long drives and, more importantly, his aggressive style, could give him an upper hand on the long course. Even if he’s errant off the tee, he’s long enough to get on in regulation.

BUST: He’s played just one event since taking an extended hiatus to be with his ailing wife and mother. He looked rusty and tired last weekend, finishing with two straight over-par rounds at the Bridgestone. Will he just magically go from rusty to not in one week?

PGA Championship Odds: Padraig Harrington (+2200 to win)

BOOM: The defending champ is a popular pick at most books this week. Though betting services don’t recommend him, some sharps are swayed by his past major success and good scrambling. He also flashed his former brilliance at the Bridgestone last week.

BUST: Three quarters of a good tournament doesn’t constitute a comeback. Paddy collapsed last Sunday and Is still having a brutal year, as the Bridgestone yielded his only top-10 finish in 2009.

PGA Championship Odds: Angel Cabrera (+4500 to win)

BOOM: Boom is the right word indeed. Cabrera hits a long enough ball to have a solid advantage at Hazeltine. He also excels under pressure, as he showed in winning the 2007 U.S. Open by a stroke and the 2009 Masters in a playoff. He’s hot at the right time, having shot three straight rounds in the 60s to close out the Bridgestone last week.

BUST: Accuracy isn’t his forte, so he’ll have to keep his drive inbounds to be effective. He’s also not most consistent golfer out there,

PGA Championship Odds: Anthony Kim (+5000 to win)

BOOM: If the kid had a win this season or a major under his belt, I’d fully endorse betting on him. He’s a long enough hitter with a sweet putter (first on the Tour in average) and the ability to convert birdies (second on Tour).

BUST: He’s had jitters on Sundays this season and a lead in a major would do nothing to calm those nerves. Is he ready?

2009 PGA Championship Prediction: Tiger Woods. You don’t mess with him when the course favors him this much. Chalk up another major for the greatest of all time.

* – Tiger Woods photo credit: NBC Sports

Because of this incredible hardship that I must endure, the first time I look through the White Sox schedule I am always on the lookout for three very important acronyms: WGN, ESPN, and FOX. These are my precious National TV opportunities to watch the White Sox play, and I do everything in my power never to miss one of them.

I just took inventory of the White Sox 2009 National TV Schedule and decided that I’d throw a quick post together for any other White Sox fans out there for whom this is necessary information. A few key things to remember:

• All times are Central
• This is as of February 24, so is always subject to change
• A lot of the FOX games are subject to regional coverage (those bastards)
• The current dearth of games over the final two weeks of the season leads me to believe that FOX and ESPN hold out to schedule these games to see what races are hot. I assume that the AL Central will be hotly contested this year, and that the White Sox will be in the thick of it, so I anticipate some of these late-season games being moved to national TV.
• Chicago White Sox Complete 2009 Schedule

For those of you lucky enough to live in Chicago, or to live in a town where the White Sox are visiting this season (May 1-3! White Sox at Rangers! I’ll be there…) here is a quick resource where you can buy tickets if you want to take in an afternoon at the ballpark:

Chicago White Sox Tickets at StubHub

And now, onto the 2009 National TV schedule for your defending AL Central champion Chicago White Sox:

I have to admit that doing this preview is a little bittersweet for me as an IU fan. This season’s Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament will most likely mark the first (and hopefully only) time that Indiana comes in as the #11 seed. As IU fans, we all understand that It is the price we have to pay for the era of the lying-cheating-bastard-who-shall-not-be-named, but it does not make it any easier to handle.

Still, there will be a twinge of excitement come March 12th when the Hoosiers tip off against whoever the #5 seed winds up being in this topsy-turvy season of Big Ten basketball. Maybe Devan Dumes and Matt Roth can get hot from the outside and the Hoosiers can pull off an upset. Not likely, I know. Still, the Hoosiers will have a definite home-court advantage playing in front of their fans in Indianapolis, and after last season’s heartbreaking loss to Minnesota on a wild last-second shot, the Big Ten Tournament owes us one.

Anyway, enough pipe-dreaming from me. Onto the particulars of the 2009 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament:

• Dates: March 12-15
• Location: Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana
• TV: Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS Sports (see below)
• StubHub Tickets: Buy Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Tickets
• StubHub Tickets:2009 NCAA Tournament Tickets

And let’s take a quick trip down memory lane and count down the past Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champions: 1998 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #4 seed Michigan defeated #3 seed Purdue 76-67
• Chicago, IL

1999 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Michigan State defeated #11 seed Illinois 67-50
• Chicago, IL

2000 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Michigan State defeated #4 seed Illinois 76-61
• Chicago, IL

2001 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #6 seed Iowa defeated #4 seed Indiana 63-61
• Chicago, IL

2002 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Ohio State defeated #9 seed Iowa 81-64
• Indianapolis, IN

2003 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Illinois defeated #8 seed Ohio State 72-59
• Chicago, IL

2004 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Wisconsin defeated #1 seed Illinois 70-53
• Indianapolis, IN

2005 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Illinois defeated #3 seed Wisconsin 54-43
• Chicago, IL

2006 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Iowa defeated #1 seed Ohio State 67-60
• Indianapolis, IN

2007 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Ohio State defeated #2 seed Wisconsin 66-49
• Chicago, IL

2008 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Wisconsin defeated #10 seed Illinois 61-48
• Indianapolis, IN

2009 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #3 seed Purdue defeated #5 seed Ohio State 65-61
• Indianapolis, IN

Who will this year’s Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament? At this point, it looks like a major toss-up. Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, Illinois, Ohio State, Minnesota, and Penn State have looked capable of winning it at different points this season. And if history is any indicator, a dark horse may emerge once the balls get rolled out on March 12. Four times in the brief ten-year history of the Big Ten Tournament, a team seeded #8 or lower has played in the championship game. The lowest seeded team to ever win the Big Ten tournament, however, is #6 seed Iowa in 2001. So the smart money would go on one of the teams listed above.

Either way, I’m sure it will be an exciting weekend — and the only chance for Indiana to crack this year’s field of 64. No, it isn’t likely. But you better believe Hoosier Nation will be out in droves on March 12th hoping their undermanned Hoosiers can pull off an unlikely first round upset.

Wild Card Weekend of the NFL Playoffs has ended, and now its time for the final eight teams to square off in the Divisional Round.

Unfortunately, the two teams that I was rooting for in the AFC, the Dolphins and Colts, both fell short. However, both Baltimore and San Diego are exciting teams who should provide solid matchups to the top seeds, Pittsburgh and Tennessee.

In the NFC, the Eagles win over the Vikings sets up the marquee matchup of the Divisional Round when Philadelphia travels to NFC East division rival and #1 seed New York. If you can only watch one game this weekend, I would think that would be the one you would watch.

Well, as we always do here at Midwest Sports Fans, we get you ready for the matchups of this upcoming weekend’s action with the TV Schedule, announcer lineups, point spreads, and over-under odds for the Divisional Round games.

As usual, the point spreads are provided by BetUs.com. And my projections for the announcer lineups were correct, as confirmed by Awful Announcing.

Divisional Round Matchups | TV Schedule – Announcer Pairings – Point Spreads

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Divisional Round Playoff Games on Saturday, January 10, 2009

Baltimore Ravens (12-5) at Tennessee Titans (13-3)

• TV Schedule: 4:30 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
• Point Spread: Tennessee Titans -3 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 34 1/2
• Ravens-Titans Preview and Prediction

Arizona Cardinals (10-7) at Carolina Panthers (12-4)

• TV Schedule: 8:15 ET on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
• Point Spread: Carolina Panthers -10 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 48 1/2

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Divisional Round Playoff Games on Sunday, January 11, 2009

Philadelphia Eagles (10-6-1) at New York Giants (12-4)

• TV Schedule: 1:00 ET on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Pam Oliver
• Point Spread: New York Giants -4 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 40

San Diego Chargers (9-8) at Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)

• TV Schedule: 4:45 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Point Spread: Pittsburgh Steelers -6 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 38

Wild Card weekend is now over. Follow the link for the Divisional Round Playoff Matchups, Announcer Pairings, and Point Spreads.

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I am getting excited just thinking about it. The NFL playoffs are here! And while my #1 team the Browns were nowhere close to the playoffs, I can take solace in the fact that the team I grew up rooting for, the Dolphins, made one of the biggest turnarounds NFL history and will be hosting a playoff game on Wild Card Weekend. As we always do, we will serve you up the TV Schedule, Announcer Pairings, and Point Spreads for the weekend of action in the NFL. Today, special thanks go out to Awful Announcing, who posted the announcer pairings on their site. The point spreads are courtesy of our friends at BetUs.com. So here you are, everything you need for Wild Card Weekend: TV Schedule, Announcer Pairings, and Point Spreads.

Wild Card Weekend: Saturday, January 3, 2009

__________ Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals

• TV Schedule: 4:30 on NBC
• Announcer Pairing: Tom Hammond, Cris Collinsworth, and (ugh) Tiki Barber
• Point Spread: Atlanta Falcons -2 1/2
• Over-Under: 51 1/2

Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers

• TV Schedule: 8:00 on NBC
• Announcer Pairing: Al Michaels, John Madden, and Andrea Kremer
• Point Spread: Indianapolis Colts -1 1/2
• Over-Under: 51

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Wild Card Weekend: Sunday, January 4, 2009

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Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins

• TV Schedule: 1:00 on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Point Spread: Baltimore Ravens -3 1/2
• Over-Under: 37 1/2

Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings

• TV Schedule: 4:30 on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Pam Oliver
• Point Spread: Philadelphia Eagles -3 1/2
• Over-Under: 42

__________

Have a great weekend watching football everybody. The game of the week clearly is a rematch of old playoff foes the Colts and the Chargers. And they are perhaps the two hottest teams in the NFL right now. It should be an outstanding game. Indianapolis is favored, and probably deserve to be. You can’t favor Philip Rivers and Norv Turner over Tony Dungy and Peyton Manning in a playoff game. But like the Giants last year, the Chargers may be getting hot at just the right time. Would anyone really be surprised if they get on a roll and make a deep playoff run?

I wouldn’t. But I’d still put my money on the Colts eeking this one out…and then going on a deep playoff run of their own.

The Browns-Eagles game on Monday is just one of a host of key matchups in Week 15 of the 2008 NFL Season. With the playoff lives of so many teams hanging in the balance, the results of Week 15 will set us up for the final two week sprint to the playoff finish line.

As we do every week here at Midwest Sports Fans, we present you with the TV Schedule, Announcer Pairings, Point Spreads, and Over-Under odds for NFL Week 15. The announcer pairings are courtesy of the506.com and the point spreads and over-under odds are from Danny Sheridan at USA Today (and are subject to change before kickoff).

Remember, all times are ET. Here we go, the NFL Week 15 TV Schedule and Announcer Pairings:

New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears

• Thursday, December 11 — 8:15 ET — NFL Network
• Announcer Pairing: Bob Papa and Chris Collinsworth
• Point Spread: Chicago Bears -3
• Over-Under: 45
• Why you should watch: Both teams are clinging to playoff hopes, Drew Brees still has a good chance to break the single-season passing yardage record, and there are lots of exciting playmakers on the field (Devin Hester, Brian Urlacher, Brees, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston, etc.). Plus, it’s Thursday night — what the hell else are you going to do?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Stockton and Brian Baldinger
• Point Spread: Atlanta Falcons -3
• Over-Under: 44 1/2
• Why you should watch: Both teams are batting for second place in the NFC South and for a wild card berth. Atlanta rookie Matt Ryan has developed an incredible rapport with Roddy White that goes well with the power run game of Michael Turner. Can Tampa Bay rebound from giving 6,000 yards rushing against Carolina?

San Francisco 49ers at Miami Dolphins

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
• Point Spread: Miami Dolphins -6 1/2
• Over-Under: 42
• Why you should watch: The Miami Dolphins, 1-15 a year ago, control their own destiny in the AFC East with three weeks to go. Amazing. San Francisco has been playing much better since Mike Singletary flashed his butt cheeks to the team. This could be a very entertaining game with young stars like Patrick Willis and Frank Gore on one side, and grizzled vets like Chad Pennington and Joey Porter on the other.

Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Matt Vasgersian and J.C. Pearson
• Point Spread: No line
• Over-Under: No line
• Why you should watch: You shouldn’t. They are only playing this game because the schedule says they have to.

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
• Point Spread: New York Jets -7
• Over-Under: 41 1/2
• Why you should watch: You can pretty much stick a fork in the Bills, but it will be interesting to see how the Jets rebound from two straight losses to Denver and San Francisco. Laveraneus Coles and Brett Favre seem to not be on the same page, and the Jets D is playing much less stoutly than before.

San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
• Point Spread: San Diego Chargers -5
• Over-Under: 46
• Why you should watch: San Diego is still clinging to very faint playoff hopes. This is a matchup of two of the greatest tight ends ever in Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. Other than that, not much here.

Washington Redskins at Cincinnati Bengals

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
• Point Spread: Washington Redskins -7
• Over-Under: 36
• Why you should watch: If you’re a Redskins game, this is a huge must-win game against a terrible team. Otherwise, don’t waste your time.

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker
• Point Spread: Tennessee Titans -3
• Over-Under: 44 1/2
• Why you should watch: A sleeper pick for game of the week. Houston is all but eliminated from playoff contention, but they have been playing better as of late. This game features two of the most exciting young players in the league in Steve Slaton and Chris Johnson. And, of course, Gus Johnson is announcing. This game could be fun.

Green Bay Packers at Jacksonville Jaguars

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Ron Pitts and Tony Boselli
• Point Spread: Green Bay Packers -2 1/2
• Over-Under: 45
• Why you should watch: If you’re a Packers or Jaguars fan. That’s it. Both of these teams’ seasons are toast.

Detroit Lions at Indianapolis Colts

• Sunday, December 14 — 1:00 ET — FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick
• Point Spread: Indianapolis Colts -17 1/2
• Over-Under: 45
• Why you should watch: Can Detroit get the win they need to avoid being 0-16? Can the Colts actually run the ball against someone? Indianapolis has won six straight, but questions still remain about their strength for the playoffs. This should be a nice tune-up game for them. But then again, the Cleveland game was supposed to be like that also before they got on track last weekend.

Minnesota Vikings at Arizona Cardinals

• Sunday, December 14 — 4:05 ET — FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
• Point Spread: No line
• Over-Under: No line
• Why you should watch: Adrian Peterson is always worth watching, and the Vikings are fighting to stay atop the NFC North. Kurt Warner is trying to challenge Drew Brees for the single-season passing record, and it is always entertaining watching Warner throw to Fitzgerald, Boldin, and Breaston. This game could actually be a preview of a future first round playoff matchup.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

• Sunday, December 14 — 4:15 ET — CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Point Spread: Baltimore Ravens -1 1/2
• Over-Under: 34
• Why you should watch: If you’re a football fan, this is a must-watch game. Pittsburgh is winning, although they are still struggling on offense. Coming into Baltimore with an offense clicking on less than all cylinders is not usually a recipe for success. Baltimore is a fun team to watch when their D is playing inspired like it is right now. Oh, and the AFC North is on the line.

Denver Broncos at Carolina Panthers

• Sunday, December 14 — 4:15 ET — CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Enberg, Randy Cross, and Dan Fouts
• Point Spread: Carolina Panthers -7 1/2
• Over-Under: 47 1/2
• Why you should watch: Carolina ran the ball for over 300 yards on Tampa Bay, one of the best defenses in the NFL. Denver boats one of the worst run defenses in the entire league. Can Carolina go for 400 this week? 500? No, this is the NFL, where randomness rules, so Denver will probably stuff Carolina and make us all scratch our heads. If Denver’s offense comes to play, this should be an entertaining, high-scoring affair.

New England Patriots at Oakland Raiders

• Sunday, December 14 — 4:15 ET — CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon
• Point Spread: New England Patriots -7
• Over-Under: 40
• Why you should watch: The Patriots need a win to keep pace with the Jets and Dolphins in the AFC East. Oakland sucks, so they should get it.

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys

• Sunday, December 14 — 8:15 ET — NBC
• Announcer Pairing: Al Michaels and John Madden
• Point Spread: Dallas Cowboys -3
• Over-Under: 44 1/2
• Why you should watch: Two solid teams, and a good matchup for the primetime game. Can the Giants overcome more injuries and distractions and prove that last week was aberration? Or is New York prepping for a later season swoon…like the Cowboys did last year? The Cowboys need a win to stay in the playoff hunt.

Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles

• Monday, December 15 — 8:30 ET — ESPN
• Announcer Pairing: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Tony Kornheiser
• Point Spread: Philadelphia Eagles -14
• Over-Under: 38 1/2
• Why you should watch: This game had so much potential at the beginning of the year. But with Ken Dorsey starting, a lame-duck head coach, and the Browns possessing zero belief that they can win games, this one will be nearly impossible on the road against a time playing well and fighting for its playoff life. Sure, anything can happen in the NFL — but probably not this one for the Browns.

Enjoy your weekend of Week 15 NFL football everybody. We’ll be back next week with another TV Schedule, Announcer Pairing, Point Spread, and Over-Under breakdown.

Click here for the current NFL TV schedule and Announcer Pairings for Week 15

Are you ready for some football?

One of the best times of the sports year is coming up: the college football bowl season and the stretch run in the NFL regular season, which also means the fantasy football playoffs as well.

(By the way, follow the link if you want to see the college football TV schedule for this week, including all of the conference championship games.)

As usual, Midwest Sports Fans gets you ready for your weekend of watching football with the NFL TV Schedule, Announcer Pairings, Point Spreads, and Over-Under Odds for Week 14.

All times are ET, the announcer pairings are courtesy of the506.com, the point spreads and over-under odds are courtesy of Danny Sheridan at USA Today (and subject to change), and the commentary is courtesy of yours truly.

Here you go. Have fun watching the NFL and tracking your fantasy football rosters in Week 14:

Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers

• Thursday, December 4 — 8:15 PM
• TV: NFLN
• Announcer Pairing: Bob Papa and Chris Collinsworth
• Point Spread: San Diego Chargers -10
• Over-Under Odds: 43
• What’s at stake: Not a whole hell of a lot after the Chargers lost to Atlanta last week. Their season is pretty much dead; and Oakland’s season was never really alive.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Chicago Bears

• Sunday, December 7 — 1:00
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
• Point Spread: Chicago Bears -7
• Over-Under Odds: 40 1/2
• What’s at stake: A lot for the Bears, who remain only 1 game behind the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North. Nothing for Jacksonville, one of the most disappointing teams of 2008.

Houston Texans at Green Bay Packers

• Sunday, December 7 — 1:00
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Gus Johnson at Steve Tasker
• Point Spread: Green Bay Packers -6
• Over-Under Odds: 47 1/2
• What’s at stake: Nothing for Houston, but Green Bay still has a fighting chance in the NFC North if they win out and get some help. Gus Johnson is announcing this game though, so it may very well be the best game of the weekend.

Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints

• Sunday, December 7 — 1:00
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Stockton, Brian Baldinger, Brian Billick
• Point Spread: New Orleans Saints -3 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 52
• Unfortunately, not much for the Saints in terms of a playoff berth. The pretty dug their own grave by losing last week. Atlanta, however, is very much alive for an NFC wild card and an NFC South division title if the can win at least 3 out of the last 4 — which would put a nice cap on the most surprising season of any team this year. Also at stake is Drew Brees’ pursuit of Dan Marino’s single season passing yardage mark, for which he remains on pace.

Cleveland Browns at Tennessee Titans

• Sunday, December 7 — 1:00
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Don Criqui and Dan Fouts
• Point Spread: Tennessee Titans -14
• Over-Under Odds: 37 1/2
• What’s at stake: It pains me to say this as a Browns fan, but there is absolutely nothing at stake. Tennessee, I suppose, is still playing for homefield advantage, but they pretty much have it locked up already unless they completely collapse. Any chance the Browns can pull Dan Fouts out of the announcer booth to play QB? He might have a better arm right now that Ken Dorsey.

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants

• Sunday, December 7 — 1:00
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa
• Point Spread: New York Giants -7
• Over-Under Odds: 44
• What’s at stake: A lot. The Giants are looking to virtually wrap up the NFC East with a win, and take one more step towards homefield advantage. The Eagles are clinging to their last chance of a playoff berth with no room for error. After the Plaxico Burress-Antonio Pierce controversy from this week I am surprised this game was not moved to the afternoon or Sunday night. Maybe it was too late to make a schedule change.

Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts

• Sunday, December 7 — 1:00
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
• Point Spread: Indianapolis -14
• Over-Under Odds: -42
• What’s at stake: Nothing for Cincy, but Indianapolis is 8-4 and fighting for a Wild Card berth in the AFC. Plus, after their putrid offensive performance last week against Cleveland, I am sure that Peyton Manning is itching to get some rhythm back in the offense. This should be a good chance to get it.

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions

• Sunday, December 7 — 1:00
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
• Point Spread: Minnesota Vikings -9 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 46
• What’s at stake: Surprisingly, a decent amount — at least from a historical perspective. Detroit is 0-12 and this may be their best chance for a win. They are at home against a team that has dealt with a lot of distractions this week and could be ripe for an upset. The Vikings have a one game lead in the NFC North and could open the door wide open for the Bears and Packers should they falter in Detroit. It won’t be a pretty game though, that’s for sure.

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills (in Toronto)

• Sunday, December 7 — 4:05
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon
• Point Spread: Buffalo Bills -1
• Over-Under Odds: 42 1/2
• What’s at stake: A lot. The Dolphins have surprised everyone by competing for a playoff spot after a 1-15 season. If they win out, they win the AFC East — it’s that simple. The chances of that happening may not be good, but just that it’s possible is a testament to the job done by Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano. The Bills can maintain a grip on their last gasp of playoff hope with a win.

New York Jets at San Francisco 49ers

• Sunday, December 7 — 4:05
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Point Spread: New York Jets -3 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 45
• What’s at stake: Not enough for the #1 announcing team at CBS to be calling this game. The Jets simply need to win as atonement for last week’s loss to Denver to maintain their hold on the AFC East. The 49ers, as usual in December, are playing for pride.

Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos

• Sunday, December 7 — 4:05
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Bill Macatee and Steve Beuerlein
• Point Spread: Denver Broncos -9 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 48 1/2
• What’s at stake: Nothing. The Chiefs were out of it in September and Denver has the AFC West pretty much locked up. All that’s left is for Jay Cutler to show off the God-like strength of his arm. We can all watch in amazement. Is that John Elway? Brett Favre? Superman? No…it’s Jay Cutler, from Santa Claus, Indiana.

New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks

• Sunday, December 7 — 4:05
• TV: CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Enberg and Randy Cross
• Point Spread: New England Patriots -4 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 43 1/2
• What’s at stake: The Patriots just to win to stay in the thick of AFC playoff race. Seattle, like the 49ers, is just playing for pride. Do you realize, though, that if Matt Cassel and Matt Hasselbeck got married, and chose to hyphenate their last names, that they would both be named Matt Cassel-Hasselbeck? Or they could fuse their last names and both be Matt Casselbeck. This is type of analysis you can only get at Midwest Sports Fans.

St. Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals

• Sunday, December 7 — 4:05
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Matt Vasgersian and J.C. Pearson
• Point Spread: Arizona Cardinals -13 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 48 1/2
• What’s at stake: The Cardinals pretty much have a playoff spot guaranteed because the NFC West blows. They have not been playing well lately however, so this game is a chance to right the ship. There is much more at stake in fantasy football, where many teams (like mine) have ridden Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald to the playoffs.

Dallas Cowboys at Pittsburgh Steelers

• Sunday, December 7 — 4:05
• TV: FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
• Point Spread: Pittsburgh Steelers -3
• Over-Under Odds: 40 1/2
• What’s at stake: A lot. Pittsburgh is in the playoffs, but they are looking to stay on track for a bye and a home game. The Cowboys are embroiled in the think of the NFC wild card race, with the NFC East race all but over thanks to the Giants’ stellar play. Dallas needs to win this game for their confidence after feasting on turkeys the last few weeks, and to stay ahead of the pack for the Wild Card.

Washington Redskins at Baltimore Ravens

• Sunday, December 7 — 8:15
• TV: NBC
• Announcer Pairing: Al Michaels and John Madden
• Point Spread: Baltimore Ravens -5 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 36
• What’s at stake: A lot. First, there are the D.C.-Maryland area bragging rights. Then you have both teams fighting for a playoff spot in their respective conferences. And the great matchup of Clinton Portis against the Ravens run D. This should be a fun game, and meaningful to boot.

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Monday, December 8 — 8:30
• TV: ESPN
• Announcer Pairing: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Tony Kornheiser
• Point Spread: Carolina Panthers -3
• Over-Under Odds: 38 1/2
• What’s at stake: Again, a lot. Football fans and the networks struck gold with primetime games that are meaningful this week (after the dreck of Jacksonville-Houston last Monday). This game will go a long way towards determining the NFC South champion and who gets a bye and a home game in the playoffs. The Panthers run it well, the Bucs stop the run well. And that is only one instance of strength versus strength in this matchup. Should be fun.

Week 15, and all of the games the week of Saturday, December 6, is huge because it is Championship Week. The Big 12 Championship game between Oklahoma and Missouri, and the SEC Championship game between Florida and Alabama, will determine who plays in BCS National Championship Game. (Follow the link for the updated BCS standings and a breakdown of the potential BCS scenarios and matchups.)

Before we present the College Football TV Schedule for Championship Week, chime in with your prediction on what the outcome of the Big 12 and SEC championship games will be, and who will be playing in the BCS National Championship Game:

Okay, here we go. The College Football TV Schedule for Championship Week, the week of Saturday, December 6.

^ — All of these games (except Army-Navy) are conference championship games and will be played at neutral sites.

***This post is for 2008. The 2009 Thanksgiving day football TV schedule has been posted.

Week 12 ended last night with the Saints’ demolition of the Packers, and I read somewhere that it was the highest scoring week in the history of the NFL. Pretty exciting stuff.

What will Week 13 have in store?

Well first off, the Sunday load will be a little lighter. That is because Thursday of Week 13 is also Thanksgiving, with three games on display for our viewing pleasure (after we stuff ourselves with turkey and just wanted to lay on the couch in bloated ecstasy).

Follow the link to view the NFL Thanksgiving TV Schedule and get the announcer pairings, point spreads, yada yada.

But there are plenty of interesting and meaningful matchups on Sunday, November 30 — games like the Giants visiting the Redskins, Pittsburgh at New England, New Orleans and Tampa Bay, and…wait for it…Jacksonville and Houston on Monday night! Okay, so that one sucks. Still, any Sunday of NFL games is exciting and many fantasy football league playoff positions will be determined this week.

To get you ready, we bring you the NFL Week 13 TV Schedule, Announcer Pairings, Point Spreads, and Over Under odds for all the games on Sunday, November 30 and Monday, December 1. (As always, the odds are courtesy of Danny Sheridan at USA Today and subject to change. If you’re viewing this for gambling purposes, you may want to go elsewhere later in the week.)

New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 1:00 ET on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Stockton and Brian Baldinger
• Point Spread: No Line (as of Tuesday at 5:00 PM)
• Over-Under odds: No line (as of Tuesday at 5:00 PM)

New York Giants at Washington Redskins

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 1:00 ET on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
• Point Spread: New York Giants -3
• Over-Under odds: 42

San Francisco 49ers at Buffalo Bills

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 1:00 ET on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Ron Pitts and Tony Boselli
• Point Spread: Buffalo Bills -7
• Over-Under odds: 43

Indianapolis Colts at Cleveland Browns

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 1:00 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Dick Enberg and Randy Cross
• Point Spread: Indianapolis Colts -4 1/2 (that’s it!!!??? wow.)
• Over-Under odds: 45 1/2

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 1:00 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
• Point Spread: Baltimore Ravens -7
• Over-Under odds: 36 1/2

Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 1:00 ET on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
• Point Spread: No Line (as of Tuesday at 5:00 PM)
• Over-Under odds: No line (as of Tuesday at 5:00 PM)

Miami Dolphins at St. Louis Rams

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 1:00 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker
• Point Spread: No Line (as of Tuesday at 5:00 PM)
• Over-Under odds: No line (as of Tuesday at 5:00 PM)

Atlanta Falcons at San Diego Chargers

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 4:05 ET on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Matt Vasgersian and J.C. Pearson
• Point Spread: San Diego Chargers -5
• Over-Under odds: 49

Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 4:15 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
• Point Spread: New England Patriots -1 1/2
• Over-Under odds: 40

Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 4:15 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Bill Macatee and Steve Beuerlein
• Point Spread: Oakland Raiders -3
• Over-Under odds: 41

Denver Broncos at New York Jets

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 4:15 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon
• Point Spread: New York Jets -7 1/2
• Over-Under odds: 47 1/2

Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings

• TV: Sunday, November 30 at 8:15 ET on NBC
• Announcer Pairing: Al Michaels and John Madden
• Point Spread: Minnesota Vikings -3 1/2
• Over-Under odds: 42 1/2

Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans

• TV: Monday, December 1 at 8:30 ET on ESPN
• Announcer Pairing: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Tony Kornheiser
• Point Spread: Houston Texans -3 1/2
• Over-Under odds: 48 1/2

[tags]nfl tv schedule[/tags]

***This post is for 2008. The 2009 Thanksgiving day football TV schedule has been posted.

Welcome back to MSF for the latest college football TV schedule, this time for Thanksgiving week.

For so many reasons, Thanksgiving weekend is one of the greatest weekends of the year. And one of the primary reasons is the plethora of football on television. (And if you want to know the NFL Thanksgiving Day schedule, hop on over to the NFL Thanksgiving Day TV Schedule.)

Like last weekend, there are plenty of big college football games to keep you entertained through Saturday, November 29:

– Oklahoma travels to Oklahoma State in the final HUGE regular season Big 12 game. So far, not true road team has one of the “Games of the Year” in the Big 12 yet; Texas beat Oklahoma in Dallas. If Oklahoma State can pull off the upset, the BCS could be thrown in chaos. Go Cowboys!

– Auburn travels to Alabama for the Iron Bowl. The Crimson Tide is #1 and poised for their SEC title showdown against Florida. Can their rivals spoil the fun? Even better, can Auburn beat Alabama, and then Alabama beat Florida? And totally ruin the BCS!?!? Do it! Go Auburn!

– Florida and Florida State renew their annual rivalry. Hey, and Florida State is even in the top-20 this year!

– Ball State plays Western Michigan tonight, trying to complete an undefeated regular season.

– Oregon takes on Oregon State, where a Beavers win could allow them to supplant USC as the Pac-10 champs.

– And many, many more good and meaningful games. It’s amazing how good the college football TV schedule looks when there are no Big Ten games on there.

So let’s get to it. The Week 14 College Football TV Schedule for Thanksgiving weekend, through Saturday, November 29:

– Any games with ??? means there is no current TV listing. Check your local listings for the weekend of Saturday, November 29 if you need information about these games.

– The ABC games on Saturday, November 29 in the same time slot are regional. A lot of times, the game not on ABC is on one of the ESPN networks.

– A few games on ESPN Classic this Thanksgiving weekend. Isn’t that a little ridiculous? It used to be that teams strived to get on ESPN Classic by playing an amazing game. Now Navy-Northern Illinois and Bowling Green-Toledo, among others, are playing on ESPN. Kind of devalues the brand a little bit, no?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Enjoy your weekend of food and football.

***This post is for 2008. The 2009 Thanksgiving day football TV schedule has been posted.

Thanksgiving Day is almost upon us, and that means a bevy of things: turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, family two hand touch in the yard, bloated passing out on the couch, and of course, NFL football.

I was just checking the NFL schedule for Week 13 in preparation for writing this post and I received some outstanding news: there are three NFL games on Thanksgiving Day this year. I thought that there were only two. I did not think that there was any way that I could be more excited for Thanksgiving Day; now I know that there is. More football!

(And if you want even more football, check out the College Football TV Schedule for Thanksgiving Weekend.)

Anyway, let’s get down to business. A quick rundown of the Thanksgiving Day TV schedule, announcer pairings, and my meaningless predictions. The point spreads have not been posted as of me writing, at least anywhere I looked. I’ll update the post later this week once they are announced. (Update: Point spreads and over-under odds are updated.)

And I did not find the official announcer pairings listed anywhere either; however, I am making my best educated guess by listing the #1 team for each network. They usually handle the Thanksgiving Day games.

Here we go:

Tennessee Titans at Detroit Lions

• 12:30 ET on CBS
• Announcer Pairing: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Point Spread: Tennessee Titans -11
• Over-Under: 44
• Prediction: I am going out on a limb right now and saying that Detroit will get their first (and possibly only) victory on Thanksgiving Day. The Titans just lost to the Jets, and I have a feeling they could be slightly deflated after seeing their undefeated record go by the wayside. And the pretty much have the AFC South clinched, so I think a slight letdown is possible. I have seen numerous opinion pieces this week about how the Detroit Lions should lose their annual slot on Thanksgiving Day because of their franchise’s putridity. Tennessee is the MUCH better team, but I think that for this one day the pride of the Lions will be on display.

Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys

• 4:15 ET on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Pam Oliver
• Point Spread: Dallas Cowboys -13
• Over-Under: 47
• Prediction: Dallas is going to win this one in a rout. Tony Romo is back and getting into a rhythm, and it looks like the Cowboys figured out how to get T.O. involved in the offense again. The Cowboys are starting to get on a roll and their 2008 season could end up looking a lot like the 2007 season of the Giants — which ended in a Super Bowl run after they got hot near midseason despite struggling in the first half of the season. Seattle will play hard, and they do have Matt Hasselfavre back, but it won’t matter. Dallas will win by at least 20.

Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles

• 8:15 ET on NFL Network
• Announcer Pairing: Bob Papa and Chris Collinsworth
• Point Spread: Philadelphia Eagles -3
• Over-Under: 46 1/2
• Prediction: With the turmoil that Philadelphia current has going on, it is hard to pick the Eagles. And now that they are pretty much out of the playoff picture, I could see a letdown performance by the Eagles. And despite the Cardinals’ loss to the Giants today, this is a really good team. I love Kurt Warner, and I just don’t think that the Eagles are capable of scoring enough points to stay in this game. Somehow, I think the Eagles will keep it close through the second half, but the Cardinals will pull away late for the Thanksgiving Day victory.

All of us here at Midwest Sports Fans wish you and your family a hearty and happy Thanksgiving with your family, and a wonderful day of food and football. What could be better? That’s why Thanksgiving is the quintessential American holiday.

[tags]thanksgiving nfl, detroit lions, nfl tv schedule[/tags]