Vince Marriott: Despite the start of the NFL season, college football has been great so far. Not only have there been several excellent upsets (hi, Arkansas), but several powerhouse teams have emerged as men among boys. While No. 20 Notre Dame and No. 10 Michigan State have yet to emerge as national title contenders, the historical significance of their matchup at 8 p.m. on Saturday is substantial. Both teams have long track records of strong performances at a national level, and the prime-time time slot makes it a watchable game for the average college student. This is one matchup you don't want to miss, as it provides both teams the chance to send a message. (Saturday, 8 p.m., ABC)
Dong Zhao: For better or for worse, regular season baseball is more exciting when the Yankees are involved in a tight pennant race. Well folks, as unbelievable as it seemed less than two months ago, we've got ourselves a three-way dogfight between the Yankees, Orioles and Rays this September. A 10-game division lead for the Yankees in June dwindled into a one-game lead over the Orioles and two-game lead over the Rays by early September. The Orioles, a team that has scored 29 runs fewer than it has allowed this season, and the Rays, a team that spends less than one-third on its players than the Yankees, have set off panic waves throughout the Bronx. Check out all three of these teams this week as they battle toward the Fall Classic. (Wednesday, 7 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2)
Jonathan Gault: The NFL is back, and like millions of Americans, I'm pumped. The league expanded its Thursday night package so that every week now features a Thursday matchup. I'm worried that this could become a case of too much of a good thing (there's no way I'm watching Arizona vs. St. Louis in Week 5) but the first Thursday-nighter of the season is a keeper: the Chicago Bears versus the Green Bay Packers. A rematch of the NFC Championship Game two years ago, the game pits two of the league's oldest rivals. One of the reasons the NFL is so popular is that it has so many marketable teams I don't support the Packers, but they're awesome to watch. I could say the same about Carolina, Denver or New Orleans. So grab some Late Night Collis and settle in for another great NFL matchup. (Thursday, 8:20 p.m., NFL Network)
