Patriots-Colts clash tops weekend TV menu

Coming off a bye following their win over Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots hit the road this week for another tough test against Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts.

The Pats-Colts clash, which will be showcased on Sunday Night Football (5:20 p.m., NBC (3)), shapes up as the marquee game to watch on TV this weekend, with Saturday’s showdown between No. 1 Mississippi State and No. 4 Alabama serving as a scrumptious appetizer.

Brady and Luck are on top of their game. Brady has thrown 18 touchdown passes and one interception while leading New England (7-2) to five straight wins. Luck has thrown for at least 300 yards in seven straight games — Indianapolis (6-3) has won six of them — and the third-year pro is on pace to eclipse Manning’s single-season record for passing yards (5,477).

The Colts lead the league in scoring, with 32.2 points per game, while the Pats are third (31.2). But New England, which beat Indy 43-22 in the playoffs last season, has averaged an NFL-best 40.2 ppg in its past five games.

Tight end Rob Gronkowski’s return to form has been a huge key for the Patriots. He has 36 catches for 516 yards and five TDs during the team’s five-game win streak.

FRIDAY

Unless you’re into watching the Los Angeles Lakers fall to 1-8 against the reigning NBA champion San Antonio Spurs (7 p.m., ESPN (30)), you can turn your attention to college basketball, which starts its annual march to madness today with a full slate of games.

Kentucky vs. Grand Canyon University (5 p.m., SEC (335)): The No. 1 Wildcats will tune up for Tuesday’s game against No. 5 Kansas by taking on the mighty Lopes in their season opener.

BEST OF REST: Mount St. Mary’s vs. No. 2 Arizona (5 p.m., PAC12 (334)); Northern Kentucky vs. No. 3 Wisconsin (6 p.m., BTN (312)); Presbyterian vs. No. 4 Duke (3 p.m., ESPNU (320)).

SATURDAY

Mississippi State at Alabama (12:30 p.m., CBS (8)): In a potential College Football Playoff elimination game, the Crimson Tide (8-1) — ranked No. 5 in the CFP rankings — will try to deal the top-ranked Bulldogs (9-0) their first loss. Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott leads the Southeastern Conference’s top offense against the SEC’s top defense at Nick Saban Stadium, er, Bryant-Denny Stadium, where Alabama has won 13 straight. The Tide have rolled to wins in three of their past four meetings with No. 1 teams, outscoring them 101-36 overall.

BEST OF REST: No. 9 Auburn at No. 16 Georgia (4:15 p.m., ESPN (30)); No. 11 Nebraska at No. 22 Wisconsin (12:30 p.m., ABC (13)); No. 2 Florida State at Miami, Fla. (5:05 p.m., ABC (13)); No. 7 Arizona State at Oregon State (7:45 p.m., ESPN (30)); No. 8 Ohio State at Minnesota (9 a.m., ABC (13)).

SUNDAY

Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers (1:25 p.m., Fox (5)): Record-wise, the marquee afternoon matchup is between the Arizona Cardinals (8-1) and Detroit Lions (7-2), but you can’t go wrong with a November battle between two of the league’s highest-scoring teams at Lambeau Field.

The Eagles (7-2) are fourth in the NFL with 31.0 points per game, and the Packers (6-3) are fifth (30.8 ppg). Aaron Rodgers fired six first-half TD passes Sunday night to help bury the Chicago Bears and is 32-3 in his past 35 regular-season home starts. Mark Sanchez did something in his first start for Philly (Monday’s rout of the Carolina Panthers) that he was unable to do in 62 starts for the New York Jets: throw for at least 300 yards (332) with multiple TDs (2) and no turnovers. If he keeps it up, he might end up being known for something besides a butt fumble.

BEST OF REST: Denver Broncos at St. Louis Rams (10 a.m., CBS (8)).

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow him on Twitter: @tdewey33.