TV Timeout: Cards stand in Cats’ path

While bowl season is starting to heat up, the must-see college game of the weekend will take place on the hardwood.

Top-ranked Kentucky will take the short trip to renew hostilities with in-state rival and No. 4 Louisville on Saturday (11 a.m., ESPN2 (31)). The inordinate amount of talent on display, combined with two personable coaches and the consistent national relevance of the programs always make this matchup must-see television.

There is added significance this season. The hype is starting to build around the Wildcats’ ability to go undefeated. The schedule certainly sets up well after Saturday as Kentucky is almost into conference play where it can take advantage of a down season in the Southeastern Conference.

“If they beat Louisville,” ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg told The (Louisville) Courier-Journal, “they’re going to run the table.”

That’s pretty definitive.

Greenberg’s colleague Jay Bilas wasn’t ready to go as far, but did cite Saturday’s game as the Wildcats’ biggest obstacle.

“Kentucky has got this march to history that they’re on and Louisville, to a lot of observers, is the one team that is standing in its way to get to the tournament undefeated,” Bilas said. “I still think there are a lot of games that can trip up that sort of march in SEC play, but I think Louisville is the best of the opponents in the regular season that Kentucky is going to face.”

FRIDAY

St. Petersburg Bowl, North Carolina State vs. Central Florida (5 p.m., ESPN (30)): Central Florida has won nine games, mainly on the strength of an outstanding defense. The Knights finished ninth in the FBS in scoring defense, fifth against the run and 11th against the pass. The unit will face a tough challenge against Florida transfer Jacoby Brissett. The Wolfpack’s junior quarterback is coming off his best game in a blowout over North Carolina, but will be tested by Central Florida. If for no other reason, watch the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl to join the 2 percent of people who know exactly what Bitcoin is.

BEST OF REST

English Premier League, Queens Park Rangers at Arsenal, 9:30 a.m. (NBCSN (38)); Quick Lane Bowl, Rutgers vs. North Carolina, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN (30)); IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, United States vs. Finland, preliminary round, (NHLN (316)).

SATURDAY

Prep basketball, Bishop Gorman vs. Socastee (S.C.), (5:45 p.m. KVMY (12)); Gorman’s football program captured all the headlines this year with a sensational 15-0 season that put it in position to potentially be named national champion. The basketball team isn’t too shabby, either. Big men Stephen Zimmerman and Chase Jeter give the Gaels one of the most feared frontcourts in all of high school basketball. Fans in the valley who never have had the chance to catch a Gorman game in person will want to get a glimpse of the Gaels on this broadcast from the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

BEST OF REST

Georgetown at Indiana (9 a.m., ESPN2 (31)); Gonzaga at Brigham Young (3 p.m., ESPN2 (31)); Holiday Bowl, Nebraska vs. Southern California (5 p.m., ESPN (30)).

SUNDAY

Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers (5:20 p.m., NBC (3)): Several NFL games with major playoff implications will air locally Sunday, but NBC decided this is the one people would most want to watch in primetime. These bitter old AFC North rivals play for the division title and a home playoff game. It will be their second meeting of the year. The Steelers rallied for 25 points in the fourth quarter of a 42-21 win just three weeks ago. Andy Dalton and the Bengals hope for a better outcome this time. They are coming off a home win over Denver on Monday night that sealed a playoff berth regardless of Sunday’s outcome. Cincinnati knows the importance of winning the division and will go all out to ensure its first playoff game will be at home. Fans of the Bengals also will be keeping a sharp eye on CBS earlier in the day as a Broncos loss to the Raiders could give Cincinnati the No. 2 seed.

BEST OF REST

Harvard at Arizona State, 11 a.m. (PAC12 (334)); Long Beach State at Syracuse, 11 a.m. (ESPNU (320)); Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins, 10 a.m. (Fox (5)); San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs, 10 a.m. (CBS (8)); Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m. (Fox (5)); Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos, 1:25 p.m. (CBS (8)); EPL, Chelsea at Southampton (6 a.m., NBCSN (38)).