TV Timeout: Cubs still on course for ‘Future’
According to Biff Tannen's sports almanac, the Blue Jays will beat the Royals today in the opener of the American League Championship Series, UNLV will roll past Fresno State, the Patriots will punish the Colts in Sunday's Deflategate Bowl, and the Cubs will defeat the Mets on Saturday in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series to continue their magical run to their first World Series title since 1908.
Don't be so gullible, McFly. Biff's mythical Gray's Sports Almanac from "Back to the Future II" only had the winners from 1950 to 2000. But the 1989 movie did predict the Cubbies would win the 2015 World Series, and Chicago is eight wins from pulling off the improbable feat.
Along with the first two games of each league championship series, a loaded weekend TV sports slate also features four matchups of top-25 college football teams and a quartet of NFL Sunday games showcasing four of the league's five remaining unbeatens.
TODAY
ALCS, Toronto Blue Jays at Kansas City Royals, Game 1 (5 p.m., Fox (5)): Joey Bat Flip and the Blue Jays are only the third team ever to win a best-of-5 postseason series after losing the first two games at home. The last time it was done, in 2012, the San Francisco Giants went on to win the World Series. Then again, the last time Toronto and Kansas City met in the ALCS, in 1985, the Royals went on to win the World Series.
UNLV at Fresno State (7:30 p.m., ESPN2 (31)): Despite the Rebels falling to 2-4 after Saturday's 33-27 overtime loss to San Jose State, ESPN still projects UNLV to play South Alabama in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl on Dec. 29 in Tucson. Tony Sanchez's squad can improve its credit score with a road win over the Bulldogs (1-4).
BEST OF REST: Football: Cincinnati at Brigham Young (5 p.m., ESPN (30)), No. 24 Houston at Tulane (6 p.m., ESPNU (320)), No. 21 Boise State at Utah State (6 p.m., CBSSN (333)); NHL: Minnesota Wild at Los Angeles Kings (7:30 p.m., FSW (49)).
SATURDAY
NLCS, Chicago Cubs at New York Mets, Game 1 (5 p.m., TBS (7)): Las Vegan Kris Bryant and fellow Cubs rookie Kyle Schwarber will try to help power Chicago to its first World Series appearance since 1945, when Billy Goat Tavern owner Bill Sianis and his pet goat were kicked out of Game 4 of the Fall Classic at Wrigley Field. Playoff veteran Jon Lester is slated to start for the Cubs in their first NLCS appearance since 2003, when Steve Bartman went into hiding.
BEST OF REST: ALCS: Toronto Blue Jays at Kansas City Royals, Game 2 (1:30 p.m., FS1 (329)); Football: No. 17 Iowa vs. No. 20 Northwestern (9 a.m., ESPN2 (31)), No. 10 Alabama at No. 9 Texas A&M (12:30 p.m., CBS (8)), No. 7 Michigan State at No. 12 Michigan (12:30 p.m., ESPN (30)), No. 8 Florida at No. 6 Louisiana State (4 p.m., ESPN (30)), Southern California at No. 14 Notre Dame (4:30 p.m., NBC (3)).
SUNDAY
New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts (5:20 p.m., NBC (3)): The main event of the Tom Brady revenge tour pits the Patriots against the team that started the seemingly endless Deflategate saga after New England's 45-7 win over Indianapolis in last season's AFC title game.
BEST OF REST: NLCS: Chicago Cubs at New York Mets, Game 2 (5 p.m., TBS (7)); NFL: Arizona Cardinals at Pittsburgh Steelers (10 a.m., Fox (5)), Denver Broncos at Cleveland Browns (10 a.m., CBS (8)), San Diego Chargers at Green Bay Packers (1:25 p.m., CBS (8)).
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow him on Twitter: @tdewey33
