Weekend watchdog

Who's going to the national championship in January?

After Saturday, we'll probably know who has the inside track from the SEC - and who will be left to go somewhere else. CBS has coverage of top-ranked LSU taking on No. 2 Alabama Saturday at 8 p.m.

Both teams have won national championships in the past four years. LSU has some big wins away from home - over Oregon at Dallas and at West Virginia - that should help as the Bayou Tigers head to Alabama.

The winner should claim the SEC West, and a matchup against South Carolina may loom before the national championship game in New Orleans.

ESPN starts college football weekend Friday as Southern Cal visits new conference rival Colorado at 9 p.m., while ESPN2 shows Central Michigan at Kent State.

Virginia tries to get its sixth win against Maryland Saturday at 12:30 p.m. on the ACC network.

ABC's prime time contests match Notre Dame and Wake Forest, while others will see No. 3 Oklahoma State face Kansas State (ESPN2 shows the alternate game). In the afternoon, ABC offers No. 4 Stanford at Oregon State, Texas A&M against Oklahoma and Purdue-Wisconsin. ESPN2 carries one of the games not on the air in your area.

It's not quite Army-Navy, but CBS shows Army vs. Air Force at 3:30 p.m.

ESPN opens the day at noon with Michigan's trip to Iowa. In primetime, South Carolina battles Arkansas at 7:15 p.m.

Comcast offers Duke taking on Miami at 3 p.m., then Oregon plays Washington at 10:30 p.m.

MASN has the Big East battle between teams wanting to join the Big 12 - Louisville at West Virginia at noon - followed by Liberty-VMI.

FX goes with Texas Tech at Texas at noon. Versus features Arizona State against UCLA at 7:30 p.m.

AFC North rival Baltimore and Pittsburgh take their grudge match to NBC Sunday night. ESPN has the Bears taking on Philadelphia Monday night.

The Redskins host San Francisco Sunday at 1 p.m., followed by the Giants at New England. CBS in Washington goes with Tim Tebow leading Denver to Oakland.

It's down to the final three races in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, this week in Texas. The NASCAR drivers hit the track Sunday at 3 p.m. on ESPN, while the Nationwide racers go Saturday at 12:55 p.m. on ESPN2.

The Capitals have road games Friday at Carolina on Comcast and Saturday at the Islanders.

It's time for the Breeders Cup, from Churchill Downs this year. ESPN2 begins the races Friday at 4 p.m., then ABC has coverage Saturday at 2 p.m. ESPN carries the rest of the slate starting at 3:30 p.m.

The MLS playoffs continue Sunday at 9 p.m. with a conference final matchup on ESPN as Real Salt Lake visits Los Angeles.

The Big East women's soccer championship will be on MASN Sunday at noon.

The ACC field hockey tournament semifinals are on Comcast Friday at 1 and 3 p.m. The championship will be Sunday at 1 p.m.