The Christmas Sports TV Guide
-Originally published 12/24/20-
Happy Holiday’s! Merry Christmas! Obviously Christmas day leading into the weekend is busy, even in a Covid year but we still have hoops and football. Here is your Holiday watch guide for the Christmas eve through the Christmas weekend. All times Eastern.
Friday, December 24th – Christmas Eve
Alright, so Christmas Eve is pretty dry but that doesn’t mean Hawaii and Houston won’t be entertaining. Houston WR Marquez Stevenson will have a shot at the NFL. Neither team has been stellar but they’re on the same level competitively. Both sophomore QB Chevan Cordeiro of Hawaii (1,947 Pass/Yds, 11 Td, 6 Int, 450 Rush/Yds, 7 Rush/Tds) and junior Clayton Tune (1,832 Pass/Yds, 13 Td, 7 Int, 269 Rush/Yds, 5 Rush/Tds) have potential to put up big numbers next season. If you’re home and not last-minute shopping or Zooming with the fam, flip on the Cougars and the Rainbow Warriors.
| Time | Network | Teams | Ball |
| 3:30pm | ESPN | Hawaii (4-4) @ Houston (3-4) – New Mexico Bowl |  |
December 25th, Christmas Day
| Time | Network | Teams | Ball |
| Noon | ESPN | New Orleans Pelicans @ Miami Heat |  |
| 12:30 | FOX | #9 Wisconsin (7-1) @ #12 Michigan State (6-1) | |
| 2:30 | ABC | Golden State Warriors @ Milwaukee Bucks | |
| 2:30 | ESPN | Marshall (7-2) @ Buffalo (5-1) – Camellia Bowl | |
| 2:30 | FS1 | Maryland (5-2) @ Purdue (6-3) | |
| 4:30 | FOX/NFL | Minnesota Vikings (6-8) @ New Orleans Saints (10-4) | |
| 6:00 | ABC | Brooklyn Nets @ Boston Celtics | |
| 8:00 | ABC/ESPN | Dallas Mavericks @ LA Lakers | |
| 8:00 | BTN | #4 Iowa (7-1) @ Minnesota (7-1) | |
| 10:30 | ESPN | LA Clippers @ Denver Nuggets | |
Christmas Day belongs to the NBA and its always exceptional. With the season tipping off the Tuesday before Christmas everyone will be one game into the season to know off the rust. The day tips off with Zion Williams and the Pelicans with new coach Stan Van Gundy matching up with last season’s Eastern Conference Champions in Miami. Both teams will be exciting to watch this season. The Pelican field a young roster that’ll be building towards the playoffs and Miami’s depth and talent will have them looking for another Finals appearance. The follow-up pits 2-time MVP Stephen Curry, who only played 5 games last season due to a hand injury, against defending 2-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the retooled Bucks. Milwaukee made major roster shifts to stay in title contention and convince Giannis to re-sign with his contact expiring this season. He did, agreeing to a five-year $228 million dollar supermax extension. Now they have to win and the opener didn’t go well. Giannis himself missed a game tying free throw and the Bucks lost to the Celtics 122-121. He’ll be ready on Christmas. Steve Nash coaches his 2nd NBA game as the Nets battle the Celtics around dinnertime. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving has looked awesome in the preseason and crushed the Warriors Tuesday night. Mavericks/Lakers features THREE potential MVP candidates in Lebron James, Anthony Davis, and 21-year-old superstar Luka Doncic. The nightcap features two teams loaded with stars and talent in the Clippers and Nuggets. Both may be Top 5 teams in the league.
In College basketball, the Big 10 is using Christmas day to showcase nationally that it’s the best conference in College Basketball. #4 Iowa, #9 Wisconsin, #12 Michigan State, #19 Michigan, and notables Maryland, Minnesota, and Purdue all matchup in one of the deepest seasons ever for the conference. Currently 12 out of 14 teams in the Big 10 are currently three games above .500 or better for a combined 72-17 record. Both Nebraska and Penn State sit even at 4-4 and 3-3. Rutgers (11), Illinois (18), and Ohio State (23) are also ranked. Iowa’s Luka Garza (28.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.3 blk, 1.3 ast, 67.5 Fg%, 58.6 3p%) is the front-runner for player-of-the-year and he could put up BIGGER numbers. Iowa’s lone loss was 99-88 to #1 Gonzaga where he logged 37 minutes. The Hawkeyes have crushed other competition, including North Carolina, Purdue, and Iowa State and he’s only averaging 27 mpg. He’s primed for a monster Christmas day against the Gophers. Hop into college basketball here if you haven’t yet with football season coming to an end by checking out a handful of Final Four candidates.
Speaking of football, we have a meaningful NFL game and a sneaky good bowl game on Christmas. The Minnesota Vikings aren’t out of the playoffs yet and the New Orleans Saints are still fighting for a #1 seed and first-round bye in the playoffs. The Saints could turn it into a rout, but star receiver Michael Thomas is out and Drew Brees is still recover from having somewhere between 5-10 ribs injured. He looked good last week but weird things happen in the NFL, especially in non-Sunday games.
Marshall was heavily favored to win the Conference USA Championship but lost to UAB and Buffalo was undefeated and favored to win the MAC Championship but was upended by Ball State. Putting the two together gives us one of the best bowl games of the season. Marshall has a roster full talent on both sides of the ball that could make the NFL. Buffalo’s Jaret Patterson (1,072 Yds, 7.6 ypc, 19 Tds) is a monster. He put up 409 yards and 8 touchdowns against Kent State which pushed his numbers, but they’d be impressive with the game sample-size regardless outside of the MAC Championship game.
Saturday, December 26th
| Time | Network | Teams | Ball |
| 1:00 | NFL | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-5) @ Detroit Lions (5-9) | |
| 1:00 | ESPN | Kentucky (1-5) @ Louisville (5-1) | |
| 2:00 | ESPN2 | #6 Houston (6-0) @ UCF (3-1) | |
| 2:00 | TBA | #23 Ohio State (7-1) @ Northwestern (5-1) | |
| 3:30 | ABC | #19 Louisiana (9-1) @ UTSA (7-4) – First Responders Bowl | |
| 3:30 | ESPN | Western Kentucky (5-6) @ Georgia State (5-4) – Lending Tree Bowl | |
| 4:00 | CBS | #1 Gonzaga (6-0) @ #16 Virginia (4-1) | |
| 4:00 | TBA | Indiana (5-3) @ #18 Illinois (6-3) | |
| 4:30 | Amazon Prime | SF 49ers (5-9) @ Arizona Cardinals (8-6) | |
| 5:00 | NBA TV | Atlanta Hawks @ Memphis Grizzlies | |
| 5:00 | SECN | Texas Southern (2-5) @ LSU (4-1) | |
| 7:00 | Regional* | OKC Thunder @ Charlotte Hornets | |
| 7:00 | Regional* | Cleveland Cavaliers @ Detroit Pistons | |
| 7:00 | Regional* | Orlando Magic @ Washington Wizards | |
| 7:30 | ESPN | Liberty (9-1) @ #12 Coastal Carolina (11-0) – Mortgage Cure Bowl | |
| 7:30 | NBA TV | Philadelphia 76ers @ NY Knicks | |
| 8:00 | Regional* | Indiana Pacers @ Chicago Bulls | |
| 8:15 | NFL | Miami Dolphins (9-5) @ LV Raiders (7-7) | |
| 8:30 | Regional* | Toronto Raptors @ San Antonio Spurs | |
| 9:00 | Regional* | Minnesota Timberwolves @ Utah Jazz | |
| 10:00 | NBATV | Houston Rockets @ Portland Trail Blazers | |
| 10:00 | Regional* | Phoenix Suns @ Sacramento Kings | |
Saturday brings us the gift of three NFL games. Bucs/Lions and 49ers/Cards aren’t the most exciting matchups with the Lions and 49ers not playoff bound but the Cards and Kyler Murry are still fighting for a spot and Tampa Tom is still trying to get things right with the Bucs to make a run. Liberty and Coastal Carolina were ironically supposed to meet up in the regular season but the game was cancelled due to covid cases on Liberty’s side. They’ll meet up in the Mortgage Cure Bowl in a stellar matchup. Coastal scored a big win in knocking off BYU whom took on CC in Liberty’s place, but didn’t close the season with a Sun Belt Conference Championship. The game was called off due to covid cases and both were CC and Louisiana named co-champs. It would be huge for the squad to go undefeated. Speaking of Louisiana, they’ll be taking on traditional Conference USA doormat USTA. They Roadrunners have managed to win seven games against a weak schedule. They’re led by stellar running back Sincere McCormick (1,345 Yds, 6 Ypc, 11 Tds).
College Basketball will see a spattering of notable games. Kentucky and Louisville renew the rivalry although the Wildcats all-freshman starting 5 is having a hell of a start to the season and will probably see their record fall to 1-6. Illinois and Indiana meet in a tough Big 10 matchup. Illinois has lost three of six and the Hoosiers aren’t slouches. Gonzaga looks elite Corey Kispert, Drew Timme, and freshman superstar Jalen Suggs leading the way. They’ve knocked off Kansas, West Virginia, Iowa, Auburn, had a game against Baylor postponed, and look to beat up Virginia to wrap up the tough non-conference schedule they put together to off-set the easy WCC schedule they play.
The NBA has regional action and a triple-header on NBA TV. NBA league pass is running a 7 day free trial through December 27th that’ll allow access to out-of-area games. The Grizzlies and Hawks are two young teams that’ll be pushing for the playoffs. Indiana/Chicago, Minnesota/Utah, and Phoenix/Sacramento show all be intriguing matchups.
Sunday, December 27
Sunday is for the pros. In NFL action the Colts/Steelers, Giants/Ravens have playoff implications and Falcons/Chiefs could be interesting in the early slate. The afternoon features an excellent matchup between the Rams and Seahawks and the NFC East is in the balance as the Cowboys host the Eagles and Washington hosts Carolina. Sunday night football is must-watch with Aaron Rodgers throwing on the Titans suspect secondary while the Packers front seven tries to get a handle on Derrick Henry. This is one of three games on the day where both teams are likely to be in the playoffs (Colts/Steelers, Rams/Seahawks the others).
Mavericks/Clippers and Celtics/Pacers highlight the top NBA games on the slate. Suns/Kings will also be fun to watch with all the young players and the Lakers and Nets are going to be entertaining every time they’re on television.
Time Network Teams Ball 1:00 FOX Atlanta Falcons (4-10) @ KC Chiefs (13-1) 🏈 1:00 CBS Cleveland Browns (10-4) @ NY Jets (1-13) 🏈 1:00 CBS Indianapolis Colts (10-4) @ Pittsburg Steelers (11-3) 🏈 1:00 CBS Chicago Bears (7-7) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (1-13) 🏈 1:00 FOX NY Giants (5-9) @ Baltimore Ravens (9-5) 🏈 1:00 FOX Cincinnati Bengals (3-10-1) @ Houston Texans (4-10) 🏈 3:30 NBATV Dallas Mavericks @ LA Clippers 🏀 4:05 CBS Denver Broncos (5-9) @ LA Chargers 🏈 4:05 CBS Carolina Panthers @ Washington (6-8) 🏈 4:25 FOX Philadelphia Eagles (4-9-1) @ Dallas Cowboys (5-9) 🏈 4:25 FOX LA Rams (9-5) @ Seattle Seahawks (10-4) 🏈 7:00 NBATV Brooklyn Nets @ Charlotte Hornets 🏀 7:00 Regional* Orlando Magic @ Washington Wizards 🏀 7:00 Regional* San Antonio Spurs @ New Orleans Pelicans 🏀 7:30 Regional* Philadelphia 76ers @ Cleveland Cavaliers 🏀 7:30 Regional* Milwaukee Bucks @ NY Knicks 🏀 8:00 Regional* Boston Celtics @ Indiana Pacers 🏀 8:00 Regional* Golden State Warriors @ Chicago Bulls 🏀 8:20 NBC Tennessee Titans (10-4) @ Green Bay Packers (11-3) 🏈 9:00 Regional* Phoenix Suns @ Sacramento Kings 🏀 10:00 NBA TV Minnesota Timberwolves @ LA Lakers 🏀
