By Sam Federman
The College Football Playoff is trying too hard to be watchable. It's an hours-long, made-for-TV event rather than the purest distillation of the sport.
Instead of watching that, here's a bunch of college basketball games you can throw on your big screen on Saturday.
CBS
If you turn on CBS at 12:30 eastern, you won't have to turn it off until about 8 p.m.
The slate opens in Memphis, where the Tigers are looking for a marquee home win right before Christmas to truly cement their non-conference resume. Memphis defeated Clemson and Virginia on the road after falling to Arkansas State, but now has to take on Mississippi State. The Bulldogs have been an offensive-slanted team this year thanks to the electric scoring of Josh Hubbard. Memphis has excelled from beyond the arc this year, and Miss State has struggled to defend the perimeter with a small backcourt.
After that game, CBS takes you live to midtown Manhattan for a doubleheader. The doubleheader opens with UCLA taking on North Carolina, a game that truly feels like a must-win for the Tar Heels, as they look to avoid falling to .500. Will Carolina have an answer for Tyler Bilodeau and Eric Dailey?
The doubleheader closes with a battle between Ohio State and Kentucky. The first CBS Sports Classic for two first year head coaches. If the Cats are able to leave MSG with a win, they'll almost certainly be 12-1 going into a matchup with Florida, who will presumably be 13-0, at Rupp Arena on Jan. 4. The Buckeyes are top 30 in both eFG% offense and defense, but struggle with some of the other four factors, and haven't picked up a marquee win since opening night.
What do you do at 8 p.m.?
If you don't have FOX on the main screen at 8 p.m., you're doing something wrong. XL Center will be a madhouse as No. 4 UConn hosts No. 7 USC in a massive women's basketball matchup.
USC is led by Juju Watkins and Kiki Iriafen, two of the brightest stars in women's college basketball. Watkins, a sophomore, averages nearly 25 points per game, shooting upwards of 45% from the field. The Trojans' only loss came against Notre Dame last month.
UConn also lost to Notre Dame, and is looking to pick up its biggest win of the season. The Huskies scored 1.43 points per possession against Iowa State on Tuesday, led by the freshman phenom, Sarah Strong, with 29. Strong is averaging 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, shooting 56% from the field, providing an unbelievable jolt next to the upcoming Draft's projected top pick, Paige Bueckers.
Elsewhere
CBS isn't hogging the action, there's plenty of high level games on other networks
Noon, FOX: Marquette at Xavier
Can the Musketeers carry over the shooting touch from Hartford and pick up their first big win of the year? Or will Marquette notch an important road win early in Big East play.
Noon, FS1: Princeton vs Rutgers
On opening night last year, Princeton stunned Rutgers in Trenton. This year, the two will play in Newark, and there's national intrigue. The Scarlet Knights need to build off of the buzzer beating win over Seton Hall if they want to have a chance at an at-large, while Princeton has a chance for a marquee win.
4:30 p.m., ESPN: Purdue vs Auburn
Down in Birmingham, the best team in the country may or may not have the best player in the country for a big time matchup with Purdue. If the Boilermakers can steal one from Auburn, even if Johni Broome doesn't play, it will look incredible on a March resume.
What about some late night men's action?
Oregon takes on Stanford in a renewal of a former Pac 12 rivalry at 8 p.m., and you can catch one of the top mid-major teams in the country, UC San Diego, against city rival Univ. of San Diego at 9 p.m.
San Diego State travels to San Jose to take on Cal at the home of the NHL's Sharks at 10:30 p.m.
Any good mid-major ball?
Northern Iowa vs Washington State, 4:00 p.m., in Las Vegas, but sadly, it's on FloHoops
Just whatever you do, don't watch football with hoops on.