Friday's Big Weekend Preview

Wherever you're reading this, there's a good chance it's cold or rainy, or cold and rainy. Regardless, the point is, being inside watching sports is a good way to spend this weekend.

And though there have been much better weeks for sport TV (great sell job for this piece, huh), the fact remains that it's still sports TV. And we all know even average sports TV sill gets the job done. 

No fringe stuff this week. Meat and potatoes sports...and NASCAR. 

College Basketball

When: All Weekend

TV: ESPN and Online

Why You Should Watch: While I could have made a much bigger deal about college basketball starting—yes, the aircraft carrier game was awesome, best setting in sports—the fact of the matter is that it's a wake-me-up-in-March kind of sport. 

Still, it's entertaining, and as such, there's plenty to watch. Like Kentucky kicking of its season at 8:30 p.m. on Friday. 

NASCAR Sprint Cup: AdvoCare 500

When: Sunday, 2 p.m. (ET)

TV: ESPN

Why You Should Watch: Even if you don't like auto racing, as a sports fan, you can (read: should) at least appreciate dynasties. And Jimmy Johnson (pictured) is on the cusp of making his even more incredible. 

This race, at Phoenix, at the penultimate of the season. And Johnson heads to it leading the points race. A strong run here could help him clinch his sixth NASCAR title in seven years. 

College Football Saturday

All Saturday on every channel that's not MTV is college football. This Saturday isn't particularly loaded with good games. Still, it's college football. Why not watch? Here are a few games of note (all times ET):

• No. 11 Oregon State vs. Stanford, Noon, Fox
• No. 15 Texas A&M vs. No. 1 Alabama

NFL Sunday

You know the drill. FOX and CBS during the day; NBC at night. And speaking of NBC, that Sunday night game is the must-watch television program of the week. Texans and Bears? Yeah. This has potential to be better than Homeland. And people at B/R don't joke about the awesomeness of that show.