Isolating cannot be any easier this weekend if you are a sports fan. With multiple events going on from sun up to sundown, the couch, recliner, office chair, or whatever your lounging furniture of choice might be, has never looked finer. Fights, Football, Golf, Tennis, International Qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, it’s all on, and it starts today and will be non stop action through to Sunday night. So let’s jump right into it and see what’s popping off this weekend on the fields, in the cage, or on the course this weekend.
To begin, another full slate of College Football continues today with three games on for our viewing pleasures. Florida Atlantic will take on Florida International at 4 PM Pacific Time, and an unranked delight from two ranked FBS teams last season when Iowa takes on Minnesota. Both Iowa and Minnesota finished within the top twenty in the previous season, making this Big Ten matchup crucial for both 1-2 colleges. Rashod Bateman will be one to watch for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. With 24 receptions so far this season, Bateman has tallied 302 yards with one touchdown. Iowa Sophmore QB Spencer Petras better keep his passing efficiency on lock this evening with 2 TDs and 3 INTs. The Golden Gophers defence will hope to catch a pick-six or two. Iowa’s defence has allowed 213 pass yards and 102 rush yards so far this season; with low numbers like that, Minnesota better bring their A-game if they want to be able to pull off the upset. At 4:30 PM, the 7th ranked school in football, the 6-0 Cincinnati Bearcats, will take on the 1-5 East Carolina Pirates. The Bearcats have looked impressive thus far, putting up 39.3 points a game while only allowing 347.1 yards per game. The Bearcats are expected to blow East Carolina out of the water.
A handful of games for the Saturday slate were postponed or cancelled due to players or staff testing positive for COVID-19. Number 1 Alabama’s game against defending national champions LSU has been postponed. Along with 3rd ranked Ohio State vs Maryland and 5th ranked Texas A&M vs Tennesse. We will get to see the 2nd ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish, fresh off their upset last week to take down the former number 1 Clemson Tigers, take on unranked ACC opponent Boston College. The Heisman watch will continue to lay eyes on Notre Dame’s QB Ian Book. The senior QB has put up 1,535 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and only one interception while maintaining a high QB rating of 141.5 so far this season. The Fighting Irish game can be seen on ABC beginning at 12:30 PM. 6th ranked Florida Gators will take on unranked Arkansas at 4 PM. Heisman hopeful Kyle Trask will continue to lead Florida on a path to glory. The senior QB has wowed in the SEC so far this year, throwing for 1,815 yards, twenty-two touchdowns, and three interceptions. The Gators have wowed offensively with receiver Kyle Pitts and running back Dameon Pierce. The two have combined for ten touchdowns and 635 all-purpose yards this season.
At 4 PM Pacific on Saturday, the UFC main card for Felder vs Dos Anjos will begin. Kicking it off with a middleweight bout (185lbs) between Eryk Anders and Antonio Arroyo. Anyone who knows Anders as a fighter knows he makes his fights violent, so for him to win, he must be able to keep the fight standing. Arroyo is a grappler and will do whatever it takes to get this fight on the mat, where he is far more comfortable than Anders.
The second fight on the main card takes place in the women’s strawweight division (115lbs). The youngest woman on the UFC roster, Kay Hansen, will welcome Dana White’s Contender Series alumni Corey McKenna to the UFC. Kay, at 21 years old, has looked phenomenal so far in her MMA career. With a record of 7-3, Kay has won a majority of her fights by submission. Her opponent Corey has a pro record of 5-1 and has 2 KOs. McKenna proved she was worthy of a contract by cracking it out against Crystal Vanessa Demopoulos on her Contender’s Series episode back in August. A rare catchweight bout will be the 3rd fight on the main card and will see Brendan Allen (15-3) take on UFC veteran Sean Strickland (21-3). Both gentlemen are riding multiple fight win streaks, Allen’s being seven and Strickland’s being 2. Both men like to “stand and bang,” meaning they want to go toe to toe and exchange blows like they do in professional boxing. This fight has fight of the night written all over it, so be sure to tune into that one.
The co-main event will be a welterweight fight (170lbs). It will see electrifying fighter Abdul Razak Alhassan (10-2) take on scary powerful Khaos Williams (10-1). For Alhassan, he will be looking to bounce back from his second pro loss back in July with another highlight-reel KO. For Khaos, He would like to make a statement with another scary KO over Alhassan. The main event was initially supposed to be Islam Makhachev vs Rafael Dos Anjos at lightweight, but Makhachev pulled out on Monday with an undisclosed injury. So on five days notice, fellow fighter and newly loved commentator Paul ” The Irish Dragon.” Felder stepped up to fight at 155lbs. The former champion Dos Anjos wants to find prominence again, and a win over Felder will allow him to make a statement for a contenders fight next. Coming off back to back losses at welterweight, the former 155lb champion returns to his division again for his first fight at 155lbs in 4 years. For Paul, a short notice win over RDA will not only avenge his loss over Dan Hooker but remind people he is the most dangerous commentator on the roster.
Finally, the most notorious major tournament in golf teed off yesterday. The Masters, live from Augusta Country Club in Augusta, Georgia, got underway for the first time in November yesterday. The tournament, which is usually played in April, returned to the famed course to bring everyone their favourite golf tournament to tune into. No fans were allowed on the premises for the first time ever, all due to COVID-19. Currently, four men (A.Ancer, C.Smith, J.Thomas, and D.Johnson) are tied for the lead at -9 while seven men are within a two-stroke trailing distance. It will be a great weekend for golf, and the suspense will only build into the weekend. Who do you have walking away with the 84th green jacket on Sunday?
Please stay home and enjoy these events so that we in North America are allowed back into our favourite arenas to watch our favourite sporting events in full capacity again.