SI View The Week in TV Sports

Highlights

SATURDAY 9/22

Ohio State at UCLA
ABC 3:30 PM After beating Kansas 41-17 two weeks ago, No. 14
UCLA (2-0) heads into a showdown at the Rose Bowl against the
No. 21 Buckeyes (1-0) with an offense that would make storied
Ohio State coach Woody Hayes smile. This fall the Bruins have
ground out yardage by handing off to running back DeShaun Foster
(149.5 yards per game). This week, though, expect coach Bob
Toledo to open up the offense in an effort to get the ball to
star wide receiver Brian Poli-Dixon. The Buckeyes need their
fumble-prone quarterback, senior Steve Bellisari, to maintain
his aerial acumen (15 completions in 24 attempts for 246 yards
in a 28-14 win over Akron).

Cubs at Astros
WGN 8 PM Playoff implications abound as Houston looks to protect
its National League Central lead and Chicago (in third place,
six games back as of Sunday) fights to stay in the division race
or grab a wild-card berth. The Cubs hope slugger Sammy Sosa (54
homers) can take advantage of the cozy confines of Enron Field
as he makes his way toward an unprecedented third season of
60-plus dingers. The Astros counter with their own heavy
artillery, first baseman Jeff Bagwell (36 homers, 115 RBIs),
rightfielder Moises Alou (second in the league in batting with a
.336 average) and leftfielder Lance Berkman (just behind Alou,
at .333).

SUNDAY 9/23

Giants at Padres
ESPN2 4 PM San Diego has a chance to play spoiler to San
Francisco's playoff hopes and to Barry Bonds, who continues his
run at the single-season home run record. If the Padres opt to
pitch around Bonds, they will have to deal with his protector,
newly invigorated Andres Galarraga (29 RBIs in 36 games as a
Giant).

Don't Miss

SUNDAY 9/23

Broncos at Cardinals
ESPN 8:30 PM In this, the NFL's first Sunday back after the
attack on the World Trade Center, fans might witness a more
subdued atmosphere and--we're hoping--a measure of restraint
from announcers accustomed to invoking the vast array of war
analogies permeating the football vernacular. This is the opener
for Arizona, which had a bye in Week 1, and thus the first test
for beleaguered quarterback Jake Plummer (above), aiming to
return to his form of 1998, when he threw for 3,737 yards and 17
touchdowns (albeit with 20 interceptions). Denver is coming off
a 31-20 victory over the Giants and is encouraged by the play of
running back Terrell Davis, who rushed for 101 yards on 21
carries after missing most of the last two seasons with assorted
leg injuries.

ALL TIMES EASTERN. SCHEDULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

COLOR PHOTO: DAMIAN STROHMEYER