A Grip on Sports: There are a few extra hours on our schedule today, which we will use to rake leaves – or watch football – as fall always demands

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Most college football Saturdays in this household are built around one thing. The Washington State football game. Mainly because one member of the clan – me – is often paid to watch. And type. The upshot? A four-to-five hour stretch in which whatever network the Cougars are appearing is untouchable. For that reason, today isn’t a typical Saturday.

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• Is there any greater present than the gift of time? C’mon, one of the happiest moments during the work week is when a scheduled two-hour meeting is canceled out of the blue, right? Or when the boss comes down the line and says maintenance is needed, so everyone has to take to a break.

An unexpected 10 minutes here or five hours there can open up a world of possibilities. So what do we fill our free time with today?

That’s easy. Watching college football. Unless … well, we will get to that. But for now, let’s go with the main plan. Picking out a game in each window we – and by that, I am including myself and any Coug football fans out there – would not have been able to watch if it wasn’t their second, and last, regular-season bye week.

• The morning window is not one WSU fills often. But might in a couple weeks when they travel to Eastern Time Zone once more, though the kickoff time at 7-1 James Madison on Nov. 22 is still not scheduled. If the Cougars were playing today at that time we would be missing one of the best games of the weekend.

No. 7 BYU at No. 8 Texas Tech (9, ABC), as proclaimed by the College Football Playoff committee.

The Cougars – hey, we know that nickname – are undefeated. The Red Raiders have their best record in November since Mike Leach was featuring Graham Harrell – hey, we know that guy – in his Air Raid offense. The former happened last year. The latter was 2008. Today we find out which Big 12 team stays relevant in the CFP race.

• Noon time is the best time. At least today. Though we’re not sure it features what will be the most-entertaining game.

If there is going to be a big upset, it will happen in Columbia, Missouri. The CFP’s 22nd team handing its third-ranked team its first loss. Brad Pitt’s Fighting Tigers of Missouri over Jimbo Fisher’s bank, Texas A&M (12:30, ABC). That could be pretty entertaining.

But we’ll probably have the TV tuned to CBS and not because we use YouTube and are locked out of the ABC/ESPN family of networks.

The battle between the behemoths of Iowa and the latest edition of Oregon Ducks just seems too good to miss. And has too many CFP implications. Even if Washington is at Wisconsin at the same time (on the Big Ten Network).

• Early evening – or, as they call it up and down the I-95 corridor, prime time – is a toss-up. Or, one of those stretches in which the clicker’s batteries better be fully charged.

A few minutes of Wake Forest at No. 20 Virginia (4, ESPN), perhaps? See how Jake Dickert is doing? Or maybe a little more time watching LSU, with the state’s governor calling the plays, at No. 4 Alabama (4:30, ABC), with the state’s irrational fans always ready with their pitchforks? Then again, dad did serve in the Navy, so watching the Midshipmen knock Notre Dame (4:30, NBC) from CFP consideration might be the ticket.

OK, that’s probably not going to happen. In fact, by 6, I should be free to turn to Fox and count the number of light blue sweatshirts in the Rose Bowl. If the red of the visiting Nebraska fans doesn’t wash them out. Neither team is in the CFP picture but the idea of seeing the Bruins’ soon-to-be former home – not sure that will happen but the folks in Westwood seem to want it – looking like Memorial Stadium, except with eucalyptus trees and mountains in the background, is worth a few minutes at least.

• Late-night isn’t really all that late in this part of the country. It also isn’t worth staying up for tonight either. Not for college football.

College hoops? For next year’s favorite to win the Pac-12 men’s basketball title? That’s a good reason. Especially when Gonzaga is hosting Oklahoma. The traditional Pac-12 vs. SEC battle 12-year-old you always looked forward to.

OK, no one looked forward to it at 12. Or at 32. Or even at 62. But it is the way of the world these days. And the game, from the Spokane Arena, is on ESPN2, starting at 7:30.

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WSU: The Cougar basketball team is, like the football squad, off today. It also was off in the first half Friday, though not by design. For the second consecutive game to open their season, the Cougs played poorly early. And it cost them once more, losing 85-69 at Davidson. Greg Woods tuned in and has this story. … We linked this Washington Post story on Myles Rice yesterday. It is on the S-R site today. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner has his usual Friday mailbag on the S-R site. And, as per usual, we supply a link to it. … We listed some of the better games today above. But others have their thoughts on the best matchups, which we feel is best to pass along and let you decide. … Don’t expect a 16-team playoff next year. But down the road? Bet on it. Or even more teams involved. … Speaking of Texas Tech and BYU today (and we did above), this Washington Post story related to the game warmed my heart. … Kenny Dillingham loves Arizona State. And the Sun Devils love him back.

• Here are the rest of the (current, old and future) Pac-12 games this week, listed chronologically. All are today except the result from last night. The schedule below also includes any game in which finding news turned out to be nearly impossible.

– No. 20 USC 38, Northwestern 17: Sometimes a quarterback is called upon to make a big tackle. The Trojans’ Jayden Maiava was, and did, Friday night. But it was his play within the USC passing game that was most important. … Something happened in the game that will probably supply the impetus for a rule change next season.

– Colorado at West Virginia (9 a.m., TNT): The Buffs are turning to freshman quarterback Julian Lewis as Deion Sanders tries to turn their season around.

– No. 6 Oregon at Iowa (12:30 p.m., CBS): The weather is supposed to be pretty awful today in Iowa City. Will that put a damper on the Ducks’ offense? Cause more issues for the Hawkeyes? Or will it not make a difference at all?

– Kansas at Arizona (12:30, ESPN2): The homecoming game is big for both schools. And the quarterback play may decide the outcome.

– No. 24 Washington at Wisconsin (1:30, Big Ten): Wisconsin can’t score. The Huskies can. But how many points will they put up before the Badger fans start jumping around? Better be enough to keep the outside CFP hopes alive or the fourth quarter could be dicey.

– Stanford at North Carolina (1:30, The CW): Success at the NFL level has yet to translate into success at the college level for both teams’ coaches.

– Texas State at Louisiana (2, ESPN+): This may be the last time the Bobcats have to play in Lafayette. That alone might have been motivation to join the Pac-12.

– California at No. 14 Louisville (4, ESPN2): The Cardinals cannot afford a letdown.

– Nevada at Utah State (4:30, CBS Sports): The Wolf Pack’s luck has been running bad lately.

– Nebraska at UCLA (6, Fox): The Bruins probably hope they do not have to deal with a road-game atmosphere. 

– UNLV at Colorado State (6:30, FS1): It shouldn’t be hard to watch this Mountain West game.

– Sam Houston at Oregon State (7, The CW): Want a name? Any name to fill the open head coaching spot? How about Sacramento State’s first-year coach Brennan Marion? … Just a few weeks ago the Beavers were winless. Now they have two wins. Sam Houston could use them as role models.

– San Diego State at Hawaii (8, CBS Sports): Visits to Hawaii are most often the place of honeymoons, vacations and recharging weekends. The Aztecs are trying to treat theirs like a business trip to Omaha.

• In basketball news, the Oregon State men have played twice. They have won twice. Both were tight. … Oregon also played a tight one, topping Rive 67-63. … Utah is playing Weber State for the first time in a while. … Arizona returned home and rolled over Utah Tech 93-67 last night. … UCLA was up and down in a win over Pepperdine. … Utah State’s men had to hold on to win a neutral site game in Texas. … San Diego State is dealing with injuries. … A former foe is now a teammate for the Oregon State women. … Oregon breezed past Corban, from up I-5 in Salem. … Utah handled Utah State.

Gonzaga: It really doesn’t matter which conferences the 21st-ranked Bulldogs and Sooners call home. When they meet, it’s a battle. Tonight should be one as well. Theo Lawson has a preview and the key matchup, which includes a pair of Zags and Oklahoma’s 5-foot-10 3-point sharpshooter Nijel Pack. … The women opened their season in Fargo against North Dakota State. And won rather handily, 81-66, in a game that wasn’t all that close after an 11-0 second-quarter run. Greg Lee has the coverage.

EWU: One of the best offensive options for second-ranked Montana, Eastern foe today in Missoula, is wide receiver/returner Michael Wortham. Ya, that Michael Wortham, who was an Eagle standout the past couple years. Dan Thompson focuses on his contributions in today’s three things to watch. … The men’s basketball team will be in Boulder playing Colorado today. It is also a reunion of sorts for Dan Monson and Billy Grier, the CU assistant who worked for Monson at Gonzaga a quarter-century ago. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Weber State has nothing to lose against Montana State. … Cal Poly is struggling. So was Idaho State until last week. The two meet in Pocatello today. … Portland State won for the first time against Cal Poly and now hosts Sacramento State. … Northern Arizona didn’t draw well last week. What would one expect, though, when the game was held on Halloween night so ESPN could broadcast it. … In basketball news, it took a win in a courtroom for a key Idaho State men’s player to be able to play on the court. … Portland State picked up an easy victory Friday night. … Sacramento State has a 6-foot-11, 270-pound center. He’s a bear.

Idaho: No. 11 UC Davis comes to Moscow a bit angry. The Aggies lost last week at home to Idaho State. That means, as Peter Harriman tells us, the Vandals feel a quick start in today’s game will be crucial. … The Vandal men’s basketball team hosted Whitman last night and rolled to a 94-49 palindromic win. The women lost 89-76 before a record crowd at UC Davis.

Preps: With the State football playoff game on the line and only seconds left, Cheney High coach John Graham decided to go for two instead of a game-tying PAT kick attempt. Visiting Ferndale stopped the go-ahead pass a yard from the endzone, covered the ensuing onsides kick and earned a 35-34 victory at EWU. Dave Nichols was there and has this story. … Dave also put together the roundup of the other State playoff games Friday.

Chiefs: With all the high school football going on, Dave wasn’t able to get to the Arena to watch Spokane fall to Prince Albert 5-2 but he did put together the story.

Mariners: Don’t expect the M’s to delve into the free agent market for a shortstop. In part because the market is almost bare. Ryan Divish looks into their options at the position. … Cal Raleigh earned his first Silver Slugger Award, as the best hitter at his position in baseball. … There will be a new arm in the bullpen come spring. … Will there be any free agents joining the outfield as well?

Seahawks: The wide receiver corps is still beat up. Badly beat up. Which means the newest wide receiver, Rashid Shaheed, will be used a lot. And how the offense functions is something everyone needs to focus on when watching Sunday.

Sounders: We didn’t list this football contest at 1 p.m. today on FS1 as something to watch. Mainly because it’s the world’s version of the sport, not the American. But Seattle faces host Minnesota in a winner-moves-on MLS playoff match.

Reign: Seattle’s decision to stay in Orlando in the week leading up the playoff game with the Pride didn’t work. The Reign’s season is over after their loss.

Kraken: A first NHL goal is always welcomed, no matter how long it took to score.

Storm: Seattle has another chance to earn the WNBA’s first pick in the draft lottery.

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• One thing I rarely get to do on Saturday? Watch the Cougar flag wave on College GameDay. Did not get to see it this morning from Lubbock. Those folks who send it around the country never have a bye week. Until later …