A Grip on Sports: Watching sports on a Saturday night like this one should be a team event. There is just too much to cover and one key player is out due to a coach’s decision

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Watching film of today’s sports TV schedule, it’s harder to find gaps in the coverage than it was when the Legion of Boom was in its heyday. Glancing around, just about every minute of every hour has something pretty spectacular going on.

•••••••

• Sure, most fall Saturdays are that way. But we can hype up this one even though the football schedule isn’t all that strong.

Let’s just examine one minute in the 5 p.m. hour, shall we? Say 5:47?

There will be a football game on ABC with the potential for rivalry-filled drama: Third-ranked Miami at No. 18 Florida State. It should be midway through the second quarter by then, so neither fanbase should be calling for their coach to be fired. Yet.

Maybe watching the best of the ACC battle doesn’t turn up your excitement meter to 11. Maybe you’re more interested in your alma mater. And, for argument’s sake, let’s say it was Eastern Washington. Well, you’re in luck. The Eagles will be on ESPN+ at that time, hosting Portland State. But that game does beg a question. If you are a big Eastern fan, why aren’t you at Roos Field? It is homecoming. Oh, a game between a 1-4 team (EWU) and an 0-5 squad (PSU) is a hard sell, right? Maybe it just means they are evenly matched.

The Mariners’ American League Division Series game with the visiting Tigers will be in the first inning from T-Mobile. It’s on FS1. Meanwhile, the Phillies vs. Dodgers game could be finishing up on TBS.

Over on your nearest computer (the event is live on swxlocalsports.com/spokane/live, and on SWX at 7:30), Gonzaga’s Kraziness in the Kennel will be winding down, and anyone with a Bulldog sweatshirt in their closet will be raving about Graham Ike’s new physique. Or that new guard from Europe, what’s his name? (It’s Mario Saint-Supéry, in case you’re wondering). Or a finally healthy Steele Venters’ unbelievable shooting range.

Then again, maybe none of that floats your rubber duckie. It’s local sports that has your eye. No worries. The Spokane Zephyr’s match in Lexington kicks off at 6 on Peacock. Or you can tune into the Chiefs’ home game against Prince George on Victory+. The puck drops at 6:05.

•••

WSU: Around the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, this is the final time we’ll have to remind you – until the next bye – there is no Cougar game this week. Instead, we start with Friday night’s Mountain West battle between two soon-to-be Pac-12 schools: Colorado State at San Diego State. Who knew Washington State’s home win over the Aztecs in week two might just turn out to be one of its best in Jimmy Rogers’ first season? SDSU blasted the visiting Rams 45-24 at Snapdragon Stadium. That is not good news for CSU coach Jay Norvell and his future. … We also can pass along Jon Wilner’s mailbag from the Mercury News. … And a preview of what we believe will be the day’s best game, No. 16 Vanderbilt and ancient quarterback Diego Pavia at 10th-ranked Alabama (12:30 p.m., ESPN). … Just how strong as the schedule been for Utah? … Speaking of a schedule, who is next for Arizona State after its bye?

• Here is the schedule for (current, old and future) Pac-12 teams today, listed chronologically. The schedule below also includes any game in which mining news about turned out to be nearly impossible.

– Oklahoma State at Arizona (noon, TNT): We make a pretty big claim about the game just below. But this one would not be far behind if OSU were to win. And a loss to the Cowboys might just alter the Wildcats’ future.

– No. 7 Penn State at UCLA (12:30 p.m., CBS): If the Bruins win today, it will rank as one of the most surprising upsets of my life.

– Boise State at No. 21 Notre Dame (12:30, NBC): The Irish are on upset alert today, mainly because of Boise State’s reputation as a giant killer.

– Washington at Maryland (12:30, Big Ten Network): Look, the Terps haven’t been very good lately after byes. Maybe that cancels out the Huskies having to travel from one Washington to near the political one for a stupid conference game. … It is time to make redshirt decisions.

– Oregon State at App State (12:30, ESPN+): We linked a news story in this space yesterday. It concerned the contract the Beavers have with an NIL company. John Canzano delves into the deal. … The game itself? OSU really needs a win.

– Texas State at Arkansas State (1, ESPNU): The road beckons for Texas State after its bye week.

– Colorado at TCU (4:30, Fox): A couple years ago the Buffs stunned the Horned Frogs despite being a three-touchdown underdog. Can they do it again?

– Duke at California (7:30, ESPN): There is a lot at stake for Cal today. That usually means the Bears will play poorly. Then again, the Blue Devils have not traveled this far west for more than a decade. … Can the Bears keep their quarterback around?

– Nevada at Fresno State (7:30, CBS Sports Network): Bulldog quarterback E.J. Warner may have to shine for Fresno State to win its fifth game of the season. 

• In basketball news, Oregon will be without starting point guard Jackson Shelstad for about a month due to a practice injury. … A year of experience is a big deal for one Colorado men’s player. … Utah’s coach is committed to making the Utes better. … Arizona held its version of a crazy night.

Gonzaga: Yep, today it will be Krazy in the Kennel. Students in the stands. Pro athletes winding through them to take the court. Mark Few on the microphone at some point. A highly-sought-after recruit in the front row. Hype, happiness and hope. Theo Lawson has a preview of today’s big event.

EWU: Dan Thompson gives you three things to watch in today’s Dam Cup rivalry game. … Elsewhere in the (current and future) Big Sky, it is October and fourth-ranked Montana is playing its first road game. At Idaho State. … No. 13 Northern Arizona hosts fifth-ranked Montana State hoping to take a big step toward a postseason berth. … UC Davis enters today’s rivalry game at Cal Poly knowing its fans are starting to turn out for the home games. … A Sacramento State running back is a long way from home. … Is anyone at the FCS level looking into private equity funds for a financial boost?

Idaho: There is a way to take in Vandal football games, even if the only language you feel fluent in is Spanish. For the second consecutive season, Steve Guasch can be heard on the radio describing the action in that language. When he’s not doing the same thing for the Mariners. Monica Carrillo-Casas has this story on Guasch’s role.

Preps: Dave Nichols headed out to Union Stadium last night to cover Mt. Spokane’s 21-9 victory over University in a GSL 4A/3A game. … He also put together the football roundup, covering all the games in which Greater Spokane League teams were involved. … Liam Bradford has a story on a national contest Lakeland High is trying to win. The Hawks are still in the running to earn a T-Mobile-sponsored field upgrade.

Chiefs: A late goal lifted host Prince George to a 2-1 win over visiting Spokane on Friday night.

Velocity: Spokane had the match’s only goal in a road win at Charlotte last night.

Mariners: I thought long and hard about writing an extensive preview of the Mariners’ playoff series with Detroit but then it hit me. Why? If you aren’t all in by now, and haven’t read through at least a few of the myriad of stories I’ve passed along this week, then another silly summary by this guy isn’t going to make a difference. You know what might? Thoughts and prayers for yours truly. I’ll be unable to watch as tonight is Kim’s 50th high school reunion. And for some reason she wants her pear-shaped, balding, ill-mannered husband to accompany her. I offered to hire a handsome 6-foot-4-inch actor in his mid-50s to portray me for the event tonight but she wasn’t having any of it. That strategy having failed, I can’t stay at the hotel and watch. Anyhow, here are stories previewing the series, from George Kirby getting the nod to start today to how an old pitcher watches to make sure Kirby is not tipping his pitches.

Seahawks: Speaking of reunions, I linked this Times story yesterday on the football-themed one at Lumen Field coming up. The story is on the S-R’s website today. … The Hawks’ secondary is going to be a patchwork. Too many injuries. … Ernest Jones IV is the heart of the Hawk defense. … Can Grey Zabel hold up against Tampa standout Vita Vea, the former Husky? It might decide the outcome against the Bucs.

Kraken: Seattle has signed an Everett player to an entry-level contract.

Sounders: While the Mariners are trying to win a playoff game, the Sounders will be trying to win a rivalry match across the street. Where Portland has held an advantage lately.

•••       

• I have to make sure my iPhone battery is at 100% before the Mariner game begins. It is the only way I will be able to stay informed. Hopefully, no one will mind my occasional vocal outburst for seemingly no reason. At least Kim is used to them. Until later …