Every Friday, we’re cutting through the clutter and telling you what’s actually worth your eyeballs this weekend. Big stage, small stage, and the stuff hiding in the corner that you’ll be glad you found. Let’s roll.
Football
Forget the fake preseason stuff—real football is here. Week 0 drops Saturday with FBS and FCS action, and it’s juicier than usual.
- Iowa State vs. Kansas State — Dublin, Ireland (Sat, Noon ET, ESPN)
This isn’t your sleepy Week 0 cupcake. Two ranked Big 12 teams, two future NFL quarterbacks in Rocco Becht (Iowa State) and Avery Johnson (K-State), and playoff stakes already in the air. Add in the novelty of Irish pints before kickoff—this one’s appointment viewing. - Incarnate Word @ Nicholls (Sat, 1 PM ET, ESPN2)
Don’t sleep on the FCS. Southland rivals, a Top-5 squad in UIW, and a Nicholls team trying to bounce back from a flop season. Should be spicy down in Thibodaux. - Stanford @ Hawaii (Sat, 7:30 PM ET, CBS)
Normally, this is perfect midnight-on-the-mainland Rainbow Warrior chaos. Instead, we’re stuck with a standard kickoff. Still, plenty to watch: Andrew Luck is running Stanford’s GM chair, Frank Reich is on the sideline, and transfer QB Ben Gulbranson just beat out freshman Elijah Brown for the starting gig. New era vibes for the Cardinal.
Baseball
Rivalry weekend, full blast.
- Red Sox at Yankees (capped by Sunday Night Baseball, ESPN) — two clubs fighting for positioning in the Wild Card standings
- Dodgers at Padres — San Diego gets another swing at the reigning champs of the NL West.
- Mets at Braves — Braves fans haven’t had a ton to cheer for this season, but they always get up to root against the Mets.
And don’t forget: Little League World Series Championship hits Sunday (1 PM ET, ABC). U.S. vs. International, bragging rights for life.
Golf
The Tour Championship is live from East Lake, with $40M on the line. Scottie Scheffler has the inside track, but there are plenty ready to wreck his repeat bid.
Rugby
The Women’s Rugby World Cup kicks off in England. The U.S. opens against the hosts at the Stadium of Light (CBS Sports, late Friday night/early Saturday morning stateside). Pour one more and root for the Eagles.
Soccer
Europe’s back in full swing, and there are some tasty matchups to keep on your radar this weekend:
Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig (Fri, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+)
Bundesliga action from the Allianz Arena. Bayern usually dominates Leipzig, but Leipzig loves a statement game.
West Ham vs. Chelsea (Fri, 3:00 p.m. ET, USA Network/Universo)
West Ham hosts Chelsea at London Stadium in a clash that could set the tone for the rest of the season. Expect drama, late tackles, and maybe a surprise upset.
Manchester City vs. Tottenham (Sat, 7:30 a.m. ET, USA Network/Universo)
Early bird gets the goals. Pep’s squad at home, Spurs looking to prove a point. It’s a Premier League heavyweight bout that kicks off bright and early stateside. Coffee mandatory.
Sure, there’s more. But these are the headliners, the sneaky gems, and the built-in excuses not to mow the lawn. The couch is calling—answer it.
The Stain Sports 