Conference championship time

Remember back 20 years ago, when conferences determined their champions through their regularly scheduled games? Then the Southeastern Conference picked up South Carolina and Arkansas to become a 12-team league, and used a rule established for a Division II league to have their own December conference championship game.
Saturday, football fans will be really glad for what they did.
The SEC brings us the de facto national semifinal when top-ranked Florida meets No. 2 Alabama on CBS at 4 p.m. Both teams have finished the regular season 12-0. Both made their way through the tough SEC.
And the winner heads to Pasadena for the national championship game Jan. 7. Fox has the official announcement of BCS bowl pairings Sunday at 8 p.m.
Texas expects to join the SEC winner in Pasadena, and can with a win over Nebraska in the Big 12 championship. ABC has that at 8 p.m., while at the same time in Tampa Bay the ACC championship will be held - matching Georgia Tech and Clemson on ESPN.
Two conferences without a championship game still have final weekend title matchups. In the PAC-10, the winner of Thursday's Oregon-Oregon State game (ESPN, 9 p.m.) will advance to the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.
In the Big East, it's Cincinnati at Pittsburgh at noon on ABC.
The league championship roundup also includes the MAC, where Ohio faces Central Michigan Friday at 8 p.m. on ESPN2, and the Conference USA matchup between Houston and East Carolina Saturday at noon on ESPN2.
Some other regular season games this weekend include West Virginia-Rutgers (noon, ESPN), Arizona at Southern Cal (3:30 p.m., ABC). South Florida at Connecticut (8 p.m., ESPN2) and Wisconsin at Hawaii (11:30 p.m., ESPN2).
The NFL weekend begins Thursday in Canada, with the Bills hosting the New York Jets on NFL Network.
The Sunday afternoon schedule includes New Orleans at the Redskins and Cowboys at Giants on FOX. CBS in Washington has to avoid going up against the Redskins, so Fishersville gets its first chance to watch the Cleveland Browns when they host San Diego.
Brett Favre and the Vikings visit Arizona Sunday night on NBC, while the Ravens head to Lambeau Field to battle the Packers on ESPN Monday.
There's a smattering of college basketball games over the weekend. ESPN2 shows a pair of contests Thursday - Washington at Texas Tech and USC-Texas - and two games with ACC teams Saturday - St. Johns at Duke at 3:30 p.m., followed by Wake Forest at Gonzaga.
MASN has two contests Thursday - Mt. St. Mary's at Robert Morris at 7 p.m. and Coastal Carolina-VMI at 9 - followed by UNC-Asheville at Gardner-Webb Friday. Saturday there's three games starting at 3 p.m. - N.C. State at Marquette, then George Mason at UNC-Wilmington and Coastal Carolina-Liberty.
Sunday it's Harvard taking on Connecticut at 1 p.m. and the BB&T Classic from Verizon Center starting at 5 p.m. - Navy vs. George Washington in the opener and Maryland facing Villanova in the nightcap.
Comcast has late night Pac-10 action Thursday and Friday - Baylor at Arizona State, then Colorado at Oregon State. Saturday it's a CAA doubleheader - VCU vs. William & Mary at noon, then Georgia State at James Madison.
Sunday night, ESPN2 offers the women's matchup between Texas and Tennessee.
TNT's Thursday NBA doubleheader features the Celtics at San Antonio at 8 p.m., followed by the Heat at Denver. On Friday, ESPN offers Bulls at Cavaliers and follows Miami west for a matchup with the Lakers in the nightcap.
The Wizards host Toronto Friday, then visit the Pistons Sunday at 6 p.m.
The Capitals host Florida Thursday and begin a three-game road trip at Philadelphia Saturday.
The PGA tour has the Chevron World Challenge on NBC this weekend. You might not have known about that until news of Tiger Woods' trouble came out.
Soccer fans can begin gearing up for World Cup 2010 when the 32 teams find out what groups they will be playing in. ESPN2 has coverage of the draw Friday at noon.