A few weeks into the NFL and college football season, we're starting to get a feel for these teams, but the questions are still there. For the ones underperforming, we ask ourselves: was that a bad game, or a bad sign? And for the ones playing well, is this who they actually are, or is a dropoff coming?

This weekend gives us several matchups where we’ll learn a lot more. The Ravens and Cowboys meet in Rio, both 1-1, and both trying to avoid falling to 1-2. In college football, No. 1 Texas climbed to the top of the polls with an emotional comeback over Ohio State, and now has to go on the road into one of the toughest environments in the sport.

Elsewhere, USA takes on the world in golf, baseball's regular season ends Sunday, and the WNBA playoffs begin.

Sport

Team/Event

Day/Time (ET)

Channel

⛳ Golf

Presidents Cup

Today-Sun (Full Schedule)

Golf Channel/NBC

🏈 College Football

Texas vs. Tennessee

Saturday, 12:00 PM

ABC

🏈 College Football

Oregon vs. USC

Saturday, 7:30 PM

NBC

🏈 NFL

Chargers vs. Bills

Sunday, 1:00 PM

FOX

🏈 NFL

Ravens vs. Cowboys (Rio)

Sunday, 4:25 PM

CBS

🏀 WNBA

Playoffs Round 1

Sunday (Schedule)

ABC

RAVENS VS COWBOYS | SUNDAY 4:25 PM, CBS

Football Spinning GIF by Baltimore Ravens

Gif by ravens on Giphy

The stakes: The NFL's first game in Rio de Janeiro, at Maracanã Stadium. It's the league's third regular season game in Brazil but the first outside São Paulo, in a stadium that has hosted two World Cup finals and the 2016 Olympic opening ceremony.

Both teams are 1-1 and got there differently. Baltimore looked excellent in a Week 1 blowout of Indianapolis, then blew a second half lead and lost to the Saints 24-17, the first loss for new head coach Jesse Minter. Dallas dropped its opener to Harbaugh's Giants, then bounced back with a convincing win over Washington where Dak Prescott threw four touchdowns. Whoever loses Sunday falls to 1-2. Historically starting a season 1-2 reduces a team's chances of making the playoffs to roughly 25%.

What to watch for: Two elite quarterbacks against two underperforming defenses. Lamar Jackson has started the season strong looking back to his usual self after an injury riddled season last year. Running back Derrick Henry has turned back the clock as the league's second-leading rusher. But Baltimore's secondary has been beatable. Opposing quarterbacks have completed about 71% of their throws against them so far this season and neither Indianapolis nor New Orleans has the firepower Dallas does.

The Cowboys' defense was supposed to be improved this year and hasn't been. They're one of the worst teams in the league at slowing down the pass, and have just two sacks in two games. Against Lamar Jackson, a struggling secondary and pass rush that can't get home is a serious problem.

One more factor to watch out for, the field. Players have complained about field conditions in Brazil in past years, with a lot of slipping, and that tends to favor the offense since receivers know where they're going and defensive backs don't.

Skin in the Game: I'm taking the Ravens -3.5 and the Over 52.5 in this game. Two high-powered offenses, two underperforming defenses, and field conditions in Brazil that have historically favored the offense. That's an easy lean to the Over.

On the side, Dallas has one of the worst defenses in the league so far, and that's against the Giants and Commanders. Baltimore is a step up in class. Even if you're generous and call the offenses close given how Dak has played, the worst unit on the field is still the Cowboys' defense so the Ravens should be able to put up points and get this one in Rio. Remember this is for fun, not your rent money.

TEXAS VS TENNESSEE | SATURDAY 12:00 PM, ABC

Football College GIF by Tennessee Athletics

Gif by Vol_Sports on Giphy

The stakes: No. 1 Texas goes on the road for the first time this season, and it's to one of the toughest places in the sport. The Longhorns (3-0) are still riding the high of a historic 24-23 win over the former No. 1 Ohio State in Week 2 in which they trailed by 20 in the fourth quarter. Tennessee (3-0) is No. 14 and this is the SEC opener for both.

To bring it full circle, Arch Manning heads to Tennessee, where his uncle Peyton became the most famous player in program history. Arch makes the trip as the No. 1 team's quarterback, with a sold-out crowd of nearly 100,000 fans rooting against him.

What to watch for: The quarterbacks, and how the run games complement them. Manning has played well this season but has historically struggled away from Austin going 2-3 in road games as a starter. For Tennessee, it's true freshman Faizon Brandon, who was the No. 10 overall prospect in his class.

Neither quarterback is likely to win this on pure passing. Manning has his road issues, and Brandon is facing an aggressive defense run by Will Muschamp in his first real test. That means the run games probably decide it. Tennessee has been one of the best rushing teams in the country, and for Texas, Hollywood Smothers has been effective on the ground this season.

Skin in the Game: Take Tennessee +4.5. Texas is the better team on paper, but road environments like these provide a big boost to the home squad. With Arch’s road struggles and this environment, getting points with a 3-0 home team in a rivalry-level atmosphere is the play here. Remember this is for fun, not your rent money.

KEEP ON YOUR RADAR

QUICK HITS

Amazon Chargers GIF by NFL On Prime Video

Giphy

Chargers at Bills | Sunday, 1:00 PM (FOX): Two teams trending in opposite directions. The Chargers have been one of the season's biggest disappointments, and now they get Buffalo, arguably the best team in football. Drop this one and they're 0-3 with a schedule that doesn't get any easier, making a playoff run already a real long shot.

Oregon at USC | Saturday, 7:30 PM (NBC): Oregon opened the year at No. 2 and a championship favorite. They’ve already fallen to No. 20 after an upset loss at Oklahoma State, and their defense has been the problem. USC is 4-0 but has lost four straight to the Ducks. With Ohio State still on the schedule, Oregon can’t afford to lose this or they could miss the playoff altogether with another loss.

Presidents Cup | Today–Sunday (Golf Channel/NBC): Golf's USA versus the world event runs Thursday through Sunday outside Chicago. Team USA, led by Scottie Scheffler, faces a 12-man International team of players from everywhere except Europe. The format is match play, meaning you win holes rather than count strokes. The US is 13-1-1 all-time and favored again.

MLB's Final Weekend | Through Sunday: The regular season ends Sunday and the Wild Card round starts Tuesday. There’s still plenty undecided as teams fight for final Wild Card spots. See HERE for a breakdown of the playoff picture.

WNBA Playoffs Begin | Sunday (ABC): The first round tips Sunday with four Game 1s, and it's a best-of-three series. Minnesota clinched the top seed behind rookie phenom Olivia Miles and a healthy Napheesa Collier.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Must-watch:

  1. Ravens vs. Cowboys (Sun 4:25 PM, CBS): Lamar and Dak in Rio, loser falls to 1-2.

  2. Texas vs. Tennessee (Sat 12:00 PM, ABC): Arch Manning in one of college football’s toughest road environments.

  3. Chargers vs. Bills (Sun 1:00 PM, FOX): A must-win for the Chargers to avoid 0-3.

Worth tuning in:

  1. Oregon vs. USC (Sat 7:30 PM, NBC): Oregon's season could turn on this one.

  2. Presidents Cup (Today–Sun, Golf Channel/NBC): USA vs. the world.

  3. WNBA Playoffs (Sun, ABC): First round tips off with four Game 1s.

  4. MLB's Final Weekend (Through Sun): Multiple spots still open with the Wild Card round Tuesday.

— Zach Blumenstein

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