NASCAR Could Gain Some Real Momentum

Somehow, we survived the horror of Nicollette Sheridan dropping the terrible towel on “Monday Night Football” and the fallout from ABC moving into first place in the “Desperate Networks” standings (at least until ESPN regroups and rallies).

Now it is time to get back to basics, to get back to sporting news beyond What Terrell Owens Did Today, to consider what is on the schedule as we brace for the passion, drama, urgency and intensity of “Rivalry Weekend.”

That’s right. On Sunday, the climactic race in NASCAR’s “Chase for the Championship” takes on the NFL.

It is NBC versus Fox, Kurt Busch versus Kyle Boller, Jeff Gordon versus Bill Parcells, Jimmie Johnson versus Jimmy Johnson. At stake: Ultimate Victory -- or, to decipher the TV executive-speak, whichever American pastime can claim the largest number of television-viewing households.

Sunday at 10 a.m. they go head-to-head. Locally, it’s the Dallas Cowboys-Baltimore Ravens game on Fox against the Nextel Cup Ford 400 on NBC. This is a very big deal for NBC, the odd-network-out in the Fox-CBS-ABC-ESPN NFL telethon. Together with NASCAR, NBC blue-printed “The Chase” to mimic the NFL’s Super Bowl tournament, with 10 “postseason” races designed to produce a final-day champion.

If it can’t join the NFL, NBC hopes to beat it with NASCAR’s season-ending race. The NFL might be too concerned with “Monday Night Football” shenanigans to notice, but NASCAR has thrown down the gauntlet, intent on winning the Sunday ratings skirmish, and then some.

“I think the day will come when we establish parity with the NFL, and the two sports will provide leadership in the recreational time Americans spend,” Jack Roush, head of the Roush Racing Team, told the Tampa Tribune. “I think it can” equal the NFL.

In NASCAR’s favor: The Ford 400 will determine the 2004 Nextel Cup winner. The Ravens-Cowboys game will determine if Boller can throw more interceptions than Vinny Testaverde.

In the NFL’s favor: The winner of Sunday’s race might not win the Nextel Cup title. The championship goes to the driver accumulating the most points over 10 races, and after nine races, Busch holds the lead, 18 points ahead of Johnson, 21 ahead of Gordon and 72 ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Objective for the leaders: Just finish close, baby.

That doesn’t play in the NFL. In the NFL’s ultimate competition, second place makes you the Carolina Panthers.

Also available for viewing this weekend:

TODAY

* Oklahoma at Baylor

(FSNW, 9 a.m.)

Oklahoma is locked in a BCS ratings war with Auburn. Oklahoma is favored by 36 points over Baylor and needs to beat the spread. Baylor lost, 59-27, to Nebraska, which lost, 30-3, to Oklahoma last Saturday. Ugliness on tap, guaranteed.

* Auburn at Alabama

(Channel 2, 12:30 p.m.)

A year ago, Auburn was supposed to contend for the national title but didn’t, slumping instead to 7-5, including a 23-0 loss to USC that didn’t help the Trojans’ strength-of-schedule ranking as much as it should have, resulting in USC sitting out the BCS “championship game.” A year later, Auburn is undefeated and currently third in the BCS rankings. What Goes Around Comes Around -- the saga continues.

* Michigan at Ohio State

(Channel 7, 10 a.m.)

Outlook for Michigan: With a victory over the archrival Buckeyes, Wolverines will clinch the Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl berth. Outlook for Ohio State: Most likely, Maurice Clarett won’t be dotting the “i” in “Ohio” at halftime.

* Stanford at California

(FSNW, 12:30 p.m.)

According to the Bay Area rumor mill, the outcome of this game could very well contribute to a) the firing of Stanford Coach Buddy Teevens, and b) the hiring of Cal Coach Jeff Tedford by either the San Francisco 49ers or Oakland Raiders. According to the Bay Area rumor mill, Teevens and Tedford are in serious trouble.

* Brigham Young at Utah

(ESPN2, 4 p.m.)

Utah has everything to play for -- namely, an 11-0 record, probably allowing the Utes to become the first outsiders to force their way into the BCS bowl power structure. Unless the Liberty Bowl holds the Mountain West Conference to the terms of their contract and shows Utah what it can do with its “perfect” season.

SUNDAY

* San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders (Channel 2, 1 p.m.)

While Al Davis jots down head coaching candidates to interview in January, television viewers can grab a pen and play their own game in between Raider turnovers. Rank the following items according to their intrinsic weirdness: a) The Chargers are four-point favorites in Oakland; b) The Charger offense is averaging 29.1 points a game; c) The Raider defense is giving up 27.4 points a game; d) The Chargers hold a three-game lead over the Raiders in the AFC West standings; e) Drew Brees is 6-3 and Kerry Collins is 1-5; f) The Raiders played in the Super Bowl 22 months ago.

* Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants

(Channel 11, 1:15 p.m.)

Eli Manning makes his debut as an NFL starting quarterback. Good for Fox ratings, but what about the Giants? Fox NFL analyst Jimmy Johnson says Kurt Warner should have remained the Giants’ starter “even though he has struggled the last four games.” Johnson also says Cowboy Coach Parcells is sticking with Testaverde despite a 3-6 record because “I don’t think he feels like he has to make a change until after Thanksgiving.” Johnson sounds like a man who gave up making those kinds of decisions a long time ago.

* Chicago Bulls at Lakers

(FSNW, 6:30 p.m.)

Jerry Buss went on Fred Roggin’s radio show this week and said he traded Shaquille O’Neal because he didn’t want the Lakers to become the Bulls. And as pregame teasers go, that’s about as good as this one is going to get.