USC will be included in an unforgettable sports weekend this year
The world uses the word “football” for what many Americans call “soccer.” If we adopt the global word, “football” will dominate late November on a scale never seen before. American and international football will combine on Thanksgiving weekend to create one of the greatest football weekends of all time.
The fact that the 2022 World Cup will be in Qatar means the event can’t be held in summer. The broiling heat would be far too overwhelming for players, fans, coaches and broadcasters. The tourism and ticket sales Qatar is expecting could only be generated by having the event in late autumn. This means the World Cup starts during Thanksgiving week. World Cup games, college football games, and NFL games are going to be shown in consecutive television broadcast windows.
USC is going to be a part of all this on Thanksgiving weekend.
You can already feel the excitement. It’s going to be a sports weekend unlike any we have seen before. We lay out the details below:
THURSDAY, NOV. 24: DALLAS COWBOYS HOME GAME
Jan 31, 1993; Pasadena, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Dallas Cowboys receiver (88) MICHAEL IRVIN celebrates with (80) ALVIN HARPER after scoring on a touchdown reception during Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl against the Buffalo Bills. The Cowboys defeated the Bills 52-17. Mandatory Credit: Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY NETWORK
The classic Dallas Cowboy home game on Thanksgiving Day afternoon will follow a World Cup group match earlier in the day. We can also mention the other Thanksgiving Day games, but the Cowboys — NFC East favorites — will be the centerpiece in the NFL, following the World Cup. That is quite a doubleheader, with both flavors of football on the Thanksgiving menu.
FRIDAY, NOV. 25: USA VS. ENGLAND IN THE WORLD CUP
Mar 30, 2022; San Jose, Costa Rica; Team USA lines up during the national anthems before a match against Costa Rica at Estadio Nacional. Mandatory Credit: Mayela Lopez/Reuters via USA TODAY Sports
The Yankees against the Brits. The colonies against the monarchy! Fire up all the callbacks to Revolutionary War times, as the Americans take on not-so-jolly old England. Incredibly, the U.S. has not yet lost to England in World Cup play. America has won once and tied once.
Because this game is on a holiday weekend, it is very likely to be the most viewed international football match in American history. Blockbuster ratings await.
If you don’t want to watch this, there’s always Iowa-Nebraska Big Ten football on Thanksgiving Friday. There will be more college football after USA-England is over.
FRIDAY, NOV. 25: PAC-12 FOOTBALL
Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, left, bats down a pass by Oregon State’s Tristan Gebbia during the second quarter in Corvallis
After USA-England football, there will be a Pac-12 football tripleheader on Thanksgiving Friday. UCLA-Cal and Arizona-Arizona State will be part of the lineup. What is likely to be the best game of the three is the Civil War between Oregon and Oregon State.
USA-England and Pac-12 football, all while you munch on turkey sandwiches with leftover stuffing. Life could be worse.
SATURDAY, NOV. 26: WORLD CUP MORNING
Soccer game between Hungary and Czechoslovakia at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics October 23, 1964. Hungary won the game 2-1 taking the gold medal, over Czechoslovakia, winning the silver medal. (AP Photo)
Before College Football Saturday begins, there will be World Cup football to take in with your breakfast.
SATURDAY, NOV. 26: MICHIGAN-OHIO STATE
Ohio State Buckeyes offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere (78) tries to block Michigan Wolverines defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97) during the third quarter in an NCAA college football game at Michigan Stadium at Ann Arbor, Mi on November 27, 2021.
World Cup in the early morning, Michigan-Ohio State in the late morning. The ultimate football doubleheader. Then comes the amazing tripleheader which will top it all.
SATURDAY, NOV. 26: NOTRE DAME AT USC IN THE COLISEUM
LOS ANGELES – NOVEMBER 25: A general view of the band of the field pre-game at the USC Trojans against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on November 25, 2006 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)
World Cup. Michigan-Ohio State. Notre Dame-USC. In one day. It will be a day unlike any we have ever seen before in sports television.
What adds to the enormity of this game is that it marks Notre Dame’s first visit to the Coliseum since 2018, since the 2020 game was canceled due to the pandemic.
This will also be the first Marcus Freeman-Lincoln Riley ND-SC game. It’s a pure Hollywood blockbuster.
SUNDAY, NOV. 26: WORLD CUP MORNING
French team poses after their victory of the football final over Brazil, on August 11, 1984 during the Olympics games in Pasadena. (Photo credit should read GEORGES BENDRIHEM/AFP via Getty Images)
World Cup football as the lead-in to an NFL Sunday? Don’t mind if I do.
SUNDAY, NOV. 26: FULL NFL SUNDAY
Fox Thanksgiving weekend (Guessing right now)
Thursday
WC group match
Cowboys Thanksgiving Day GameFriday
WC group match
USA-England
CFB game
CFB gameSaturday
WC group match
Michigan-Ohio State
Notre Dame-USC
CFB gameSunday
WC group match
NFL game
NFL game— Andrew The Birthday Boy (@ahammFreePress) April 1, 2022
It will be the biggest weekend in the history of Fox Sports teleivsion. Period.
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