Fearless forecast: week of 11/29/09

Michigan State and Kalin Lucas are thinking upset in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. (Getty Images)

WHAT TO WATCH

NFL » Patriots at Saints, Monday, 8 p.m., ESPN
A great way to top off Thanksgiving weekend with two teams that many feel could be meeting in Miami for the Super Bowl. Former Redskins defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has brought a mean streak to the Saints.

Men's College Basketball » Maryland at Indiana, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
The Terps travel to Bloomington to face the Hoosiers as part of the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. This is just another in a long line of good early-season tests for Maryland. Later in the week they face Villanova in the BB&T Classic.

Golf » Tiger Woods 2009 Chevron World Challenge Thursday & Friday, 3 p.m., The Golf Channel
This is a great made-for-TV event that was won last year by Vijay Singh. NBC gets the weekend coverage as the top golfers get together for one last big payday before the end of the year.

NBA » Friday Night Doubleheader, Friday, 8 p.m., ESPN
This is a quality doubleheader with Chicago going to Cleveland to face the Cavs, two Eastern Conference teams with playoff expectations when the season began. The nightcap is a great early-season battle between the Heat and the Lakers. On that night all of Washington will be Lakers fans. Go Kobe. — Jim Williams

BOLD PREDICTIONS

1. The ACC won’t win the Big Ten-ACC Challenge » Is this made-for-TV early season basketball showcase really a decade old? That may be hard to believe but not the fact that the Atlantic Coast Conference is 9-0 entering the first double-digit round. But just like last season was the year of the Big East, this is the year of the Big Ten, who has the depth and the matchups to carry home this meaningless title for the first time. Which team will make the difference? Michigan State. After losing to North Carolina twice last year at Ford Field — including in the national final — Kalin Lucas and the Spartans will exact revenge in Chapel Hill. The only ACC team likely to have it easy will be Maryland, which will have no problem with still-rebuilding Indiana in Bloomington. The most intriguing of the 11 games could be between Clemson and Illinois — both teams are overrated, and one will be even more so after they win. — Craig Stouffer

2. Nebraska over Texas » After a spectacular 2008 in the Big 12, it has required amphetamines to sustain interest in the conference this season, as undefeated, unimpressive Texas has been virtually unchallenged. But Saturday night (ABC), the Big 12 championship game will rescue a lackluster year as it pits an irresistible force (Texas offense) against an immovable object (Nebraska defense). Played in the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, it will be a virtual home game for the No. 2 Longhorns. But Texas did not face Nebraska this year, or anything resembling the Huskers’ stingy defense, led by tackle Ndamukong Suh, projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Nebraska (9-3) has won five straight and surrendered just 105 points in eight Big 12 games, a significant feat in the offense-oriented conference. The Huskers are conservative on offense but have enough big-play potential in QB Zac Lee, RB Roy Helu Jr. and WR Niles Paul to give Texas trouble. Final score: Nebraska, 24-21. — Kevin Dunleavy