Week Ahead

THURSDAY 10/18
No. 2 South Florida at Rutgers
After rushing for at least 175 yards in Rutgers' two season-opening wins, preseason Heisman candidate Ray Rice (right) went three games without cracking 100. He got back on track with 196 yards against Syracuse last Saturday. He'll have to be the sushi-grade Rice if the 4--2 Scarlet Knights are to upset the Bulls (page 42), who have allowed an average of only 2.9 yards a carry.
ESPN 7:30 p.m.

Greatest High School Football Rivalries
This six-part documentary produced by NFL Films looks at the nation's best annual football matchups. The first episode highlights the Backyard Bowl, between Oklahoma powerhouses Union and Jenks. One or the other of those schools has won every state Class 6A title since 1996. This year's Backyard Bowl, the 40th, was a 43--42 OT thriller.
VERSUS 7 p.m.

Red Bull New York at Los Angeles Galaxy
The Galaxy's unexpected playoff push ( L.A. has won five straight and can clinch a spot by winning its final two games) gets a boost: the return of David Beckham (left), who hasn't played since spraining his right knee on Aug. 29. The $50 million-a-year man had one of his few MLS highlights against New York. On Aug. 18 in a 5--4 loss he had two assists, the closest he's come to scoring for the Galaxy.
ESPN2 11 p.m.

Major League Eating Chowdown: Wedges and Wings
Three months after losing his hot-dog-eating crown to Joey Chestnut (right) at Coney Island, Japan's Takeru Kobayashi can dethrone his rival as the chicken-wing champ. Chestnut holds the world record, having once downed 7.5 pounds of wings in 12 minutes. He took on 15 other eaters in Las Vegas—the event was held on Oct. 9 but airs tonight—including Kobayashi, who holds world marks in five competive eating categories.
Spike 11 p.m.

WEDNESDAY 10/24
World Series, Game 1
Baseball is betting a schedule change will draw more viewers to the Fall Classic. For the first time since 1990 the Series won't start on a Saturday, meaning Games 1 and 2 and, if necessary, 6 and 7 won't compete with the NFL and college football. The change can't hurt: The Cardinals' 2006 win was the lowest-rated Series ever (10.1).
Fox 8 p.m.

SI PICK OF THE WEEK

TUESDAY 10/23
Rangers at Penguins
Another game, another family reunion for Pittsburgh's Jordan Staal (left). The 19-year-old center from Thunder Bay, Ont., faced oldest brother Eric, an All-Star center, in the Penguins' season-opening 4--1 loss to Carolina. Now he'll take on his other big brother, Marc (right), a rookie defenseman for the Rangers. After scoring 42 points as a rookie last season, Jordan was promoted to the Penguins' top line, on which he plays alongside captain Sidney Crosby. This is the first of eight matches this season between the Rangers and the Penguins, the two favorites in the Atlantic Division.
VERSUS 7 p.m.