The networks have made their selections for games for October 17, and Oregon State gets a day game at Washington State. As its potentially the "Basement Bowl", and certainly perceived by some that way, and also the matchup of the two smallest markets in the conference, the Beavers and Cougars were relegated to the Pac-12 Network, but at least avoided the dreaded Pac-12 After Dark status.

It will be two consecutive 1 PM games for Oregon State, with Cougarfest coming on the heels of this Saturday's sweat festival in Tucson. This is something lots of Beaver fans thought they would never see again. (Of course lots of them won't see it this time, unless they make the winding drive to the Palouse, since the DirecTv/Pac-12 Network fiasco went unresolved for probably at least another year.)

It's the only early afternoon game involving Pac-12 teams that day, as the Arizona at Colorado game is slated for a 7 PM MDT start (6 PM PDT), and so its the only game of the weekend to be relegated to the Pac-12 Network.

It was Oregon and Washington that got the Saturday night ESPN/ESPN2 spot on the 17, with the Ducks visiting Husky Stadium for a 7:30 game that night. The Saturday night audience will be split though, as the Arizona State at Utah game will also be on ESPN or ESPN2, starting at 8 PM MDT (7 PM PDT) that night.

With UCLA playing at Stanford on Thursday night, at 7:30 PM, also on ESPN (the Cardinal, who largely avoided Pac-12 After Dark the last couple of years, are getting a lot of night games this season), there are 5 Saturday games, with USC at Notre Dame at 4:30 PDT on NBC.

California has the weekend off.

Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com