Ellington

This is a great week in sports, what with the wildcard weekend of the NFL Playoffs and bowl games that lead up to the final BCS National Championship Game. This football season is ending, folks.

Thursday, Jan. 2

College football (7:30-11 p.m., ESPN): Alabama looks to avoid a missed national championship hangover against Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl.

Friday, Jan. 3

College football (6:30-10 p.m., Fox): Missouri faces Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl—a game between two former Big-12 rivals that should be a high scoring affair.

Saturday, Jan. 4

NFL (3:30-11:30 p.m., NBC): Wildcard weekend kicks off with a double header—the Kansas City Chiefs at the Indianapolis Colts, and the New Orleans Saints at the Philadelphia Eagles.

Sunday, Jan. 5

NFL (12-3:30 p.m., CBS): The San Diego Chargers face the Cincinnati Bengals in what could be an entertaining start to Sunday's wildcard games. ... NFL (3:30-7, p.m. Fox): The San Francisco 49ers travel to historic Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers.

Monday, Jan. 6

College football (7:30-11 p.m., ESPN): The SEC looks for an eighth-straight national title and the state of Alabama looks to make it five-straight national titles as the Auburn Tigers face the Florida State Seminoles out of the ACC.

Tuesday, Jan. 7

NHL (6:30-9 p.m., NBCSN): If you missed the Winter Classic on New Year's Day, get your hockey fix with the Philadelphia Flyers vs. the New Jersey Devils.

Wednesday, Jan. 8

NBA (6-8:30 p.m., ESPN): It's a battle for Texas as the San Antonio Spurs host the Dallas Mavericks in what could be a playoff matchup later this year.

Early 2014 still offers plenty of NHL and NBA action plus the Winter Olympics and the World Cup to come. That might be enough sports to keep us entertained until football comes back.