November is humming right along, which means that sports fans continue to be treated to premier matchups and events. I mean, have you seen this weekend's slate of NFL games?
NFL
Take your pick of compelling matchups! San Francisco at New Orleans at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX pits two of the league's most exciting quarterbacks against one another. The Saints' Drew Brees is having one of the best seasons of his storied career, while Colin Kaepernick in his first full year as the starter for the '49ers has been somewhat less consistent (but yes, he is still a must-start in fantasy circles). What gives?
On Sunday Night, at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC, Kansas City, the NFL's last undefeated team, travels to Mile High Stadium to face division foe Denver (8-1) in one of the most anticipated contests of the season. The two questions heading in are: How healthy is Denver quarterback Peyton Manning's right ankle, and can Kansas QB Alex Smith and the Chiefs offense win in a shootout?
Lastly, Monday Night Football (8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN) features the red-hot Carolina Panthers, winners of five straight, at home against quarterback Tom Brady and New England. Brady, for the first time all season, has wide receiver Danny Amendola, tight end Rob Gronkowski and running back Shane Vereen. And on top of that, RB Stevan Ridley has had six rushing touchdowns over his last four games. Then again, they will be facing the Panthers' front, which allows a meager 82 yards on the ground, second best in the NFL.
College Football
Okay, so it's not the USC we had hoped for, but neither is this Lane Kiffin's USC team anymore. Since Kiffin's firing in September, the Trojans under interim man Ed Orgeron have rattled off four wins in their last five. Stanford, meanwhile, ranks fourth in the BCS after throttling Oregon last week, and has won its last four against USC. Saturday night's primetime affair kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, at the Coliseum in Los Angeles. Keep an eye out for Biletnikoff Award winner (nation's best wide receiver) Marqise Lee, whose role is not what it once was after coming back from a knee injury. He will need a monster game if USC wants to have a chance in this one.
Formula One
Among the 19 race tracks that are hosting this F1 season, Austin, Texas, features America's first track built specifically for F1 races. AutoWeek reported that more than 500 million international television viewers tuned in to the sport last year, although audiences have been declining in the U.S. and elsewhere. USA Today reports that $450 million in private investments paved the way for the 3.4-mile facility, and backers are no doubt hoping to turn around the sport's popularity. The United States Grand Prix is worth a look at 2 p.m. ET, Sunday on NBC.
Email me at jordan.schultz@huffingtonpost.com or ask me questions about anything sports-related at @Schultz_Report. Also, be sure and catch my NBC Sports Radio show, Kup and Schultz, which airs Sunday mornings from 9-12 ET, right here.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this post stated incorrectly that this week will be the first time Amendola, Ridley and Gronkowski will have played together for the Patriots. In fact it is not Ridley's but running back Shane Vereen's first time as the third member of that trio.