Weekend viewing includes Favre, Packers, Vikings and more Favre

Most sports fans in Eastern Iowa know of Brett Favre's 16-year legacy in Green Bay which produced three NFL MVP Awards and a Super Bowl championship. They're also aware of the 18-month soap opera where Favre retired from Green Bay, returned, was traded to the New York Jets, retired again, returned again, and signed with the Minnesota Vikings.

The rivalry between Green Bay and Minnesota is as intense as any in the league. I'd even say, save for the longevity, the Vikings-Packers rivalry is stronger than Bears-Packers. But adding Favre to the mix this year has thrown a grenade on an annual two-game fire between the teams and their fans.

"I think after spending 16 years there and he was a very dependable employee, very committed to the organization for a long time," said Steve Mariucci, Favre's former quarterbacks coach in Green Bay and now an NFL Network analyst. "I'm sure there will be some different emotions that he will have versus playing other teams. He has a little more familiarity with players, coaches, front office, certainly their fans, the gold helmet ..."

The game was slated for ESPN long before Favre decided to un-retire. Then, in mid-August when Favre signed with Minnesota, ESPN realized it had the potential for its best-ever rating in its four years of televising "Monday Night Football."

"I pray to God he stays healthy. That was my reaction," ESPN senior coordinating producer Jay Rothman said.

"This one fell in to our lap when No. 4 decided to come back. It's a no-brainer of what the meaning of the game is to him, to the Vikings, to the Packers. It's one of the best divisions in football, certainly in terms of a ratings perspective, the NFC North with no disrespect to Detroit, but you can throw Minnesota and Green Bay in the blender and any one of those match-ups always delivers."

ESPN will air the matchup live at 7:30 p.m. Monday. Countless pregame hours on shows ranging from ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown" to the NFL Network's "The Head Coaches" will break down the game and everything surrounding it. Get ready for all Favre, all the time.

Here's Sunday's NFL lineup:

• FOX/KFXA: Detroit at Chicago (noon)
• CBS/KGAN: Baltimore at New England (noon)
• FOX/KFXA: Dallas at Denver (3:15 p.m.)
• NBC: KWWL: San Diego at Pittsburgh (7:15 p.m.)

Iowa won its way from the depths of ESPN Classic (and a week-long of frantic speculation for those without it) and on to ESPN2 to battle Arkansas State today. Announcers include Ray Bentley and Pam Ward, who is often criticized by fans and one Web site has turned her into a sportscasting pinata.

Here's Saturday's college football lineup:

11 a.m. games

• ESPN2: Arkansas State at Iowa
• ESPN: Wisconsin at Minnesota
• ESPNU: Clemson at Maryland
• BTN: Michigan at Michigan State; Northwestern at Purdue
• Versus: Pennsylvania at Dartmouth

2:30 p.m.

• Fox College Sports: Kansas State vs. Iowa State at Arrowhead Stadium (2 p.m.)
• ABC/KCRG: Penn State at Illinois
• NBC/KWWL:Washington at Notre Dame
• CBS/KGAN: LSU at Georgia
• ESPN: Florida State at Boston College
• ESPNU: North Carolina State at Wake Forest
• Fox Sports Net: New Mexico at Texas Tech
• Comcast Sports: Western Michigan at Northern Illinois
• Versus:William and Mary at Villanova

Evening games

• BTN: Ohio State at Indiana (6 p.m.)
• ESPN Classic: South Carolina State at South Carolina (6 p.m.)
• ESPNU: Ole Miss at Vanderbilt (6 p.m.)
• Fox Sports Net: Southern Illinois at Western Illinois (6 p.m.)
• Versus: Oregon State at Arizona State (6 p.m.)
• ESPN2: Arkansas vs. Texas A&M at Arlington, Texas (6:30 p.m.)
• ESPN: Auburn at Tennessee (6:45 p.m.) 
• ABC/KCRG: Oklahoma at Miami (7 p.m.)
• ESPNU: Colorado State at Idaho (9:30 p.m.)