Friday » The NHL Winter Classic, NBC, 1 p.m.
The Flyers and Bruins are playing outside at Fenway Park. The NHL has done a great job of making this yearly outdoor game a true classic.

Friday » Gator Bowl, CBS, 1 p.m.
In the final game of the career of Bobby Bowden, Florida State will face West Virginia. This is not the best bowl game of the day, but it’s the end of an era. Every football fan should at least watch a couple of minutes of the game to honor coach Bowden. — Jim Williams

BOLD PREDICTIONS

1. Kentucky will fall off the pace » This isn’t to say that John Calipari’s Wildcats aren’t loaded, because they are. And it isn’t to say that Kentucky won’t win the SEC, because it probably will. But at some point, the other shoe is going to drop in Lexington. The Wildcats are uber-talented, boasting the country’s best freshman (John Wall) and a proven winner patrolling the sideline (Calipari). But they are incredibly young. The best players on the other top teams in the country are upperclassmen. Texas has senior post players Dexter Pittman and Damion James; Kansas counters with senior guard Sherron Collins and junior center Cole Aldrich. Meanwhile, three of Kentucky’s top four scorers are freshmen (Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Beldsoe). When you rely on freshmen, you have to be willing to take your lumps. It took Calipari three attempts in the Elite Eight before he broke through and took Memphis to the national championship game. It wouldn’t be a shock to see Kentucky stumble along the way as well. — James Irwin

2. Ohio State will end the Big Ten’s Rose Bowl drought » It was on the first day of this decade that one of those good ol’ traditional Midwest teams spoiled the party in La-La Land on New Year’s Day. Of course, they haven’t won since: not Purdue, not Michigan (3 times), not Illinois, not Penn State. So, technically, it will actually be the next decade (3,653 days later) when the Big Ten finally enjoys a victory again in Pasadena. Ohio State sophomore QB Terrelle Pryor is due to prove he can win on a huge stage outside of the Horseshoe, and how about against a team he said he was interested in playing for while he was still in high school? But a win for the Buckeyes (10-2) doesn’t prove that the Big Ten is back — look no further than Ann Arbor to be reminded that it isn’t — but instead shows that the Pac-10 is down. Plus, Oregon (10-2) won’t have the college football gods on their side after how ugly the Ducks’ season started in Boise four months ago. — Craig Stouffer