October Highlights: ESPN, ESPN2 & ABC

FOOTBALL - NFL October opens with a matchup of elite young running backs when Adrian Peterson and the Vikings visit Reggie Bush and the New Orleans Saints (Oct. 6), followed by back-to-back games featuring last years Super Bowl teams. First, Eli Manning and the NFL champion New York Giants play Derek Anderson and the upstart Cleveland Browns (Oct. 13), the Browns first MNF appearance since 2003. A week later, the defending AFC champion New England Patriots, without MVP Tom Brady, who is out for the season, host Jay Cutler and the Denver Broncos on Oct. 20. Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts close out the first half of the season with a key AFC South division game against Vince Young and the Tennessee Titans in Nashville on Oct. 27. COLLEGE 19 games on ESPN, highlights: * Two blue field appearances by the Boise State Broncos -- vs. Louisiana Tech, Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 8 p.m. and vs. Hawaii, who defeated them last November ending their nine game winning streak, Friday, Oct. 17, at 8 p.m. * Weekly Thursday Night matches at 7:30 p.m., starting with Pittsburgh vs. South Florida, Oct. 2 and ending with South Florida vs. Cincinnati, Oct. 30. 17 games on ESPN2, highlights: * The Troy University Trojans will visit 2007 Sun Belt Coach of the Year Howard Schnellenberger and the Florida Atlantic Owls on the networks primetime schedule Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 8 p.m.; and Appalachian State, winner of three consecutive national titles, will host Wofford on Halloween, Friday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m. NASCAR ABC will provide weekly, live coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with the race Talladega Speedway Sunday, Oct. 5, at 2 p.m. The network will complement its coverage with NASCAR Countdown a 60-minute pre-race program prior to each race. All programs are produced totally in high definition. ESPN2 will televise the practice, qualifying, happy hour and racing action live from Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., starting Thursday, Oct. 9, at 6 p.m. (practice). This months schedule will also include other select qualifying races, including: from Martinsville, Va., Friday, Oct. 17, at 3:30 p.m.; Hampton, Ga., Friday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. and from Ft. Worth, TX, Friday, Oct. 31, at 4:30 p.m. MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ESPNs playoff coverage will include Baseball Tonight, the networks MLB daily news and information program, at 7 p.m. and midnight. The network will also televise a Baseball Tonight World Series Special live Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 8 p.m., and a MLB Special: Pepsi Clutch Awards Sunday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. The ESPN2 schedule will include a Best of Baseball Tonight Web Gem Awards Wednesday, Oct. 22, at midnight (late night Tuesday, Oct. 21). MISCELLANEOUS * NTRA Racing Tour: 2008 Breeders Cup Challenge Woodbine from Lexington, Ken., Saturday, Oct. 4, at 4 p.m. and 2008 Breeders Cup World Championship, Saturday, Oct. 25, at 3:30 p.m.; both live on ESPN. 2008 Breeders Cup Selection Show, from Arcadia, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 5:30 p.m. and the Emirates Airline Countdown to the Breeders Cup Friday, Oct. 24, at 3:30 p.m., both on ESPN2. ESPN CLASSIC REMEMBERS * 1968 World Series, Game 1 (Oct. 2 at 5 p.m.) - Bob Gibson strikes out 17 in Game 1 - 40th Anniversary * 1978 AL East Playoff Game (Oct. 2 at 6 p.m.) Bucky Dent Home Run - 30th Anniversary * 2003 NLCS, Game 6 (Oct. 14 at 5 p.m.) Steve Bartman 5th Anniversary * 1988 World Series, Game 1 (Oct. 15 at 5 p.m.) Kirk Gibson Home Run 20th Anniversary * 2003 ALCS, Game 7 (Oct. 16 at 5 p.m. ) Aaron Boone Home Run 5th Anniversary * 1993 World Series, Game 6 (Oct 23 at 5 p.m.) Joe Carter Home Run 15th Anniversary