Tuesday’s presidential election is shaping up to be one of the most significant events of the generation, which means it undoubtedly adds all kinds of worry, angst and general unease to the rest of the evening. Sometimes it helps to be distracted, even if for only a brief respite.
So where should sports fans turn on a night like this? The World Series is over, the NBA doesn’t play on Election Day and the NFL wrapped Week 9 on Monday when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in overtime.
Here are five sporting events to potentially help distract during what will likely be a long night of election coverage.
College football: Watch Bowling Green at Central Michigan
Tuesday night in the fall means there is college football action in the MAC. Bowling Green sits second place in the conference, and has played close against strong out of conference opponents such as Penn State. Central Michigan is trying to stop a three-game losing streak and get back on track in conference play.
Central Michigan hosts Bowling Green at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2, which can be watched free by signing up for a seven-day free trial of Fubo.
Watch Central Michigan vs Bowling Green FREE on Fubo
Men’s college basketball: Watch BYU vs. Central Arkansas
The college basketball season tips off on Tuesday for a number of teams, including BYU and new head coach Kevin Young. Former head coach Mark Pope left the Cougars in the offseason, taking over for John Calipari at Kentucky.
BYU just missed the top-25 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll and boasts two potential first-round NBA draft picks. The Cougars look to start off the season right against Central Arkansas. The game begins at 9:00 p.m. ET and is available to watch exclusively via ESPN+.
Watch BYU vs Central Arkansas on ESPN+
Women’s college basketball: Watch NC State vs. ETSU
Three ranked women’s college basketball teams begin their seasons tonight, but only North Carolina State is ranked in the top 10 of the USA TODAY Coaches Poll. The Wolfpack host Eastern Tennessee State in a game in which they are heavy favorites, but this is more about sizing up the Wolfpack for an upcoming home matchup against No. 1 South Carolina this weekend.
NC State and ETSU tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET and the game is available to watch exclusively via ESPN+.
Watch NC State vs ETSU on ESPN+
NHL: Watch every out-of-market NHL game with ESPN+ Power Play
New this year, ESPN+ is offering a new feature called NHL Power Play that allows hockey fans to watch their team play even if they are out of market. Tuesday’s NHL slate features 11 games including some late-night options if you’re staying up worrying about the election.
NHL Power Play will cover more than 1,000 NHL games this season and allows fans to choose between the home and away broadcast while watching. This service is available exclusively through ESPN+.
Watch hockey with NHL Power Play on ESPN+
College football: Watch Miami (OH) at Ball State
In case one MAC college football game wasn’t enough, there is also a second game of #MACtion on Election Day, as Ball State hosts Miami (Ohio) at 8 p.m. The visiting Redhawks are tied for second place in the conference, while the Cardinals are just a game behind.
The game will be televised on ESPN, which can be streamed for free by signing up for a seven-day trial with Fubo.
Watch Miami (OH) at Ball State FREE on Fubo
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