If you’re planning on watching WWE SmackDown tonight from Rosemont, Ill., we’ve got some unusual advice for you: Don’t tune in to FOX.
No, SmackDown hasn’t switched networks on a regular basis, though it will next fall when it makes the jump to USA. This is a temporary thing necessitated by FOX’s coverage of an unusually important college football rivalry game.
The Oregon State Beavers will visit the Oregon Ducks in a game that has major implications for the upcoming College Football Playoff. Because of that, SmackDown will be on FS1, where it has aired in similar situations in the past.
(Added note: FS1 is also airing a rebroadcast of SmackDown at 10 p.m., as soon as the first showing is over, meaning you can catch it later if needed.)
Most recently, SmackDown had to hop over to FS1 due to a conflict with the 2023 World Series. Fortunately, the Texas Rangers managed to win the championship quickly enough that only one week was affected.
FOX has some other big college football games coming up down the stretch of 2023, but none of them are on Friday nights, so you’ll only need to make the switch to FS1 tonight. As an alternative, you can always circle back here to Wrestling Junkie, as we do live blogs for every episode of SmackDown.