The Best of the Sports Shop

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss HBCU band rankings, the Iron Bowl and NFL action for the next coming days. 

Which of the 4 is likely to lose this week's rivalry game: Ohio State vs 15 Michigan, Indiana vs Purdue, Texas A&M vs 16 Texas or Georgia vs 23 Georgia Tech?

The 2025 Iron Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers is scheduled for this weekend Saturday, November 29 at Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn’s home field.  A win or loss in this matchup could have ripple effects across the college football landscape, affecting postseason hopes and, of course, bragging rights. Who will win?

Recent Division I rankings for HBCU bands (as of late 2024 and 2025) show North Carolina A&T and Florida A&M frequently at or near the top, with other bands like Jackson State, Southern University, and Norfolk State also consistently ranked high. What about now?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss the college football playoff rankings.

The latest College Football Playoff rankings shook up one of the most talked-about matchups in the playoff hunt. Leading the pack are Ohio State Buckeyes, Indiana Hoosiers, Texas A&M Aggies, Georgia Bulldogs and Texas Tech Red Raiders (the top five remain unchanged this week).Notably, the Oregon Ducks moved up one spot to No. 6 with a 10-1 record, leap-frogging Ole Miss Rebels, who now sit at No. 7 despite also being 10-1. That shift down for Ole Miss, coached by Lane Kiffin, has stirred up plenty of conversation. What do we think about Ole Miss, Oregon and Lane Kiffin?

The next CFP rankings are next due Tuesday, December 2, and the final official playoff field will be revealed on Sunday, December 7.

Reese, Pam and Alex discuss UNC’s win over St. Bonaventure, Thanksgiving and more.

It is Thanksgiving Eve! What’s your favorite holiday?

Last night, the North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the St. Bonaventure Bonnies 85-70 at the Fort Myers Tip-Off in Florida. North Carolina pulled away in the second half, out-rebounding St. Bonaventure 40-31 and scoring 36 points inside. Henri Veesaar led the Tar Heels with a career-high 24 points and 13 rebounds, while Caleb Wilson added 20 points and 12 boards, marking his fourth consecutive double-double. With the win, North Carolina improves to 6-0, their best start since the 2016‑17 season, while St. Bonaventure falls to 5‑1.

UNC's next game is tomorrow (Thanksgiving) against Michigan State at 4:30 PM. Is this UNC team different than last year's team? What does Reese think?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss the Panthers loss to the 49ers and what the game taught us. 

Reese, Kmac and Pam picked the Panthers to win last night and defeat the Niners. Alex (A-Town) with his infinite wisdom, correctly picked the 49ers to win. What did we learn about the Niners and Panthers last night?

The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Carolina Panthers 20-9 last night on Monday Night Football. The Niners controlled the game on both sides of the ball and showcased a dominant defensive performance paired with a steady, efficient offensive approach. The crew breaks down how the Panthers struggled to generate rhythm offensively, with stalled drives, inconsistent protection and missed chances preventing them from fully capitalizing on their possessions.

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss what the criteria should be for the Heisman Trophy winner. 

Reese is a voter this year for the Heisman. What should be the criteria for the Heisman Trophy winner? What is Reese’s criteria?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss NC State’s loss to Seton Hall and the eve of Thanksgiving Eve.

The No. 23 NC State Wolfpack dropped their 1st game of the season to the unranked Seton Hall Pirates in a 85-74 loss in the opening round of the Maui Invitational at the Lahaina Civic Center. NC State struggled to match Seton Hall’s efficiency, despite a strong performance from Ven-Allen Lubin, who finished with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Turnovers proved costly for the Wolfpack, especially in the second half where they committed seven, helping Seton Hall pull away as the Pirates exploded for 50 second-half points. Did the loss tell us anything about Will Wade and the Pack? 

Today is the eve of Thanksgiving Eve! What Thanksgiving topics will the Sports Shop crew hit tomorrow?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss the upcoming USA Basketball Women’s National Team training camp in Durham and more.

USA Basketball announced that its Women’s National Team will hold a training camp from December 12-14 at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. The camp will feature 18 players, including ten first-time invitees at the senior-team level: Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, Lauren Betts, Sonia Citron, Veronica Burton, Kiki Iriafen, Rickea Jackson and JuJu Watkins. Several veteran players with Olympic and World Cup experience will also participate. The camp will be led by head coach Kara Lawson, with WNBA coaches Natalie Nakase, Nate Tibbetts, and Stephanie White serving as court coaches. USA Basketball’s managing director Sue Bird will use the camp to evaluate players for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin. Will the Sports Shop crew be there?

What happened in college basketball last night?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss the 49ers win over the Panthers.

The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Carolina Panthers 20-9 last night on Monday Night Football. The Niners controlled the game on both sides of the ball and showcased a dominant defensive performance paired with a steady, efficient offensive approach. The crew breaks down how the Panthers struggled to generate rhythm offensively, with stalled drives, inconsistent protection and missed chances preventing them from fully capitalizing on their possessions.

Who is to blame for the loss?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss 2024 quarterbacks and compare Bryce Young and Caleb williams.

Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and Bo Nix were all in the same draft class. The Chicago Bears are 8-3 and the New England Patriots are 10-2. All 4 of these quarterbacks have been playing pretty well. How important is coaching?

The Carolina Panthers (6-5) face the San Francisco 49ers (7-4) tonight on Monday Night Football at 8:15 PM ET at Levi’s Stadium. Major storylines include Christian McCaffrey’s role as the focal point of San Francisco’s offense and the continued development of Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young, who has been leading a fast-paced, aggressive attack with strong fourth-down efficiency. Will the Panthers win?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss the Cowboys win ove the Eagles.

The Cowboys defeated the Eagles 24-21 yesterday, completing a comeback from a 21-point deficit. Dak Prescott led the rally with 354 passing yards, two touchdowns and an 8-yard rushing score, while George Pickens added nine catches for 146 yards and a touchdown. Philadelphia had built its early lead behind Jalen Hurts, who threw a touchdown to A.J. Brown and ran for two more in the first half, but the Eagles’ offense stalled, and key mistakes set up a Cowboys victory. The comeback boosted Dallas to 5-5-1 and handed Philadelphia a frustrating loss. What happened to the Eagles? Are they in trouble? Can the Cowboys keep winning? Can they make the playoffs?

The New York Ginats lost to the Detroit Lions yesterday in overtime. Although they lost the game, Jameis Winston and the Giants looked pretty good. Was Brian Daboll the problem?