Shane Shoemaker Articles - Page 3

The Ohio State Buckeyes (12-2) are headed to Texas to face the Texas Longhorns (13-2) in the Cotton Bowl this Friday. This College Football Playoff semifinal matchup marks only the third time these two storied programs have met, with the Longhorns holding a 2-1 advantage in the series. The Buckeyes will look to even the […]

Unfortunately for the Atlanta Falcons, their season came to an end after Week 18. The Falcons (8-9) allowed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to reclaim the NFC South by defeating the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Meanwhile, Atlanta failed to secure their own victory, falling to the Carolina Panthers. Now, the Falcons turn their attention to […]

The Miami Dolphins entered Week 18 against the New York Jets with less than a 15% chance of making the AFC playoffs and earning the final seventh seed. And, well, they didn’t disappoint—in the worst way possible. The Dolphins needed help to secure their third straight playoff appearance under head coach Mike McDaniel. First and […]

The Atlanta Falcons’ season came to an end on Sunday, even though it was extended for just a little bit. A Week 18 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers stings for a franchise now missing the playoffs for the seventh straight season. This was supposed to be a season of hope, a season of change. […]

Luckily for the Pittsburgh Steelers, they had already secured a spot in the AFC playoffs weeks prior. If not, their Week 18 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday would have felt much worse. Still, the loss didn’t sit well with anyone in Pittsburgh. The defeat marked the Steelers’ fourth consecutive loss, a stunning collapse […]

Week 18 for the Kansas City Chiefs is set to be a lot less stressful. The Chiefs received the best gift that keeps on giving back on Christmas Day when they beat the Pittsburgh Steelers to capture the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC. That means not only does Kansas City have homefield advantage […]

When Texas failed to beat Georgia for the second time and failed to capture the SEC Championship, they still managed to secure a favorable No. 5 seed, courtesy of a quirky bracket system. The Longhorns looked dominant in their first-round matchup against Clemson, defeating the Tigers 38-24 at home. What awaited them next in the […]

The Oregon Ducks had held the No. 1 ranking in the nation since the initial College Football Playoff rankings were revealed—and with an undefeated record, who could argue? However, after their Rose Bowl loss, the Ducks are no longer unblemished and out of the playoff hunt. The Ducks hoped Wednesday night’s showdown with Ohio State […]

It was supposed to be different this year for the New York Jets. A franchise long defined by the mentality of “we’ll get ’em next year” finally had their “next year.” Yet, with one game remaining in the 2024 season, their 4-12 record feels painfully similar to seasons past. When “next year” began, it ended […]

By Week 2 of the season, the Miami Dolphins’ playoff hopes already seemed dim. Late in the third quarter of a home game against the Buffalo Bills—a constant divisional rival—quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered another concussion. The injury left many questioning not only if he would return in 2024 but if he might consider calling it […]

It’s do-or-die for the Atlanta Falcons in Week 18—and they don’t even have the final say in whether they survive or not. The Falcons (8-8) had a chance to control their own destiny but squandered it with a road loss to the Washington Commanders. Rookie of the Year favorite Jayden Daniels made sure Atlanta never […]

The NFC playoff picture still has some sorting out to do in the final week of the regular season, but the Washington Commanders have secured their spot in the postseason. In a game flexed to Sunday Night Football, the Atlanta Falcons traveled to the nation’s capital to face the Commanders in a matchup with massive […]

The AFC playoff picture remains undecided with one more week to go, but Week 17 delivered a chaotic mix of triumph and heartbreak, keeping postseason hopes alive for some while crushing them for others. The Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins emerged from the weekend with heads held high, each securing another chance to push for […]

The Atlanta Falcons were hoping for a much different result Sunday night against the Washington Commanders. Needing to win their final two games to secure the NFC South crown and a playoff berth, the Falcons faltered. Now, their destiny is out of their hands, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers poised to clinch their fourth consecutive […]

The Georgia Bulldogs are back in the Sugar Bowl for the first time since the 2020 game, when they defeated the Baylor Bears 26-14. This time, the stakes are much higher, as they take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a quarterfinal matchup of the College Football Playoff. It’s been a turbulent road for […]

The Atlanta Falcons entered Sunday Night Football against the Washington Commanders in what felt like a must-win game. Unfortunately for Atlanta, it was the Commanders who emerged victorious, securing not only the win but also a spot in the NFC playoffs—something the Falcons now find increasingly out of reach. Winning in Week 17 wouldn’t have […]

Though it didn’t always look certain, the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs were able to win the SEC Championship and earn a first-round bye as one of the four highest ranked conference champions to play in this year’s Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs (11-2) will now play No. 5 Notre Dame (12-1) in a quarterfinal matchup of […]

Notre Dame capitalized on their third College Football Playoff appearance, defeating Indiana 27-17 in the first round. The Fighting Irish kicked off the new 12-team playoff format in style, hosting the very first home playoff game in a snowy South Bend. Now, they’re headed to a much more comfortable setting—at least weather-wise—as they travel to […]

It was clear that Tennessee was severely outmatched in nearly every facet against Ohio State in the first round of the College Football Playoff. It seemed obvious after the lopsided defeat that changes needed to be made, where dipping into transfer portal could fix to narrow the talent gap, should the Vols face similar competition […]

Week 17’s Sunday Night Football matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders has become a crucial game in the NFC playoff picture. So much so that the NFL flexed that game to Sunday night. The Falcons (8-7) have clawed their way back into first place in the NFC South, while the Commanders (10-5) remain […]

It wasn’t exactly a holly jolly Christmas for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who suffered a humbling 29-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on a day traditionally better for giving than receiving. Unfortunately for the Steelers (10-6), they gave the Chiefs (15-1) the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. […]

Texas football didn’t secure the SEC Championship as many had hoped or expected they would, earning a first-round bye, but the Longhorns are still alive and advancing in the College Football Playoff. The No. 3 Longhorns took care of business in the first round, defeating ACC Champion No. 16 Clemson in Austin. Awaiting Texas in […]

The Kansas City Chiefs (14-1) have already secured a spot in the AFC playoffs, clinching their ninth consecutive AFC West title weeks ago. With only one loss on the season, Kansas City continues to dominate. But their work isn’t done yet. The Chiefs still need to clinch the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC […]

There are still two weeks left in the NFL regular season, and Year 1 under Jim Harbaugh is going almost exactly as planned for the Los Angeles Chargers. At 9-6, the Chargers are having their best season since 2022, when they finished 10-7 and made their last postseason appearance. Although they’ve significantly improved from their […]

The Los Angeles Rams solidified their hold on the NFC West after Week 16 with a win over the New York Jets, maintaining the top spot in a division that has been in constant flux all season. With the regular season winding down, the Rams appear to have taken control at just the right time. […]

The Atlanta Falcons have put themselves back in control of the NFC South. After enduring a rough patch with four consecutive losses and nearly tripping over themselves in a close win against the struggling Las Vegas Raiders, they have now regained some stability with two straight victories. But their return to the top of the […]

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the NFC playoff picture is beginning to take shape, but much remains unsettled. Only two teams, the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles, have clinched playoff spots, leaving the other five seeds up for grabs. It’s shaping up to be a thrilling race that could come down […]

The Atlanta Falcons turned heads during the NFL Draft in April with one of the most surprising selections in recent memory. It wasn’t necessarily the player, quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who raised eyebrows—he was considered a first-round talent by many—but rather the context surrounding the No. 8 overall pick. Penix was projected to be drafted […]

No. 6 Ohio State is headed to the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff, where they’ll face No. 1 Oregon in the Rose Bowl this weekend. The Buckeyes are coming off one of their most dominant performances of the season, defeating No. 7 Tennessee 42-17 in a convincing home playoff victory. Before the game, Ohio […]

After three weeks of home games, the Minnesota Vikings hit the road in Week 16, traveling to the Pacific Northwest to face the Seattle Seahawks. Though the Vikings (12-2) have already clinched a spot in the NFC playoff picture, the battle for the NFC North remains alive, as they aim to overtake the Detroit Lions. […]

The Atlanta Falcons are back at home in Week 16, where they’ll be hosting the New York Giants. Just days before the matchup, things took a twist, as there will be a new starting quarterback for the Falcons. After weeks of struggling and emphasizing he had faith in Kirk Cousins, Falcons coach Raheem Morris had […]

Notre Dame and Indiana have the distinct honor of kicking off the first-ever College Football Playoff first-round matchup on Friday night. The No. 7 Fighting Irish will host the No. 10 Hoosiers in South Bend, in what’s shaping up to be a cold and possibly snowy evening. The Irish (11-1) missed out on a first-round […]

For those who managed to stomach the game, the Atlanta Falcons delivered yet another lackluster showing on Monday Night Football in Week 15. At least it ended with a victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. It almost wasn’t, though. The Falcons squeaked out a 15-9 win, scoring just one touchdown, along with a safety and […]

With just a couple of weeks remaining in the regular season, it looked bleak for the Clemson Tigers to make the College Football Playoff. Yet here they are, making their return—albeit in the new 12-team format—for the first time since 2020. That was thanks to a late-season push and an ACC Championship Game victory over […]

For the first time on one of their home turfs, Tennessee and Ohio State will meet this Saturday in a first-round College Football Playoff matchup. The No. 9-seeded Volunteers will head into “The Horseshoe” to take on the No. 8-seeded Buckeyes, marking only the second meeting in history between these two storied programs. Out of […]

The NFC playoff picture is becoming much clearer with Week 15 now in the books. One of the biggest surprises is the Los Angeles Rams, a team once thought to be out of contention, now taking over the NFC West division, after their low-scoring win over the San Francisco 49ers. Their resurgence has vaulted them […]

For three weeks, the Seattle Seahawks (8-6) were sitting atop the NFC West, having defeated the San Francisco 49ers—winners of the last two division titles—and the Arizona Cardinals in back-to-back weeks. They followed that success with wins over the New York Jets and a second victory against the Cardinals. Then came their Week 15 matchup […]

Week 15 in the NFL helped make the AFC playoff picture a little clearer. Some teams, like the No. 2-seeded Pittsburgh Steelers, secured a playoff spot without even picking up a win. In a battle for Pennsylvania, the Steelers traveled to Philadelphia for a showdown between the top seeds in each conference. However, it was […]

There hasn’t been a better team in college football this season than the Oregon Ducks. Their perfect 9-0 record speaks for itself, along with their No. 1 ranking in the College Football Playoff, which has remained unchanged since the initial rankings were released back in Week 10. In a season where perfection was rare and […]