Miami, FL

College football playoff predictions: Arizona State, Miami in; Ole Miss, Colorado out

Published

1 year ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

College football playoff predictions: Arizona State, Miami in; Ole Miss, Colorado out

RJ Young

FOX Sports National College Football Analyst

How unpredictable has the 2024 college football season been?

Kansas has one of those records that tells bold-faced lies to your face. We knew the Jayhawks were good. That’s why they were ranked among the 25 best teams in the country heading into this season by both myself and the Associated Press. So, while KU became the first team ever with a losing record in the FBS to win three games in a row against top 25 programs, it shocked few that Lance Leipold’s team accomplished this feat. It’s been more shocking that this team only began to find its form after the halfway mark of the season. Kansas could just as easily have been a CFP-projected selection like Arizona State is now, even after a 3-9 2023 season.

But that’s how unpredictable this year has been and how expectations for what a team can achieve remain volatile — even with the postseason just one week away. Colorado, a team that went 4-8 last year and lost to unranked Kansas last week, can still make the CFP. Indiana, a team that had won just nine games over the previous three years combined, is one win from securing its first 11-win season in program history. And, yes, the Hoosiers can make the CFP.

And now its rivalry week — the last week of a regular season that has seen all but one team suffer a loss. Unlikely upsets have been a common theme and 2024’s most exciting trait. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out my projections suffer from that volatility at least one more time.

With that said, here are my updated CFP projections:

1. Oregon
Conference: Big Ten
Record: 11-0

2. Texas
Conference: SEC
Record: 10-1

3. SMU
Conference: ACC
Record: 10-1

4. Arizona State
Conference: Big 12
Record: 9-2

5. Ohio State
Conference: Big Ten
Record: 9-1

6. Notre Dame
Conference: Independent
Record: 10-1

7. Penn State
Conference: Big Ten
Record: 10-1

8. Indiana
Conference: Big Ten
Record: 10-1

9. Georgia
Conference: SEC
Record: 9-2

10. Miami (Fla.)
Conference: ACC
Record: 10-1

11. Tennessee
Conference: SEC
Record: 9-2

12. Boise State
Conference: Mountain West
Record: 10-1

QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS

1. Oregon: Bye (would then play the winner of 8. Indiana vs. 9. Georgia)

2. Texas: Bye (would then play the winner of 7. Penn State vs. 10. Miami)

3. SMU: Bye (would then play the winner of 6. Notre Dame vs. 11. Tennessee)

4. Arizona State: Bye (would then play the winner of 5. Ohio State vs. 12. Boise State)

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS

5. Ohio State vs. 12. Boise State

As Ashton Jeanty continues to move toward breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record — needing just 566 rushing yards — a date with an Ohio State team could make for an explosive affair.

The Buckeye defense has proven stingy, holding teams to just 241.7 yards per game this season, but no team has proven capable of stopping Jeanty.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty has helped lead the Broncos to a 10-1 record this season. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

6. Notre Dame vs. 11. Tennessee

Each program boasts an outstanding tailback. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love has rushed for 850 yards at 7.0 yards per carry this season, while Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson has rushed for 1,307 yards with 22 touchdowns through 11 games. The last time the Vols played at Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish won 41-21 in 2005.

Notre Dame sits at 10-1 heading into the final week of the regular season. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)

7. Penn State vs. 10. Miami

Cam Ward and the Hurricanes would take their high-powered offense to Happy Valley against Penn State’s capable defense. The Hurricanes have the No. 1 scoring offense in the country (44.7 points per game), while the Nittany Lions rank No. 11 in scoring defense (14.6 points per game).

Cam Ward and the Miami Hurricanes feature the top-ranked scoring offense in the country. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

8. Indiana vs. 9. Georgia

In what might be the surest test of the Big Ten’s mettle against SEC power Georgia, this game could help set a new standard for not just how the Big Ten must be considered in the future, but Indiana as well. Hoosier fans would not have expected to play in the CFP in August.

Georgia QB Carson Beck has thrown for 3,132 yards and 23 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. (Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast “The Number One College Football Show.” Follow him at @RJ_Young.

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Miami, FL

Tua Tagovailoa will return to Miami for preseason contest against Dolphins

Published

2 hours ago

May 14, 2026

Press Room

Tua Tagovailoa will return to Miami for preseason contest against Dolphins

The full 2026 NFL schedule was released on Thursday night — including dates and times for all 17 regular season Miami Dolphins games. However, following that release, the NFL also released preseason schedules for all teams — and a familiar face will be returning to Miami to face-off against the team that made him the #5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was released by the Dolphins this offseason, but quickly found a new home in Atlanta with the Falcons. During the final week of preseason action, Tagovailoa will be returning to South Florida when the Falcons play the Dolphins on Friday, August 28th at 7:00 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium.

It is not uncommon for NFL teams to practice against each other for a few days leading up to a preseason showdown, so Tagovailoa may find himself on familiar ground for longer than one game if the Dolphins and Falcons choose to mix it up in Miami Gardens ahead of their Week 3 preseason tilt.

Of course, plenty of teams rest starters during the final week of the preseason, so Tagovailoa may not actually end up seeing the playing field when the game kicks off, but seeing the former first-rounder on the sidelines again in Miami — albeit on the visiting sideline this time around — will be a peculiar sight nonetheless.

We will continue to keep you updated on all things Miami Dolphins as the march towards the preseason — and regular season — continues on through the summer.

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Miami, FL

Miami residents sue over land for Trump presidential library

Published

14 hours ago

May 14, 2026

Press Room

Miami residents sue over land for Trump presidential library

A group of Miami residents has filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump and the state of Florida over a land giveaway for his proposed presidential library.

Almost three acres of prime waterfront land that once belonged to Miami Dade College (MDC) was illegally gifted to the US president by Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, the lawsuit states.

It cites the domestic emoluments clause of the US constitution that prohibits a sitting president from receiving any personal gain, profit or advantage from their position.

The action was brought in US district court for the southern district of Florida by the Washington DC-based Constitutional Accountability Center (CAC) on behalf of plaintiffs including an MDC student, a Miami non-profit, and residents, who state the land “is no longer available to serve MDC’s student community and downtown Miami”.

Instead, the filing states, “the land will house a Trump hotel that brings riches to the President”.

Plans for the “gaudy” project were unveiled in March, to be built next to Miami’s iconic Freedom Tower, the historical landmark and community art museum. A giant golden statue of the president will stand before a 50-story tower block that will feature the controversial $400m Boeing “flying palace” jumbo jet gifted to him by Qatar, but not yet in service, in its cavernous lobby.

At the time, Trump said the building was “most likely going to be a hotel”.

The land on which it will sit, the lawsuit said, is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

“Rather than prevent President Trump from using the gifted land for personal gain, Florida … required that the conveyed land include only ‘components of a Presidential library, museum, and/or center’, leaving the door open for the President to develop the property in any way he sees fit,” the CAC said in a statement.

The library has already been the subject of one lawsuit that claimed MDC trustees, most of them handpicked by DeSantis, erred by originally handing the land to the state in September during an unadvertised meeting with no public discussion.

The board held a do-over in December, and voted unanimously to proceed with the transfer.

The Guardian has contacted the Trump Presidential Library Foundation and DeSantis’s office for comment.

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Miami, FL

Inter Miami CF scores three late goals to defeat FC Cincinnati, 5-3

Published

1 day ago

May 13, 2026

Press Room

Inter Miami CF scores three late goals to defeat FC Cincinnati, 5-3

To no one’s surprise, FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami CF engaged in a scorefest May 13 at TQL Stadium.

A hat trick by one of the best goalscorers in the history of the game, Lionel Messi, sparked Miami to a 5-3 win. Miami scored three times from the 79th minute on to come from behind.

A sellout crowd of 25,513 witnessed the showdown, the club’s sixth home sellout of the season.

FC Cincinnati falls to 4-5-4, staying at 16 points, taking its first loss since April 4 at Red Bull New York. Miami improves to 7-2-4 for 25 points, improving to 7-1-1 on the road this season. Miami moved into second place in the Eastern Conference behind Nashville. Cincinnati started the night tied for fifth but could drop depending on games later on.

Second half highlights as FC Cincinnati squandered a late lead

Cincinnati took a 3-2 lead in the 64th minute.

Evander fired a rocket from the top of the 18 into the top left corner. Deneky passed ahead to him, then he maneuvered around two defenders, and no one stepped up to him. It is Evander’s seventh goal of the season.

Miami tied it in the 80th minute, 3-3.

After a Cincy turnover, Rodrigo De Paul quickly found Messi in transition, who delivered to Mateo Silvetti. Silvetti, playing his first game in a month, maneuvered in space and scored from the top of the box for his fourth of the season.

Miami took a 4-3 lead in the 83rd. A Messi free kick from 35 yds was saved by Cincy keeper Roman Celentano. He collided with Andrei Chirila, which knocked the ball out of his hands. Miami’s German Berterame pounced on the rebound to give Miami the lead, his fourth goal of the season.

Chirila landed hard after the collision and was taken out of the game.

Miami took a 5-3 lead when Messi made a sliding shot after a cross from Silvetti. The ball went off the post, then off Roman Celentano, who was on his stomach trying to get the ball, then in. Messi was credited with the goal and a hat trick.

FC Cincinnati took a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute.

Pavel Bucha scored from close range. He took a crossing pass from Bryan Ramirez after Denkey found him on the left side in transition.

It was Bucha’s second goal of the MLS season and the second assist for Ramirez. Bucha was hit in the head late in the first half and examined by trainers, but stayed in the game.

Moments later, Messi had a free kick from 30 yards saved by Celentano.

Messi scored again in the 56th minute to tie it, 2-2. He had a nice give-and-go with Rodrigo De Paul, who dribbled near the end line and crossed to him from the right side. Messi was unmarked and scored easily from near the penalty spot.

In the 62nd minute, Luis Suarez missed an open shot that Celentano saved, set up by a quick transition by Miami.

Miami ended with 17 shots to 10 for Cincinnati, six on target. After an even first half, Miami controlled the expected-goals mark, with 4 to 1.6 for the home team.

First half highlights

Messi scored from close range in the 24th off a turnover by Matt Miazga. Miazga tried to pass to a teammate on the side but the pass went straight to Messi.

He had a goal in the fifth minute waved off by offsides.

In the 32nd minute, Cincinnati won a corner kick, which Evander placed right in front of the goal line but the ball was cleared away.

In the 42nd minute, a Kevin Denkey penalty kick tied it up. Denkey drew the PK after collecting a good pass into the box by Pavel Bucha and being grabbed by Gonzalo Lujan. Denkey converted for his team-high eighth goal of the season.

The first half was tied 1-1 and virtually even on statistics. Both sides had seven shots, one on goal, and 1.1 expected goals. Neither keeper made a save.

What’s next for FC Cincinnati?

Cincinnati heads to the West Coast to play San Diego FC 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16. It is the first meeting between the teams. San Diego, 3-5-4 for 13 points, was set to play Austin later May 13. Cincinnati will leave for California on May 14.

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