Miami, FL
Picking the winner in Miami vs. USF
After back-to-back victories against top 25 opponents, USF will look to make it three in a row when it takes on No. 5 Miami on Saturday. The Bulls took out Florida on the road last week after beating Boise State in Week 1 and now have the Hurricanes on their radar.
Before last week, there might have been a chance of Miami overlooking USF. However, college football analyst Josh Pate knows that won’t be happening now.
“Miami knows that they’ve got Florida coming up,” Pate said on Josh Pate’s College Football Show. “They’ve got some tough games. They go to Florida State in a few weeks. The way this game did profile at the beginning of the year is, Alex Golesh could sneak in there if Miami’s not careful.’ Well, just erase all that. Everybody’s attention is on this game.”
The Bulls have certainly earned their respect at this point, but do they have what it takes to pull off another upset? They enter the contest as 17.5-point underdogs according to BetMGM.
Byrum Brown gives USF a dynmaic dual-threat playmaker at quarterback. But in order for the Bulls to find magic again, Pate believes the red zone will play a big factor on both offense and defense.
“I think USF would have to tilt the red zone heavily in their favor,” he said. “Any time they got down there, it needs to be seven. And if Miami gets down there, which they’re going to, threes at most. Somehow, someway, Todd Orlando, his guys gotta come through in the red zone. The second thing is, that Miami secondary has looked good, but it hasn’t been tested nine times yet. So maybe there’s a leak or two that can be found in that Miami secondary. Maybe it’s not quite the impenatrable unit that they want it to be at this point in the season. Maybe you find a staff mismatch. Maybe you force them into some uncomfortable positions.
“Here’s why this is really tough. You’ve got everyone’s attention. The good news is you won last week. The bad news is you won last week. This is the best team you’ve played so far by my estimation. …Teams rarely play up three weeks in a row. USF beat Boise convincingly in Week 1. They go into The Swamp and win last week. That’s maybe one of the biggest wins in the history of that program. Now you’re gonna go play Miami and you’ve gotta be up a third straight week. Normally, it doesn’t happen. Even for the great programs.”
In the end, Pate believes a more experienced quarterback in Carson Beck compared to what USF faced last week in DJ Lagway could be the difference leading to a Miami win. He picked the Hurricanes to win handily and put an end to the Bulls’ run.
“Carson Beck knows how to take what you give him,” Pate said. “DJ Lagway last week, it felt like Florida kept trying to hit home runs all night when all they needed was singles. Carson Beck will single you to death. …Now, he can pop it over the top if you give it to him, but they don’t care. They’ll go on 13-play drives all night and be fine with it. Miami’s got takeover potential on both sides of the line of scrimmage in this game.”
“…I don’t think this is a good spot at all for USF. I fully credit them for making this game matter to the degree it does. I’m gonna take Miami to win and cover. I think it’s like a 20-point win. By the way, if USF loses this game and anyone in their right mind looks and says, ‘See, told you they shouldn’t have been ranked that high last week,’ you are muted — maybe even blocked — from the channel.”
A player who spent most of the 2025 season with College Football Playoff finalist Miami has now joined the Indiana program ahead of the national championship game.
Tight end Brock Schott was with the Hurricanes until Jan. 2 when he entered the NCAA transfer portal as Miami was still in the playoff.
Last week, he committed to the Hoosiers, before they went on to make the national title game, too.
Schott announced on Jan. 5 that he was joining the Indiana program.
The addition of Schott could give the Hoosiers an advantage as the freshman from Indiana knows the Miami playbook, as well as the team’s signals.
Brock Schott appeared in two games for Miami this season, catching a pair of passes for 24 yards. Both of his catches came in a 45-3 win over Bethune-Cookman.
Prior to joining the Miami program, Schott was a four-star recruit who was one of the top tight end prospects in the country.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound player caught 28 passes for 462 yards and five touchdowns as a senior at Leo High School. He also played defense, recording 52 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles in 11 games.
Schott had an even better season as a junior, catching 35 passes for 743 yards and six touchdowns. Defensively, he had 32 tackles for loss and 19 sacks as a junior.
Miami and Indiana are set to meet in the national championship game on Monday, Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Rumors have swirled around Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball for several seasons, recently heating up ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season. Despite coming into the season with a promising young core, headlined by the All-Star guard, Charlotte’s struggles have persisted.
Ball has been largely inefficient in a new-look rotation, shooting just 41% from the field, tying the second-lowest mark of his career thus far. Monitoring teams around the league, several suitors could offer enticing returns for Ball, but one Eastern Conference club is one of the more sensible destinations for the Hornets guard: the Miami Heat. Here’s a mock trade that sees Ball moved to South Beach:
Charlotte Hornets-Miami Heat Mock Trade & Fantasy Basketball Impact
Charlotte Hornets receive Andrew Wiggins, Simone Fontecchio, 2029 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick
Miami Heat receive LaMelo Ball
A trade to a consistent playoff contender could help Ball overcome lasting narratives that have surrounded the star point guard. Fans, media personnel and coaches alike have speculated over Ball’s commitment and ability to buy in throughout his career, something that could be overcome with a trade to the Heat.
In Miami, Ball could contribute to a winning culture for a team prepared to re-enter title contention after moving on from Jimmy Butler last season. The Heat would roll out a big-three consisting of Ball, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, a trio that has the potential to emerge as one of the top in the NBA.
From a fantasy basketball standpoint, his stock could take a noticeable leap in an improved situation. Ball would take on greater scoring responsibility, while retaining his role as the offense’s primary ball-handler. With two co-stars and a plethora of perimeter shooters, he could overcome an inconsistent start to the season and hit his stride down the stretch of the year.
Why The Hornets Make The Trade
While Ball has brought his stardom to the Hornets, the team has struggled throughout his career, failing to reach the postseason in his first six seasons. Charlotte has pieced together a promising young wing duo of Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, two key contributors for the Hornets to build around as they establish an improved culture over the next several seasons. While he’s just 24 years old, I’m not confident Ball fits alongside this hypothetical new-look Hornets club, considering previous frustrations with the team.
Why The Heat Make The Trade
Miami has sought a trade for a star player to help the team return to title contention, a billing that Ball fits perfectly. He presents a consistent floor general to help the Heat’s offense overcome a slow start to the season, ranking 20th in the NBA in defensive rating to this point of the season (114.8). I love Ball’s fit alongside the likes of Herro and Adebayo, taking pressure off the two All-Stars with consistent playmaking and versatile scoring ability. The Ball-led Heat would be set up for title contention over the next several years.
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