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.”
Miami, FL
Man shot during $22,000 gold chain robbery at Supreme store in Miami’s Design District; Atlanta suspects arrested
Three men were arrested Saturday after a robbery inside a Miami clothing store left a man shot and hospitalized, according to Miami police and arrest affidavits.
The incident happened Friday afternoon in Miami’s popular Design District neighborhood.
Police said officers were dispatched around 4:20 p.m. Friday to the area of Miami Avenue and Northeast 41st Street after receiving reports of a man who had been shot. Officers found the victim, who told them he had been robbed and shot while shopping inside a Supreme store located at 45 NE 41st Street.
According to investigators, the victim said he was approached by three suspects inside the store, including one person with whom he had a prior conflict originating from the Atlanta area. Police said an argument broke out, and one suspect forcibly removed a gold chain from the victim’s neck. The chain was valued at approximately $22,000, according to police.
As the suspect ran out of the store, the victim attempted to chase him, police said. During the pursuit, an unidentified male shot the victim once in the stomach. The suspects then fled the area in a white Mercedes-Benz, according to the arrest affidavits.
Miami Police detectives later located the suspect vehicle parked near Northeast 10th Avenue and Northeast 91st Terrace. Police said they conducted surveillance and observed the suspects abandon the vehicle and walk through a nearby residential area before entering a home in the 800 block of Northeast 90th Street.
A residential search warrant was executed, resulting in the arrest of three suspects. During the search, detectives recovered the victim’s gold chain, keys to the suspect vehicle, and clothing believed to have been worn during the robbery, police said.
The suspects were identified as Jamar McKay, 25, Omarion Phillips, 20, and Kevieon Smith, 21. McKay was charged with armed robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon. Phillips and Smith were charged as accessories after the fact, with Smith also facing an additional firearms-related charge, according to court records.
“This arrest sends a clear message: violent crime will not be tolerated in the City of Miami,” Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales said in a statement. “Individuals who commit acts of violence in our city will be identified, located, and held fully accountable.”
Miami, FL
Miami Hurricanes arrive in Phoenix to continue Fiesta Bowl preparations
Miami Hurricanes arrive in Phoenix
Miami Hurricanes arrive in Phoenix on Jan. 5, 2026, ahead of their matchup with the Ole Miss Rebels at the 2026 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
The Miami Hurricanes are looking to buck a bad trend. They’re 0-4 in the Fiesta Bowl.
Coach Mario Cristobal’s team gets its fifth shot this week as Miami (12-2) squares off against Mississippi (13-1) in the Fiesta Bowl at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 8 at State Farm Stadium. The school may be 0-4 historically, but there is plenty at stake. This Fiesta Bowl is serving as a College Football Playoff semifinal.
The Hurricanes, the No. 10 seed in the 12-team playoff field, arrived at 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 5, at the Ragsdale Executive Terminal of Sky Harbor Airport. The opposing team is expected 24 hours later.
The gathered crowd of 100 or so was made of members of the Fiesta Bowl Committee, easily identifiable in their yellow jackets, and their families.
In the past, there had been a welcome event in a tent adjacent to the runway. The coach typically made an opening statement, but players and coaches walked off the plane and straight to their buses parked nearby.
Players, dressed in white sweatsuits, filed off their American Airlines flight in single file on a blue carpet.
The players will take part in a media day on Jan. 6 at a Scottsdale hotel, with the coaches talking to the media the following day, the eve of the contest.
The Hurricanes enter on the heels of a six-game winning streak. Their last loss came on Nov. 1 against SMU, a game decided in double overtime 26-20. They have surrendered just 17 points in their two postseason games.
The winner advances to the national championship game on Jan. 19 against the winner of the other semifinal, the Peach Bowl between Oregon and Indiana.
Miami, FL
This Miami Developer Is Leaning Into Miami’s Surging Mansion Market
Naoshi Matsumoto has found a niche in the Miami luxury new-development scene—long dominated by glittering, amenity-packed condo buildings—in ultra-private, design-driven single-family waterfront homes.
As the founder of Sunland Group, the developer oversees architecture, construction and brokerage under a single umbrella, a setup that gives the firm unusual creative control in every step of building and selling a home. Given this level of autonomy, Matsumoto has shaped some of the city’s most luxurious stand-alone residences over the past decade.
His approach is on full display with his latest project: Marea Collection, four waterfront homes inside Belle Meade, an upscale gated enclave. Two of the houses Casa Vista and Casa Coral—each priced at $10 million—have hit the market. Casa Coral was developed in collaboration with the Chilean architect Gonzalo Mardones.
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With more high-net-worth buyers trading penthouses for stand-alone homes—drawn by privacy, space and the appeal of living directly on the water—Matsumoto has found himself at the center of one of Miami’s gradual shifts in taste. He spoke to Mansion Global about why some buyers are rethinking condo life, what they’re seeking instead, and how he sees the city’s next wave of waterfront architecture evolving in the years ahead.
Mansion Global: What drives a Miami’s luxury buyer to move away from condo living and toward a stand-alone home?
Naoshi Matsumoto: High HOA fees that don’t provide the level of services buyers expect when they purchase a luxury condominium is the primary reason. We’re also seeing concerns about privacy, as well as the desire for a true waterfront lifestyle that enables buyers to house their personal boats in their backyard. It’s worth noting, too, that the price point of single-family waterfront homes today, like those in Marea Collection, is comparable to that of ultra-luxury condominiums. This makes the concept even more compelling to both current condo owners as well as those deciding between the two asset types.
Are condo owners expressing interest in the Marea Collection?
Most of our buyer interest is from current luxury-condo owners. The majority of them note a desire for increased privacy and the opportunity for true waterfront living as the main reasons they are considering making the switch.
How does Sunland Group’s vertically integrated model influence the way you design and deliver a home?
The close collaboration and ongoing involvement between the architects, construction team and brokers lead to more unified decision-making, which streamlines every process. Each detail is analyzed from multiple perspectives, resulting in homes that are architecturally appealing, functional and thoughtfully designed.
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Indoor-outdoor living is central to your work. What core design principles guide your waterfront projects?
We explore distinct modern expressions within a shared design language to give each home a unique identity while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic. Because this aesthetic is more minimal, it enables you to draw the outdoors in beautifully, which is crucial for leveraging a waterfront home’s most desirable aspect: the water. In this way, the surrounding areas, with the waterways and views, become a signature design element.
We also rely heavily on a warm color palette, floor-to-ceiling windows, sliding glass doors, and multiple outdoor spaces to further integrate the outdoors. There is an inherent ease to waterfront living due to the desire to allow the natural landscape to take a more prominent role. These elements combined help blur the lines between indoors and out to create a sense of luxury and serenity.
Tell us about the Belle Meade neighborhood.
When we first came across Belle Meade and the four adjacent sites, we saw an immense opportunity, both in the amount of private waterfront access each residence would have, as well as the proximity to the open waterways. People not only want immediate access to water but also to be able to get out of the winding canals quickly and easily. Belle Meade enabled all of this, which is a rarity. The neighborhood is also an incredibly private and exclusive community, something buyers at this price point tend to appreciate. These elements, combined with a commute time of just 10 to 20 minutes to both Brickell and the Design District, make Belle Meade one of Miami’s best hidden gems.
What’s influencing what today’s luxury buyers want?
Many luxury buyers, especially those relocating from other states, prefer a move-in-ready home to avoid the extended timelines associated with design and ground-up development. While some degree of personalization is expected, it typically occurs through interior design elements such as furniture, art, and lighting rather than through structural or material changes.
Buyers are especially drawn to architectural elements such as refined wall paneling, purpose-designed niches, thoughtfully proportioned art walls, and spatial layouts that accommodate sculpture and large-scale artwork. They also place a high value on functional, open floor plans that allow luxury furniture pieces to be showcased as part of the overall spatial composition.
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Where do you see the greatest opportunity for the next wave of luxury single-family development in Miami?
Many buyers are beginning to look toward lesser-known waterfront neighborhoods such as Belle Meade, where architectural character, lot sizes, and street layouts offer a more intimate, curated residential experience. As true waterfront parcels become increasingly scarce and values continue to rise, these emerging enclaves present both strong investment fundamentals and an appealing architectural setting.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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