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

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


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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:

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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

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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

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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)

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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.

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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

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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)

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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

Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza is coming to Miami, led by legendary pizzaiolo chef Bun

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Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza is coming to Miami, led by legendary pizzaiolo chef Bun


If you’re a diehard pizza fanatic in Miami, you’ll soon be able to check another renowned style off your list without leaving home. Arriving in October 2026, Royale Pizza Napoletana will debut at 1680 Meridian Avenue, introducing South Florida to the exceptionally precise world of Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza. This highly anticipated opening marks the monumental stateside arrival of legendary Japanese pizzaiolo Chef Bun, the mastermind behind Tokyo’s genre-defining concept, Savoy.

RECOMMENDED: Where to find the best pizza in Miami

The restaurant is the brainchild of banking entrepreneur and restaurateur Jess Varughese, the innovator behind Miami’s ultra-exclusive, members-only hotspot, Haiku. After experiencing Chef Bun’s “perfect pizzas” during a trip to Japan, Varughese envisioned bringing this science-driven culinary movement to sunny South Florida. To ensure absolute authenticity, Varughese assembled an elite culinary team. Alongside Chef Bun, the kitchen features Haiku Executive Chef Albert Diaz and Chef Dalila Sabatino, a rising pizzaiola talent praised by Bun who previously trained at Los Angeles’ acclaimed Pizzeria Sei.

Photograph: Courtesy Royale Pizza NapoletanaRoyale Pizza Napoletana

What sets Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza apart is its rigorous, chemistry-like execution. At Royale, the dough undergoes a meticulous 30+ hour fermentation process. Varughese and his team spent hundreds of hours adjusting the recipe, combining artisan flours with the Autolyse technique and even altering Miami’s water softness to match Japan’s famously soft water. Pizzas are then baked fresh in an 800-degree oven. The resulting crust achieves an ethereal balance of lightness, chewiness, char and crunch. As Varughese notes, having Chef Bun’s 20-plus years of innovation on board elevates the entire culinary game.

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Royale will be fast-casual, yet polished, with seating for 65 guests including a large community table at its center. Staying true to an accessible vibe, the restaurant will operate on a first-come, first-served walk-in basis with no reservations, though takeout and delivery will be available. You’ll order at a main counter from a carefully curated menu featuring antipasti, two pastas, two mains and seven distinct pizzas—including four traditional options and three specials. This is a pizza spot that deserves the hype, so stay up to date on their progress at @royalenapoletana ahead of the official October launch.





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Miami, FL

Girl, 12, shot while sitting in parked car in northwest Miami-Dade, deputies say

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Girl, 12, shot while sitting in parked car in northwest Miami-Dade, deputies say


MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A 12-year-old girl was shot in the arm after gunfire erupted in a northwest Miami-Dade neighborhood early Tuesday morning, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said they responded just before 1 a.m. to the area of Northwest 64th Street and Northwest 21st Avenue in the county’s Gladeview area, where they found three vehicles struck by gunfire, including a silver Hyundai.

“The car was parked outside of the residence. It was occupied by three juveniles, so it was the girl and her two siblings that were in the vehicle. The mom was outside of the vehicle at the time, so this could have been a very different outcome,” MDSO Detective Samantha Choon said.

Authorities said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue medics transported the girl to a nearby hospital in stable condition.

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A family member of the victim told Local 10’s Jackie Pascale that the girl is now home and doing OK.

They said neither her siblings nor their mother was injured in the shooting.

According to investigators, no arrests have been made, and detectives have not released any suspect information at this time.

Neighbor Marie Grimes said she was shaken after hearing multiple gunshots.

“I heard the booms — boom, boom, boom, boom — and I said, ‘Oh my God, what’s happening?’” she said. “Maybe five or six, ’cause look at that right there. I’m just glad the little girl is OK.”

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Investigators asked neighbors to check their surveillance or Ring camera footage from around 1 a.m. and contact authorities with any information.

Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477. Anonymous tips are accepted.

Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.





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Miami, FL

South Florida mother arrested for leaving daughter chained to fence, police say

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South Florida mother arrested for leaving daughter chained to fence, police say


A Hialeah woman was arrested and charged with child neglect for leaving her 13-year-old daughter chained to her great-grandmother’s fence in the heat with no shoes or water. CBS News Miami’s Abby Dodge reports from the neighborhood where it all happened.



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