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Fresno State wins Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, stifles Miami of Ohio

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Fresno State wins Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, stifles Miami of Ohio


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The Fresno State Bulldogs got the best of the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks, prevailing 18-3 in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona, on Saturday, Dec. 27.

Fresno State was led by E.J. Warner, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, who threw for 214 yards and a touchdown. Warner was named the game MVP.

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“It’s awesome,” E.J. Warner said in his postgame interview. “It’s my first bowl game with these guys here. I love them all. A lot of ups and downs this year but we persevered, got out with nine wins. (I’m) happy for all these guys, happy to be a part of it this year.”

Whenever the Bulldogs needed a big gain on offense, Warner — a transfer from Rice University in Houston — found senior receiver Josiah Freeman. Freeman ended the game with seven catches and 143 yards.

The lone touchdown of the game came from tight end Richie Anderson III on a 2-yard catch in the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs racked up 391 total yards and held the RedHawks to 192 yards in the game. Hats off to a Fresno State defense that didn’t allow any touchdowns and forced two turnovers: a fumble caused by senior linebacker Jadon Pearson and recovered by Fresno State’s Jakari Embry, who also had an interception in the game.

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Fresno State head coach Matt Entz becomes one of the few coaches to win a bowl game in their first year as a college head coach.

“Hard-fought long season,” Entz said.

Here are the highlights from Fresno State’s win over Miami in the Arizona Bowl:

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Fresno State vs. Miami (Ohio) Arizona Bowl highlights

1st quarter highlights

Miami drove down field on its first possession of the game behind back-to-back gains from sophomore receiver Keith Reynolds. He opened the game with 32- and 9-yard runs to put the RedHawks in Fresno State territory before settling for a field goal by kicker Dom Dzioban.

The Miami of Ohio defense forced a three and out returning to offense. RedHawks quarterback Thomas Gotkowski threw the game’s first interception with 8:12 remaining to Fresno State’s Jakari Embry of Gadsden, Alabama.

The Bulldogs offense showed flashes of promise, but could not get much going in the opening quarter. They were held to 45 total yards on offense, compared to Miami’s 85 yards. Yet the Bulldogs only trailed 3-0.  

It’s been a roller coaster season at Fresno State, which started 5-1, then dropped back-to-back games before going 3-1 in its last four games.  

2nd quarter highlights

Fresno State started to pick it up in the second quarter, converting on first downs, something the Bulldogs didn’t do in the opening 15 minutes.

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The Bulldogs made their way down to the red zone before scoring on a 28-yard field goal from senior Dylan Lynch to tie the game, 3-3, with 7:54 in the second quarter.

Fresno State’s defense looked to come alive in the second quarter, forcing a Miami punt which turned into good field position for the Bulldogs after a bad snap pinned the RedHawks punter in his own end zone. He attempted to get the punt off but it was blocked and recovered by Fresno State on Miami’s 10-yard line.

Fresno State ended the drive with a Lynch field goal to take a 6-3 lead.

Miami of Ohio drove down the field on a mix of runs and passes, but turned the ball over on a fumble by Redhawk Jordan Brunson caused by senior linebacker Jadon Pearson recovered by Fresno State’s Embry.

The Bulldogs took advantage getting back to redzone on back-to-back passes from E.J. Warner, who threw a short pass to Josiah Freeman who took it for a 47-yard gain. The next play Warner found tight end Ezekiel Avit for 20 yards.  

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Unable to find the end zone, Fresno State settled for a third field goal from Lynch. The Bulldogs led at halftime, 9-3.

3rd quarter highlights

Miami of Ohio was unable to get anything going on in its first possession of the third quarter. The Bulldog defense forced a punt.

The Warner-Freeman connection caused problems for Miami all day. Warner found Freeman in the third on a short pass that Freeman turned into a big 51-yard gain, putting the Bulldogs closer to scoring position.

That play set up a field goal, but Lynch missed the chip shot from 28 yards.

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The RedHawks took over on offense but made nothing of it, punting after failing on first down attempts. However, their defense returned the favor and forced the Bulldogs to punt.

Fresno State’s defense continued to stifle Miami of Ohio, forcing another punt. The third quarter ended with Fresno State ahead, 9-3.

4th quarter highlights

The Bulldogs scored the first touchdown of the game with 11:12 left in the fourth quarter when Warner found Richie Anderson III on a 2-yard pass. Fresno State failed on its ensuing two-point conversion attempt and led the game, 15-3.

The Bulldogs defense continued to stifle Miami of Ohio. Lynch tacked on one more field goal to seal the deal, giving Fresno State an 18-3 victory.



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Miami, FL

Can Jason Marshall push for a starting spot – The Splash Zone 7/10/26

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Can Jason Marshall push for a starting spot – The Splash Zone 7/10/26


The Miami Dolphins will have new starters at their cornerback positions since both Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas are not back with the team. The team drafted Chris Johnson in the first round and it’s pretty likely he’ll have a large role and should claim the one starting spot. The other starting spot should be up for grabs among the rest of the group. Jason Marshall is one of those players who has a better chance of claiming that starting spot after showing some flashes his rookie season. Jeff Hafley has already said he envision Marshall playing on the outside and the second-year corner should get plenty of chances to prove himself during the preseason.

You can check out that story here, and the rest of the day’s round-up below.

Phinsider News You May Have Missed



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Miami, FL

Miami-Dade Schools names six semifinalists for superintendent

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Miami-Dade Schools names six semifinalists for superintendent


With Miami-Dade Superintendent Jose Dotres’ contract ending in February 2027, school board members are now looking to have his replacement by August.

Dotres has served as the superintendent for the third-largest school district since 2022. The school board started the search for his replacement in April.

More than 20 people applied for the position, but now only six have secured spots as semifinalists.

Here’s a closer look at who Miami-Dade’s superintendent might be:

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Jose Bueno

With roughly 33 years of experience within Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Bueno currently serves as Dotres’ Chief of Staff.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Bueno’s tasks include coordinating and implementing major projects “that have significant district-wide impact on the goals of the district and involve coordination of other divisions and offices.”

He started as a teacher within the country back in 1993 and is a Florida International University and Nova Southeastern University graduate.

Ernie Lozano

Lozano is currently Broward County’s Public Schools Chief Human Resources Officer.

His passion is creating a safe and secure environment for both students and staff.

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“He has been recognized for his contributions to the District’s safety and security initiatives, receiving accolades for his exceptional leadership and commitment to student and staff well-being,” according to a bio on the site for the National Student Safety and Security Conference & Workshop.

Before his career in human resources, Lozano served within education as a teacher, assistant principal and more.

Sylvia Mitchell

Hope builder, executive leadership coach and seasoned superintendent are all descriptions Mitchell has on her LinkedIn.

Living in Houston, Texas, Mitchell is familiar with the Sunshine State since she was a principal at Charter Schools USA in Fort Lauderdale back in 2012.

She has also served as superintendent twice in Texas and is currently Executive Vice President, Curriculum, Design & Development for Per Scholars.

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Carlos Perez

Perez is a charter school principal in West Palm Beach and the former executive director of the Education Reform Project, a nonprofit organization based in Miami Beach.

According to the nonprofit, Perez has over 25 years of experience within education, mainly in New York, but now in Florida.

Perez has also been an assistant superintendent in the past, as well as taking part as an Executive Board Member for the New York State Association of School Personnel Administrators.

Christopher Ruszkowski

Currently based in South Carolina as CEO of South Carolina’s Children’s Fund, Ruszkowski has moved all over the country, and Florida will be no exception.

According to his LinkedIn, he served as New Mexico’s Secretary of Education back in 2019. Before living in South Carolina, he was a conservator for the Texas Education Agency. A conservator oversees the state’s takeovers of large school districts and charter school networks.

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Getting his master’s at Stanford, Ruszkowski was a Distinguished Policy Fellow at the Hoover Institute located within the university.

Rafael Villalobos

Since 2022, Villalobos has been the South Region Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Before that, he was a principal for over ten years.

The Nova Southeastern alum has been in Miami for most of his life, even graduating from South Miami Senior High School in 1990.



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Miami, FL

I went to 2 famous Miami restaurants, a flashy steakhouse and a Cuban hot spot. Here’s how they compared.

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I went to 2 famous Miami restaurants, a flashy steakhouse and a Cuban hot spot. Here’s how they compared.


Café La Trova celebrated the city’s Cuban heritage through live music, warm hospitality, and dishes that felt deeply rooted in local culture.

Papi Steak, meanwhile, embraced Miami’s flashy, see-and-be-seen reputation with theatrical presentations, celebrity appeal, and an atmosphere that often felt more like a nightclub than a standard steakhouse.

Despite Papi Steak’s over-the-top reputation, nearly every dish I tried — from the wagyu pastrami to the hamachi crudo — was thoughtfully prepared and tasted just as good as it looked. If you’re looking for an indulgent, special-occasion dinner where the spectacle is part of the fun, it’s easy to understand why the restaurant has become such a phenomenon.

Still, if I could only recommend one restaurant to a first-time visitor, I’d choose Café La Trova.

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While Papi Steak offered the more decadent, once-in-a-lifetime meal, Café La Trova delivered a more authentic Miami experience, pairing outstanding food and cocktails with a genuine sense of the city’s history and culture.





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