But against the odds, Miami and Indiana have a date in the College Football Playoff final — a first-of-its-kind matchup on Jan. 19 in the second national title game of the expanded-playoff era.
The Hoosiers (15-0), the top-seeded favorite in the 12-team tournament, stomped Oregon 56-22 on Friday night to reach the final. The Hurricanes (13-2), seeded 10th and the last at-large team to make the field, beat Mississippi 31-27 the night before.
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Indiana opened as a 7 1/2-point favorite, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook.
The game is set for Hard Rock Stadium in South Florida — the long-ago-chosen venue for a game that happens to be the home of the Hurricanes. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is a Miami native who grew up less than a mile from the campus in Coral Gables.
“It means a little bit more to me,” Mendoza said of the title game doubling as a homecoming.
Miami quarterback Carson Beck (11) holds the offensive player of the game trophy after winning the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game against Mississippi, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. Credit: AP/Ross D. Franklin
He’ll be going against the program known as “The U.” Miami won five titles between 1983 and 2001 and earned the reputation as college football’s brashest renegade.
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A quarter century later, they are one side in a tale of two resurgences.
Miami’s was sparked by coach Mario Cristobal, a local boy and former ‘Cane himself who came back home four years ago to lead his alma mater to a place it hasn’t been in decades.
Among his biggest wins was luring quarterback Carson Beck to spend his final year of eligibility with the ‘Canes.
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal yells from the sideline during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game against Mississippi, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. Credit: AP/Rick Scuteri
Beck, steadily rounding back to form after an elbow injury that ended his season at Georgia last year, is getting better every week. He has thrown for 15 TDs and two interceptions over a seven-game winning streak dating to Nov. 8.
“He’s hungry, he’s driven, he’s a great human being, and all he wants to do is to see his teammates have success,” Cristobal said after Beck threw for 268 yards and ran for the winning touchdown against Ole Miss.
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It was the latest step in a long climb from No. 18 in the season’s first CFP rankings on Nov. 4 — barely within shouting distance of the bubble — after their second loss of the season.
The Hurricanes haven’t lost since.
Hoosiers rise from nowhere to the edge of a title
Indiana’s climb to the top is an even longer haul. This is the program that had a nation-leading 713 losses over 130-plus years heading into the 2024 season. Since then, only two.
The turnaround is thanks to coach Curt Cignetti, who arrived from James Madison and declared: “It’s pretty simple. I win. Google me,” while explaining his confident tone at a signing day news conference in December 2023 when he landed the core of the class that has taken Indiana from obscurity to the edge of a title.
But Indiana’s biggest catch came about a year ago from the transfer portal — the oxygen that drives the current game.
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Mendoza, who went to the same high school as Cristobal in Miami, chose Indiana as the place to finish his career. So far, he has won the Heisman Trophy and is all but assured to be a top-five pick in the NFL draft.
“Can’t say enough about him,” Cignetti said.
One more win and he’ll bring a national title and an undefeated season to Indiana, an even 50 years after the Hoosiers’ 1975-76 basketball team, led by coach Bob Knight, did the same.
Lots of people could see that one coming. Hard to say the same about this.
CFP selection committee almost kept this game from happening
It might seem like ancient history, but Miami almost didn’t make the playoffs.
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In its first ranking of the season, back in November, the CFP selection committee ranked the Hurricanes eight spots behind a Notre Dame team they beat to start the season.
The history of Miami’s slow crawl up the standings, then its leapfrogging past the Irish for the last spot, has been well-documented. If Miami’s trip to the final proved anything, it’s how off-base the committee was when it started the ’Canes at 18, even if they were coming off a loss at SMU, its second of the season.
Though these programs haven’t met since the 1960s, there is familiarity.
One of the best games of 2024 was Miami’s comeback from 25 points down to beat Cal. The quarterback for the Bears: Mendoza, who threw for 285 yards but got edged out by Cam Ward in a 39-38 loss.
With Ward headed for the NFL, the Hurricanes were a consideration for Mendoza as he sought a new spot to finish out his college career. But he picked Indiana, Beck moved to Miami, and now, they meet.
Miami cashes in big
The College Football Playoff will distribute $20 million to the Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conferences for placing their teams in the finals — that’s $4 million for making it, $4 million for getting to the quarters, then $6 million each for the semis and finals.
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While the Big Ten divvies up that money evenly between its 18 members, Miami keeps it all for itself — part of a “success initiatives program” the ACC started last season that allows schools to keep all the postseason money they make in football and basketball.
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a first look at Luna, new cruise ship setting sail from PortMiami – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale
MIAMI (WSVN) – There’s a new cruise ship in town, and it is almost ready to set sail.
Luna, Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, welcomed people aboard for the very first time on Tuesday.
Luna is the 21st ship in the company’s fleet. From April to October, she’ll set sail from PortMiami to the Caribbean, with room for over 3,000 guests.
“We do a seven-day Caribbean cruise, it’s out of Miami, and then we do have Dominican Republic,” said Cruise Director Alvin Oliva. “After that, we visit St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Island, and then Tortola, and then we spend days at sea, and of course the prime, a lot of people are looking forward to visiting Great Stirrup Cay, which is Norwegian’s very own private island,”
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On this voyage, there is plenty to do for the whole family — fom obstacle courses and games for the children, to a luxurious two-story spa.
“There is a bi-level waterfall right there; we offer a lot of different kinds of relaxation,” said Oliva.
At the Mandara Spa, guests can get hot stone and deep tissue massages, facials, body wraps and then lounge at the thermal suite, complete with relaxing steam rooms, saunas and heated loungers.
Once you’re done relaxing, guests can enjoy a drink at the poolside bar.
For those who are feeing adventurous, one of the highlights of the ship is its Aqua Slidecoaster. It’s a water slide/roller coaster hybrid, and Norweigan said it’s the fastest and longest water slide at sea.
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“It was the best thing of my life, the best part of my day. It was amazing, 10 out of 10, I recommend,” said Ely, who rode the coaster.
People have traveled from all over to Miami to get on the new ship.
“We love it. I’s so clean, it’s so chic, our room looks amazing,” said Christina Guttuso.
“We’re excited, we’re ready to go,” said Nick Mangiaracina.
It’s a busy spring break, but well worth it for these cruisers.
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“Go cruising. Even if you’re from Minnesota like me, it’s worthwhile,” said Justin Sunbrig.
The Luna’s maiden seven-day voyage is scheduled to set sail out of PortMiami on April 4.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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A longtime Miami-Dade physical education teacher is working to rebuild his life after a fire destroyed the only home he has known for decades.
Edward Brown Jr., who spent 35 years teaching physical education and mentoring students, lost his home to a fire last week. Flames tore through the house, leaving it uninhabitable and forcing Brown to move in with his adult son.
“It’s hard not to think about it,” Brown said. “Even if I’m not there, I think about what was burned. But I know that’s material stuff. It can be replaced.”
Rebuilding, however, will not be easy. Brown said he does not have homeowners’ insurance to help cover the costs. He paid off the home last year and decided not to renew his insurance policy because of rising costs on a fixed income.
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“Just like in life, it’s a chance you take,” Brown said. “I knew before I made the final decision. I didn’t do it in haste.”
Now, the financial burden of rebuilding falls largely on Brown and the community he has supported for years. Known by neighbors as someone who was always willing to help, Brown has received an outpouring of support in the days following the fire. Friends, former colleagues, and community members have dropped off care packages and shared words of encouragement.
An online fundraiser has also been launched by Brown’s family and friends to help cover rebuilding expenses. When told about the effort, Brown became emotional, pausing before expressing his gratitude. He said the support he has received has helped him stay focused on moving forward.
Brown acknowledged the road ahead will be challenging but said he remains hopeful. “I think about it,” he said. “But I need some help. I can tell you that.”
Those hoping to support Brown’s recovery can find information about the fundraiser through family and community organizers.
24-year-old Italian tennis superstar Jannik Sinner is set to face 28-year-old United States tennis star Frances Tiafoe (who is the No. 20-ranked player in the world right now, according to the ATP) in the Quarterfinal of the 2026 Miami Open on Thursday.
The stakes are high for both men. While Tiafoe finding a way to defeat Sinner (who is the No. 2-ranked player, only behind Carlos Alcaraz) would likely make for the biggest victory of his career to this point, both men will still have to win two more games before being crowned the Miami Open champion. The winner of this match will face the winner of Alexander Zverev and Francisco Cerundolo, who also face off on March 26.
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Jannik Sinner (ITA) | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Both Sinner and Tiafoe have influencer girlfriends. Tiafoe has been dating Canadian former professional tennis player turned social media influencer Ayan Broomfield, who follows him to his various tennis tournaments and is always a vocal supporter in the stands.
Sinner has been dating Danish model and influencer Laila Hasanovic since at least the summer of 2025, although there’s no official indication of when their relationship began. What’s for sure is that Sinner and Hasanovic brought their dog, Snoopy, to the ATP Tennis Finals in Turin, Italy, last November, which made for several wholesome photos of the trio.
While Hasanovic was present at that tournament last year, she hasn’t been at the Indian Wells Open in California earlier this month, nor the Miami Open.
The reason for this is surely because these events are across the Atlantic Ocean, and Hasanovic has pressing matters to attend to in her own life.
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Laila Hasanovic | IMAGO / ABACAPRESS
Laila Hasanovic Turns Heads in Workout Fit Post During Jannik Sinner’s Miami Open Run
One example of what Hasanovic has going on is her NRD55 brand, which is a line of skin care and self-tanning products that she has created.
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Hasanovic typically relies on herself to promote her new company. An example of this came on March 26, when the @nrd.55 account posted several photos of Hasanovic posing with a new product. She can be seen wearing a black sports bro and applying the product in several different places on her body.
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Hasanovic posted this to her Instagram story on Thursday morning, showing that she’s behind the beauty product.
While she might not be there in person, one would imagine that Hasanovic will be watching her boyfriend compete against Tiafoe on TV.