Week 1 of the 2024 college football begins on Saturday with a notable non-conference SEC vs. ACC matchup featuring two in-state marquee brands, both looking to help their head coaches get over an important hump as Miami and Florida square off in The Swamp.
Mario Cristobal and Billy Napier are both under .500 in their tenures at Miami and Florida, respectively, and each need to make a statement to their fan bases in this Week 1 clash, especially as both look forward to playing very tough schedules going forward, Florida’s arguably the hardest nationally.
What do the analytics say about the game? For that, let’s turn to he SP+ prediction model to get an early look at how Miami and Florida match up in this critical Week 1 game.
In a notable turn, the simulations currently favor the home team, but by the slimmest of margins.
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In fact, SP+ predicts that Miami and Florida will effectively play to a 30-30 tie, but that result finally tilts in the Gators’ favor when accounting for their 0.3 point win margin.
The model also gives Florida the close 51 percent chance to win the game outright.
SP+ is a “tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency” that attempts to predict game outcomes by measuring “the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football.”
Miami is a 2.5 point favorite against Florida, according to the lines at FanDuel Sportsbook, which set the total at 54.5 points for the game.
FanDuel set the moneyline odds for Miami at -140 and for Florida at +116.
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If you’re using this projection to bet on the game, you should take…
Other analytic tools also notably favor the Gators to hold the fort in The Swamp against the Canes.
That includes College Football Power Index, a computer prediction tool that uses data points from both teams to simulate games 20,000 times and pick winners.
The index suggests that Florida will win the game in 57.3 percent of its simulations, while the Hurricanes come out the winner in the remaining 42.7 percent of sims.
The model is also expecting a very close result, currently speculating that Florida will be 0.5 points better than Miami on any field.
A mother in Miami Gardens has been sentenced to five years of probation after her 2-year-old son accidentally shot himself with a gun he found in her purse.
According to police, the incident happened last summer at an apartment complex in Miami Gardens. Authorities say the toddler grabbed his mother’s firearm from her purse and accidentally pulled the trigger, shooting himself in the leg.
Video captured at the scene showed the child being rushed to the hospital on a stretcher. The boy survived and has since fully recovered.
The child’s mother, 35-year-old Christina Monique Doyle, was arrested and charged with child neglect and culpable negligence for allowing easy access to the weapon. Prosecutors said those charges carried a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
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During a court hearing, the presiding judge, Alberto Milian, emphasized the responsibility that comes with gun ownership.
“I am a very pro-gun person, but along with the right and the privilege of having a gun comes responsibilities,” Milian said.
Doyle ultimately accepted a plea deal where she pleaded no contest, allowing her to avoid jail time. Instead, she was sentenced to five years of probation.
Her attorney, Dustin Tischler, said Doyle has no prior criminal record and described the incident as a mistake.
“She’s 35 years old, never been in trouble whatsoever in her life,” Tischler said. “She’s a very good mother, a very caring mother to several children. This has been a nightmare, and she’s happy to get it behind her.”
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Tischler also said the case should serve as a warning to gun owners about keeping firearms secure around children.
“Even though she had it in her purse and thought it was secure, the child was able to get to it when she was distracted,” he said. “If you have a firearm, it’s important to keep it locked away.”
Tischler said Doyle has completed a parenting program through the Florida Department of Children and Families and how she is allowed to have contact with her children, including her son who is now doing well after recovering from the injury.
NBC6 reached out to DCF about the case but we haven’t heard back yet.
Miami’s own pays tribute to former teacher on SNL Miami’s own Marcello Hernandez brought a piece of home to SNL for his latest performance, giving a tribute to his hometown and a special teacher in that classic Miami accent.
NEW YORK CITY — Miami’s own Marcello Hernandez brought a piece of home to SNL for his latest performance, giving a tribute to his hometown and a special teacher in that classic Miami accent.
During his performance, Hernandez definitely brought the character of “Mr. Fronzi” to life.
The over-the-top teacher with a big heart was a character inspired by his real-life theology teacher at Miami-Dade’s private Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, Angie Fernandez.
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And Hernandez even flew her up to New York City to see the skit live in person.
“When I saw the skit, I was flabbergasted. I laughed from here to eternity. It was so good,” Fernandez said. “I am so honored that he chose to imitate me. That’s the best compliment you can give somebody!”
Fernandez said that while Hernandez drove her crazy in her classroom, he was also always humble, honest and she calls him one of her favorite students.
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Jenise Fernandez
Jenise Fernandez is a six-time Emmy award winning anchor and reporter at Local 10 News. Currently, she anchors the 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. news, Monday through Friday.
