Cote’s Hot Button Top 10: Inter Miami in 1st MLS Cup, Canes win and wait and more
GREG COTE’S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (NOVEMBER 30): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Inter Miami’s must-win playoff on road, Hurricanes win and pray, Heat hot, Panthers host Edmonton, Dolphins and more. Welcome to the 128th edition of HB10, bringing you what’s on our minds from a Miami lens and accentuating stuff that’s big, weird, damnable, funny or worth needling as the sports week past pivots to the week ahead:
1. INTER MIAMI: Messi, Miami reach first MLS Cup championship game!: Inter Miami swamped New York City 5-1 in Fort Lauderdale Saturday night to reach the MLS Cup championship match for the first time in the club’s brief history. The Herons will host Vancouver next week for the crown. For once Lionel Messi was not the central star in a crucial Miami triumph as Tadeo Allende’s hat trick led the way -- two of his three goals in the first 23 minutes.
2. HURRICANES: UM routs Pitt, stakes claim to CFP. Now it waits: A 38-7 domination at ranked Pitt on Saturday. A 10-2 season record. Including a head-to-head win over Notre Dame. Now all the Canes can do is hope College Football Playoff voters do the right thing and invite UM into its 12-team party ahead of the Fighting Irish. Do you believe in miracles? “This is a college football playoff team,” declared Canes coach Mario Cristobal. “We all know it.” He isn’t wrong. But do CFP voters know it?
3. DOLPHINS: ‘In the hunt’? Well, um, let’s get real here, shall we?: A major TV network I’ll not mention to save them the embarrassment had 4-7 Miami “in the hunt” in its AFC playoff picture. And it’s true the Dolphins could get to 6-7, hosting the stinky Saints Sunday and then playing at the profoundly bad Jets. But after that Miami is likely to be an underdog in all its last four games: at Steelers, vs. Joe Burrow’s Bengals, vs. Bucs and at Patriots. So 7-10 seems a likely final record, 8-9 feasible, but, better than that? Been a nice turnaround from that 1-6 starts, but, c’mon!
4. COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Conference championship matchups set: The four major conference title games are set next for next Saturday, and it’s Virginia vs. Duke in the ACC (sorry, Miami), Georgia-Alabama in the SEC, Ohio State-Indiana in the Big Ten, and BYU-Texas Tech in the Big 12. Those results in turn will shape the 12-team bracket for the College Football Playoff. Miami will need a prayer, or unexpected logic from CFP voters, to make it.
5. HEAT: Winning streak finally ends for hot Heat: The six-game win streak ended Saturday night as a now 13-7 Miami lost at home 138-135 to Detroit despite Andrew Wiggins’ 31 points. Even in losing the Heat proved it can play with the best, as the Pistons lead in the NBA East. Miami is back in play Monday vs. the L.A. Clippers. Miami also has reached the East quarterfinals of the concurrent NBA Cup tournament, next facing Orlando Dec. 9.
6. COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Looks like LSU and Gators have new coaches: Reports are that LSU will announce today it has lured coveted coach Lane Kiffin away from Ole Miss. Other reports say the Florida Gators’ strong favorite to replace dumped Billy Napier is less-coveted coach Jon Sumrall from Tulane, whom Gator fans have made known would not be a popular hire.
7. PANTHERS: Third time’s not a charm so far for struggling Cats: That Stanley Cup three-peat not looking great with Florida at a middling 12-11 after a third straight home loss Friday, this one to lowly Calgary. As for the cavalry to the rescue? We’re now hearing whispers that rehabbing Matthew Tkachuk may not make his season debut until January, not December. And I’d not bet on those rumors that out-for-the-season Aleksander Barkov may be back before the playoffs.
8. SOCCER: Long-range planners may be disappointed in 2031: The U.S. Soccer Federation proposed 14 American sites among 20 possible host venues for the 2031 Women’s World Cup to be held (as of now) in the U.S., Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica. The 14 U.S. stadiums include seven of the eight to be used for next summer’s Men’s World Cup. The only venue not included in the women’s bid: Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
9. NFL: Weird Super Bowl odds for a weird season: Post-Thanksgiving signals the big turn to the finish in the NFL, and updated Super Bowl odds (via DraftKings) confirm what weird year it’s been. Rams are now clear favorite at -340, with Seahawks and Colts at -950, then Packers and Broncos at -1000. At -1100: Reigning champion Eagles and preseason fave Bills.
10.. COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Belichick ends first college season 4-8: North Carolina was a major disappointment this season under ballyhooed first-year coach/legend Bill Belichick and top assistant Jordon Hudson.
THE LIST: SOUTH FLORIDA TITLE-GAME HISTORY: Inter Miami in next week’s MLS Cup championship match will mark the 19th time a South Florida team has played for a league title in the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB or MLS:
Team/Final W-L (Years)
Miami Heat/NBA Finals 3-7 (W-2006, L-2011, W-2012, W-2013, L-2014, L-2020, L-2023)
Miami Dolphins/Super Bowl 2-5 (L-1971, W-1972, W-1973, L-1982, L-1984)
Florida Panthers/Stanley Cup Final 2-4 (L-1996, L-2023, W-2024, W-2025)
Miami Marlins/World Series 2-2 (W-1997, W-2003)
Inter Miami/MLS Cup ?? (Playing 2025)
Other select most recent stuff from me: Canes wallop Pitt, belong in CFP ahead of Notre Dame // Poll Dance: Should Miami or Notre Dame make CFP? // NFL Week 13 picks // NFL Thanksgiving Day picks // Updated Herald NFL QB rankings // How Browns fan’s tragedy gave Bernie Kosar new life // Previous HB10 // Tortoise to hare, reinvention of Miami Heat an NBA marvel // Dolphins’ OT luck in Madrid saves McDaniel from himself // NFL, Canes QB great Bernie Kosar in a fight for his life // Bags over heads, season dead, as Grier departure signals Dolphins reboot // How Miami project -- and forgiveness -- helped Marc Buoniconti turn tragedy to triumph // Beloved cast member leaving Dan Le Batard Show // Wounded, doubted but nobody’s underdog, champ Panthers win opener // Barkov lost for season a mortal blow to Panthers’ 3-peat bid // Dolphins owner Ross’ prior in-season firings hints McDaniel at risk // Super Bowl to Dolphins to dregs: My annual NFL Team Rankings! // Cristobal has ‘insatiable’ drive for new Hurricanes glory days, and he’s getting close // Heat getting 3-point ace Powell a pickpocket-win for Riley // Inter Miami falls to PSG but won big to reach Club World Cup final 16 // Major news on future of Dan Le Batard Show, Meadowlark Media, DraftKings // A tribute to Miami sports legend Jimmy Johnson as he retires from Fox TV // 15 years later, Dolphins Cancer Challenge is life-saving legacy of Jim Mandich // And my latest podcast:
This story was originally published November 30, 2025 at 9:33 AM.
