Cote’s Hot Button Top 10: Canes and CFP semis, Fins-Pats, Cats’ mustard pants, more
GREG COTE’S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (JANUARY 4): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Miami Hurricanes vs. Ole Miss in CFP semifinal, Dolphins-Patriots, Panthers fall in Winter Classic, NFL season finale, Olympic hockey picks teams and more. Welcome to the 133rd 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. HURRICANES: Double-incentive for Miami vs. Ole Miss in CFP semis: The primary goal -- winning Miami’s sixth national title and first since 2001 -- tops everything, of course. But two additional incentives drive No. 10-UM on Thursday night in its semifinal vs. 6-Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ. One is playing for the title Jan. 19 on Canes’ home field, Hard Rock Stadium. The other: Either opponent would entice on a personal level. Top-ranked Indiana and the Heisman-winning QB in Miami’s own Fernando Mendoza of Columbus High. Or Oregon, the team UM coach Mario Cristobal left to return to his alma mater. Either way: Delicioso!
2. COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Indiana, Oregon in other CFP semi after Rose, OB stinkers: It’ll be No. 1 Indiana vs. 5-Oregon in the heavyweight semifinal of the College Football Playoff final four after a couple of quarterfinal bowl games that were embarrassing routs and duds for the host cities. Miami’s Orange Bowl hosted Oregon’s 23-0 spank of Texas Tech, the first Orange shutout since 1992. And the Rose Bowl, “Granddaddy of them all,” had Indiana’s 38-3 obliteration of Alabama, the Rose’s worst rout since 2015. Dear CFP: An awful lot of your 12 teams were awful.
3. DOLPHINS: Finale at Pats first real test for Fins rookie QB Ewers: Quinn Ewers in his two starts since Tua Tagovailoa’s benching has given Dolfans cause for hope. But Ewers’ first real test is Sunday at New England, made tougher with RB De’Von Achane doubtful to play. Why? Ewers is facing his first top-tier defense in his first road game, and in weather that could dip into teens by game’s end. Excel vs. those challenges and Miami may think it has found its starter. Fail and offseason begins with doubts at QB. (P.s., good luck Troy Aikman, general manager hunter!)
4. PANTHERS: Mustard pants doom Cats in Winter Classic loss: Florida’s and New York Rangers’ throwback uniforms were understandable for the special occasion, but who thought it would be good idea for the Panthers to wear Dijon-mustard colored pants? They looked bad, and Cats played likewise in a 5-1 loss Friday night in the NHL Winter Classic at open-roof Marlins Park. Champs are now 21-19 after a fourth loss in six games, and here’s hoping Florida will dress less ridiculously Sunday vs. Colorado before a six-game roadie. But NHL and host Marlins pulled off the night. “A Southern setting [and] the ice was fine,” said Cats coach Paul Maurice. “The spectacle was incredible.”
5. NFL: 14 playoff tickets secured, 2 decided Sunday: King Sport’s final two of 14 playoff berths will be claimed today as NFL wraps its regular season with Week 18. The Sunday night finale between Baltimore and Pittsburgh will be winner-take-all: Winner takes division, loser is out. Same with Carolina or Tampa Bay, but that division winner will be determined by Atlanta in a spoiler role today. A Falcons victory (over New Orleans) anoints Carolina. Falcons must lose for Tampa to make it.
6. NFL: Fins’ McDaniel not among at-risk coaches on ‘Black Monday’: Titans and Giants beat the rush with midyear coaching changes. Who’s next as Black Monday typically sees the axe fall? Betting odds say most likely out imminently are Browns’ Kevin Stefanski, Jets’ Aaron Glenn, Raiders’ Pete Carroll, Bucs’ Todd Bowles and Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon -- with Stefanski consensus likeliest. Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel, a next-coach-fired frontrunner at midseason, seems safe barring a dramatic Stephen Ross mood swing.
7. HOCKEY: Nine Panthers make Olympic rosters -- but one major snub: Nine Florida Panthers, tied with Tampa Bay for most, were chosen to play in upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy. U.S. team chose Matthew Tkachuk and Seth Jones; Canada picked Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart; Finland tabbed Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Niko Mikkola; Sweden got Gustav Forsling; and Latvia named Uvis Balinskis. (U.S. opens vs. Latvia Feb. 12.) Jones’ selection was a bit of a surprise. One big shocker: Canada’s snub of Cats playoff MVP Sam Bennett.
8. HEAT: Who can define how good up-and-down Miami is?: Heat had been on a 1-8 tailspin. Then they won four in a row topped by a 118-112 win over a good Detroit team led by Norman Powell’s 36 points. Then came Saturday’s home loss to Minnesota. Miami is now 19-16 and trying to avoid play-in purgatory entering Sunday’s home date with New Orleans before a four-game roadie.
9. HOCKEY: Stunner! U.S. out in quarters of world juniors: Two-time defending champion U.S. was eliminated by Finland in the quarterfinals of the 2026 IIHF World Junior tournament in Minnesota. Semifinalists will be Finland vs. Sweden and Canada vs. Czechia. U.S. has won the annual event seven times, and this marked the Americans’ earliest ouster since 2012.
10. HORSE RACING: R.I.P., trailblazer Diane Crump: American jockey Diane Crump in 1969 became the first female to ride in a parimutuel race in the U.S., at the time so controversial and attracting such hostility that a police escort was needed to lead her through the catcalling crowds at Hialeah Park racetrack. South Florida sports history is proud to have been the host for Crump’s barrier-busting history. She passed away this week in Virginia at age 77.
THE LIST: SUPER BOWL TITLE ODDS: With 16 teams still alive entering Sunday, here are DraftKings’ betting odds to win the Super Bowl:
Rank Team Odds
1. Seahawks +370
2. Rams +450
3. Broncos +950
4. Eagles +950
4. Patriots +950
6. Bills +1100
7. Jaguars +1300
8. Texans +1400
The next five: Ravens +2000; 49ers, Bears and Packers +2200; Chargers +2800.
The extreme longshots: Steelers +10000, Buccaneers +15000; Panthers +20000.
Other select most recent stuff from me: NFL Week 18 picks // Canes’ ‘violent, relentless’ defeat of Ohio State is Miami’s biggest win in 23 years // Step aside, other cities: Why 2026 in sports belongs to Miami // Updated Herald NFL QB rankings // Ewers has done enough to reignite Dolphins’ Hope Machine ... for now // Previous HB10 // Poll Dance: Miami’s top sport story of 2025 // Stugotz signs major iHeart Media deal, but says not done with LeBatard Show // Canes stifle A&M with defense, advance in CFP to face Ohio State // R.I.P. George Mira, ‘The Matador,’ Hurricane football’s first true star // Irish eyes are crying, but CFP got t right with Canes over Notre Dame // Messi, Inter Miami win MLS Cup, crown 50 years of SoFla soccer // How Browns fan’s tragedy gave Bernie Kosar new life // Tortoise to hare, reinvention of Miami Heat an NBA marvel // How Miami project -- and forgiveness -- helped Marc Buoniconti turn tragedy to triumph // Beloved cast member leaving Dan Le Batard Show // Barkov lost for season a mortal blow to Panthers’ 3-peat bid // 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 // 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 January 4, 2026 at 9:04 AM.
