GREG COTE’S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (SEPTEMBER 14): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK : Dolphins’ huge home opener, Canes’ big win, Inter Miami’s rough loss, Marlins get hot, NASCAR playoff cuts and more. Welcome to the 118th 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. DOLPHINS: Today’s home opener must-win after embarrassing Game 1: It’s fair and no exaggeration to say Miami in its 33-8 loss in Indy was the most embarrassed of any NFL team in Week 1 and closest to a national laughingstock. Now, with a Thursday night game in Buffalo next, today’s home opener vs. New England with the Fins a slight favorite is as close to must-win as you’ll find this early. Lose to the Pats and the home crowd could turn ugly, and turn on the Dolphins.
2. HURRICANES: In-state stomp! UM routs South Florida; Gators next: Neither the 18th-ranked South Florida Bulls nor a lightning delay could stop the No. 5 Canes’ 49-12 home victory Saturday. Carson Beck threw for 340 yards and UM ran for 205 as USF’s defense was no match. The run of in-state games continues as Miami, now sizzling at 3-0, hosts the old-rival Florida Gators next Saturday before traveling to Tally to face No. 10 Florida State.
3. INTER MIAMI: Shutout loss at Charlotte, now here comes Seattle: Rough Saturday for Inter Miami in a 3-0 loss at red-hot Charlotte, despite Lionel Messi playing fhe full match … and missing a penalty kick. Herons are now 13-6 with seven ties and down to eighth place in the MLS East — a playoff spot teetering as the regular season nears its home stretch. A league championship now seems a mountain to climb. Miami hosts Seattle Tuesday night — the same teams that brawled after Seattle’s recent Leagues Cup title-game win. P.s., Specialty license plates that read IMCF are now available in Florida.
4. MARLINS: Erratic Fish smokin’ again, win 4th straight: Miami made it four straight with a 6-4 home win over Detroit Saturday — following a 1-7 skid. Marlins 70-79 asthe MLB season ebbs. Fish are 5-4 in a 10-game homestand that ends today vs. the Tigers. A nine-game road trip follows, then a three-game home series vs. the Mets wraps the latest season of disappointment but also of evident youth-led progress.
5. NASCAR: Bristol pares playoffs from 16 drivers to 12: Christopher Bell won Saturday night’s race at Bristol as NASCAR’s playoffs whittled from 16 drivers to 12. Top four in the standings are Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Kyle Larson and Bell. The four eliminated Saturday were Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon, Shane van Gisbergen and Josh Berry. First of three round-of-12 races is next Sunday at New Hampshire.
6. COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Five lose in Top 25; FIU takes Shula Bowl: No. 8 Notre Dame’s 41-40 home loss to 16-Texas A&M led a parade of five losses by Top 25 teams Saturday. In-state alog with Miami’s huge win (see above), Fllrida played credibly in a 20-10 loss to 3-LSU, and FIU defeated rival FAU 38-28 in the annual Shula Bowl game.
7. HALLS OF FAME: 11 ex-Canes, Fins get last shot at Canton: Pro Football Hall of Fame has named 162 players in the Seniors category to consider for 2026 induction — but only three will make the finalists list for Canton. The 162 includes former Dolphins Dick Anderson, Mark Clayton, Mark Duper, Keith Jackson, Bob Kuechenberg, Earl Morrall, Mercury Morris, Jake Scott and Bill Stanfill, and ex-Hurricanes Ottis Anderson and Chuck Foreman. Odds long, but I’d especially love to see the inseparable Duper and Clayton both make it.
8. NFL: A fast reminder why we call it ‘King Sport’: NFL Week 1 broadcast ratings were up 5 percent from a year ago — and the highest opening viewership in league history with an average of 22.3 million per game across TV and digital platforms. Ratings nerds expect the momentum to continue in Week 2 thanks largely to Sunday’s Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl rematch that will be available in 100% of the country, not usual.
9. WNBA: Star-studded playoffs tip-off Sunday: The eight-team WNBA playoffs start today with Game 1s of four best-of-three series. The intriguing field features reigning champ New York Liberty, present No. 1 seed and betting favorite Minnesota Lynx, scorching Las Vegas Aces on a 16-game win streak, and Golden State Valkyries, the first expansion team to make the playoffs their inaugural season. Indiana Fever also made the postseason but (the only downer) Caitlin Clark is out injured.
10. TRACK & FIELD: Gout Gout? Gout Gout!: This week introduces memorably named Australian sprinter Gout Gout, 17, to the world. The native Australian has drawn comparisons to Usain Bolt and soon will face world champion Noah Lyles of the U.S. in the 200 meters as track &field’s 2025 World Athletics Championships begin in Tokyo. Gout made headlines in December when he ran 20.04 seconds to set an Australian record that had stood since 1968. The worlds’ 200M heats, semis and final are this Wednesday though Friday.
THE LIST: DOLPHINS SUPERLATIVES IN HOME OPENERS:
Most passing yards: 473 Dan Marino 9-4-1994
Most receiving yards: 211 Irving Fryar 9-4-1994
Most rushing yards: 134 Knowshon Moreno 9-7-2014
Notes: All three top performances in season home-openers were vs. the New England Patriots, Sunday’s opponent. Moreno’s 134 yards were off the bench. He would play in only two more games that year before a knee injury ended his season and career.
Other select most recent stuff from me : NFL Week 2 picks // Packers-Commanders Thursday pick // Allen on top, Tua in dumpster to launch 28th year of Herald NFL QB rankings // Dolphins’ 33-8 loss in Indy a faith-quaking embarrassment // Previous HB10 // Poll Dance: Will Tua stay healthy? // Miami upsets Notre Dame. Do Hurricanes have your attention yet, America? // Old ghosts, new glory in play as Miami Hurricanes host Notre Dame in opener // Super Bowl to Dolphins to dregs: My annual NFL Team Rankings! // Dolphins will surprise doubters — if Tua finally proves he’s the star they need him to be // Cristobal has ‘insatiable’ drive for new Hurricanes glory days, and he’s getting close // Like it or not, UFC and Dana White’s world domination tour just grew // Asked and answered: Solving 8 biggest questions in Miami sports today // Cowboys owner Jerry Jones still chasing glory — and attention // This one goal for Dolphins and another for Hurricanes will define success or failure in 2025 // Why Miami staunchly remains a Football Town even as Dolphins and Canes disappoint // Strobe lights? Trajekt Arc? How Marlins’ trust in youth, player-development is paying off // Heat getting 3-point ace Powell a pickpocket-win for Riley // Champion Panthers keep revving this summer while Heat stays quiet // Dolphins’ gamble on Waller after Ramsey and Smith for Fitzpatrick was net loss // Inter Miami falls to PSG but won big to reach Club World Cup final 16 // Panthers celebrate as 1 of 4 South Florida sports dynasties — with no end near // 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:
Cote’s NFL Week 2 picks: Dolphins-Patriots, Eagles-Chiefs, 2 upsets and the rest