football

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza as their franchise quarterback with the top overall pick in Thursday night's NFL draft. Mendoza led Indiana to its first national championship. He watched the draft with family in Miami instead of attending in Pittsburgh. The Raiders hope Mendoza will revive a franchise with three Lombardi Trophies but no playoff wins since the 2002 season.

The Miami Dolphins are moving on from Tua Tagovailoa and starting over at quarterback. Tagovailoa has been the team’s primary starter for the last 5 1/2 seasons but the Dolphins said Monday he will be released.

Mario Cristobal, head coach at the University of Miami, has brought the Hurricanes back to the national spotlight. His approach mirrors the values instilled by his Cuban-American parents: hard work, toughness, and dedication. On Monday, his Hurricanes face undefeated Indiana in the College Football Playoff championship.

The 10th-ranked Hurricanes didn't play in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game but proved they belong in the CFP. They will face either top-ranked Indiana or Oregon for the national title.

The Miami Dolphins have fired coach Mike McDaniel following a 7-10 season in which Miami missed the playoffs for the second straight year. The decision Thursday ends McDaniel’s four-year tenure in Miami, a period defined by soaring expectations that ultimately went unfulfilled.

Keionte Scott returned an interception 72 yards for a touchdown and No. 10 Miami shocked defending champion Ohio State 24-14 in the first College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl. The 12-2 Hurricanes never trailed after going into Wednesday night as 9 1/2-point underdogs.

Mario Cristobal reflects on his time with Nick Saban at Alabama, recalling a memorable lesson about making tough decisions in football. Miami, which was snubbed by the College Football Playoff committee last year, is thrilled to be headed to Texas A&M for a playoff game this season.

Hill’s tickets for careless driving and failing to wear a seat belt were dismissed after the Miami-Dade Police officers failed to show up for a Monday hearing.

Florida Atlantic fired coach Tom Herman on Monday with two games left in his second season at the school, neither of which resulted in a winning record.

The university system’s Board of Governors agreed to a Florida International University refinancing plan that is part of a $6 million deal to rename the school’s 20,000-seat football stadium as Pitbull Stadium.

Coach Mike McDaniel says Tagovailoa had “positive” meetings with neurologists during the Dolphins bye week, though he remains in concussion protocol and on injured reserve.

COMMENTARY This week's Fed rate cut is a reminder we should keep promoting autonomous central banks in Latin America — but Tua Tagovailoa's concussion crisis argues against exporting football there.