Before last weekend, it was a great time to be a fan of the major football teams in South Florida. The Miami Dolphins were sniffing a chance at their first division title since 2008 while the Miami Hurricanes were doing the same with a possible Orange Bowl berth.
Fast forward to this week and the 'Canes are just praying for a New Year's Day bowl game after getting blown out in their regular season finale while the Dolphins are wondering when they can defeat the 'big boys' of the NFL after blowing a lead against the defending Super Bowl champs.
Now, UM waits to find out where they will land while the Fins are in a spot they haven't seen in decades - a chance to get a winning record while giving the hated divisional rivals their most losses since the 2000 season.
At the same time, one of the state's other FBS powers hopes to crash the playoff party while the other hopes to make a case they should actually play in the postseason after what some call a disappointing 2020 campaign.
Like we’ve done all season long, we break it all down with NBC 6’s not-so-scientific ranking system.
Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots (Sunday)
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It was all there for the Dolphins last weekend - a chance at a winning season, staying in the race for the AFC East title - but it all went away with a six point loss to the Kansas City Chiefs that, along with a win on Monday by the Baltimore Ravens, has Miami wondering if they can keep their playoff spot.
With games on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders on December 26th and Buffalo Bills on January 3rd, this week's game is a virtual must win against a Patriots team who isn't just out of the divisional playoff race - but could also be knocked out of the playoff hunt for the first time since 2008.
Other State Games
The Florida Gators are in Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game where they will face the top ranked team in the country, the Alabama Crimson Tide. Meanwhile, the FSU Seminoles are on the road for their regular season finale against Wake Forest.
In the NFL, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on the road and still in the playoff hunt when they face the Atlanta Falcons while the Jacksonville Jaguars - losers of 12 straight games - are hoping this season ends quickly when they hit the road to face the Ravens.
