The 2026 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, delivered a College Football Playoff semifinal for the ages as the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes edged out the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels, 31-27, in a dramatic finish that had fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle. Played at State Farm Stadium on January 8, 2026, this clash was not just a battle of talent but a test of grit, strategy, and endurance—one that will be talked about in college football circles for years to come.
Coming into the game, Miami was riding high after stunning the reigning champions, Ohio State, in the Cotton Bowl. That upset had already sent shockwaves through the playoff bracket and set the stage for a showdown with the high-flying Rebels. The winner would punch a ticket to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in Miami on January 19, setting up a potential storybook ending for the Hurricanes.
The game opened with Miami’s methodical offense taking control. The Hurricanes marched down the field on their opening drive, eating up nearly seven minutes of clock before Carter Davis put them on the board with a 38-yard field goal. The early numbers told a story of dominance: Miami held the ball for over 12 minutes in the first quarter, outgaining Ole Miss 84 yards to -1. The Rebels’ offense sputtered out of the gate, managing just two three-and-outs on their first two possessions.
But Ole Miss wasn’t about to roll over. The first play of the second quarter saw running back Kewan Lacy break free for a dazzling 73-yard touchdown run, flipping the script and giving the Rebels a 7-3 lead. The crowd—heavily tilted in favor of Ole Miss, by some estimates—erupted. Yet, the celebration was short-lived. Lacy, who had been battling a hamstring issue, left the game after the run and did not return. "They're looking at him, so we'll figure it out at halftime," Ole Miss coach Pete Golding told ESPN at the break, but the absence of their explosive back would loom large.
With Lacy sidelined, Miami’s offense continued to grind. The Hurricanes responded with a 15-play, 75-yard drive capped by a CharMar Brown 4-yard touchdown run, reclaiming the lead at 10-7. Ole Miss managed to tie it up on a 42-yard field goal by Lucas Carneiro, but Miami struck again late in the half. Carson Beck, who was in command all night, found Keelan Marion wide open for a 52-yard touchdown, putting the Hurricanes up 17-10. Carneiro’s 58-yard bomb with 11 seconds left in the half trimmed the deficit to 17-13, keeping the Rebels within striking distance.
At halftime, the statistics painted a clear picture: Miami had run 43 plays to just 24 for Ole Miss, held the ball for 22:44 compared to 7:16, and led in total yards 228 to 145. But the Rebels, despite being outplayed on paper, were very much alive.
The second half saw both teams trading blows. Miami’s Beck was intercepted by Kapena Gushiken on a tipped pass deep in Ole Miss territory, giving the Rebels a much-needed stop. Ole Miss capitalized, with Carneiro nailing another field goal to make it 17-16 late in the third quarter. The Hurricanes, however, would not be rattled. Malachi Toney took a short pass from Beck and sprinted 36 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth, making it 24-19 Miami.
But Ole Miss had an answer. Trinidad Chambliss, who matched Beck’s stat line with 23 completions on 37 attempts for 277 yards and a touchdown, engineered a six-play, 75-yard drive. He connected with Dae'Quan Wright for a 24-yard scoring strike and then hit Caleb Odom for a two-point conversion, vaulting the Rebels ahead 27-24 with just over three minutes left. A pass interference penalty on Miami helped keep the drive alive, and the Rebels seemed poised for a signature win.
Yet, the Hurricanes had one last drive in them. With the clock ticking down, Beck orchestrated a 15-play, 75-yard march that will go down in Miami lore. The key moment came on a 3rd & 10 at the Ole Miss 35, when Beck hit Marion for 17 yards, moving the chains. Ole Miss contributed to their own downfall with a costly 15-yard face mask penalty. With 18 seconds left, Beck called his own number, powering in from three yards out for the go-ahead score. "Carson Beck and the Hurricanes drove 75 yards over 15 plays and 2:55, scoring a go-ahead TD on a 3-yard QB keeper to give Miami a 31-27 lead with 18 seconds left in the Fiesta Bowl," reported The Arizona Republic.
Ole Miss wasn’t finished. Chambliss quickly moved the Rebels 40 yards on two plays, setting up a 1st & 10 at the Miami 35 with just seconds remaining. But his final pass, a desperate heave into the end zone, was broken up as time expired. The Hurricanes’ sideline erupted, knowing they had secured a hard-fought victory and a trip to the national championship game in their own backyard.
Miami finished with 459 total yards to Ole Miss’s 398, dominated time of possession 41:22 to 18:38, and overcame nine penalties for 67 yards. Beck’s final line: 23-for-37, 268 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and the game-winning rushing score. Toney was a difference-maker, while Marion’s clutch catches kept drives alive. For Ole Miss, Chambliss was valiant in defeat, and Carneiro’s leg kept them in the contest. But losing Lacy early proved costly, as the Rebels’ ground game could never fully recover.
For Miami, the win means a shot at a national title at home, a dream scenario for coach Mario Cristobal and his players. The Hurricanes now await the winner of the Peach Bowl between Indiana and Oregon, knowing they’ll have the home crowd behind them on January 19.
The Fiesta Bowl’s wild swings, big plays, and last-minute drama were a fitting capstone to a thrilling playoff run for both teams. As the Hurricanes celebrate and the Rebels regroup, college football fans everywhere can only hope the championship game delivers just as much excitement.