Under the bright lights of State Farm Stadium on Thursday, January 8, 2026, the Miami Hurricanes and Ole Miss Rebels delivered a Fiesta Bowl classic that won’t soon be forgotten. The Hurricanes, ranked No. 10, outlasted the No. 6 Rebels 31-27 in a dramatic College Football Playoff semifinal, booking their spot in the National Championship Game for the first time in over two decades. Fans were treated to a nail-biting contest, marked by four lead changes in the fourth quarter and a finish that left both sides breathless.
This was a matchup few predicted back in September. Miami, the last team to earn an at-large playoff bid, had already stunned Texas A&M and Ohio State to reach this stage. Ole Miss, meanwhile, overcame the high-profile departure of head coach Lane Kiffin and a whirlwind of coaching changes, all while riding the hot hand of Division II transfer quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and first-time head coach Pete Golding. The Rebels toppled Tulane and then shocked Georgia, setting the stage for a showdown with the Hurricanes.
Pre-game odds had Miami as a slight 3-point favorite, with a total set at 52.5. The betting market was nearly split: 56% of bets favored Ole Miss on both the spread and moneyline, while the handle for Miami -3 suggested sharper money leaned toward the Hurricanes. The public also leaned toward the under, perhaps anticipating the defensive prowess both teams had shown all season. Miami entered with the nation’s most efficient defense, allowing just 0.018 points per attempt, while Ole Miss boasted a high-powered offense with a 0.313 PPA and an average cover margin of 4.68.
The game itself lived up to every bit of the hype. Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss, who finished with 277 passing yards, kept the Rebels in the hunt all night. Miami’s Carson Beck, not to be outdone, threw for 268 yards and capped his night with a gutsy 3-yard scramble for the winning touchdown with just 18 seconds left. Beck’s performance was complemented by Miami’s relentless rushing attack, which racked up 191 yards and helped the Hurricanes dominate time of possession—an eye-popping 41 minutes and 22 seconds.
But it wasn’t just the quarterbacks making headlines. The first touchdown scorer prop was a hot topic among bettors, with Miami’s Mark Fletcher Jr. and Ole Miss’s Kewan Lacy drawing significant action. Meanwhile, Rebels receiver Harrison Wallace kept his hot streak alive, surpassing 50 receiving yards for the fifth time in six games, just a week after torching Georgia for a season-best 156 yards.
Yet, as is often the case in football, the story was shaped by pivotal moments and controversial calls. With time expiring, Chambliss heaved a desperate pass toward De’Zhaun Stribling in the end zone. Miami defensive back Ethan O’Connor was seen grabbing Stribling’s jersey, but the officials kept their flags in their pockets. The no-call sparked immediate frustration from Chambliss and head coach Pete Golding, and social media erupted with debate. “Those situations are tough to call them. There was definitely contact, it happens a lot. That’s not the reason we lost the game,” Golding explained postgame, refusing to lay blame solely on the officiating.
Golding, who took over after Kiffin’s abrupt departure for LSU, was quick to praise his resilient team. “I’m so proud of this group. They never panicked, they never flinched. … This group created a legacy for this team and an expectation for this program,” he said. Golding also highlighted the Rebels’ struggles on critical third downs and Miami’s explosive late-game plays as key factors in the loss. “In these games, on critical third downs, you got to find a way to get off the field, and we didn’t … We knew coming in they were going to be challenging up front, and you got to find different ways to attack them.”
The Rebels’ magical run was, in many ways, a testament to their ability to overcome adversity. Chambliss, a transfer from Division II Ferris State, had been doubted by many but earned the trust of his new team. Golding’s fondness for his quarterback was clear: “I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for (Chambliss) since he got here because he’s a D2 boy. To join a team with an offense already in place, with a starter who had already signed to be a franchise guy, it’s just special.”
For Miami, the victory was a validation of head coach Mario Cristobal’s four-year rebuilding effort. Hurricanes fans serenaded Cristobal with chants as he saluted them on his way off the field. The win also marked a full-circle moment: Miami’s last appearance in the national title game was a controversial loss to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl 23 years earlier. Now, they return to the sport’s biggest stage, hungry for their sixth national championship.
Still, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Hurricanes. Despite their victory, they were plagued by mistakes, including 10 penalties for 74 yards and four dropped interceptions. “Miami had four (yes four!) dropped interceptions tonight against Ole Miss. Convert on any of those and the game probably isn’t as close as it ended. The Hurricanes got away with it tonight but will need to execute in the national championship if it wants to advance,” noted one analyst. Beck’s late-game heroics ultimately masked those miscues, but they’ll need to clean up their act against either Oregon or undefeated Indiana in the final.
For the SEC, the result was a bitter pill to swallow. Ole Miss’s loss meant the conference would be shut out of the national championship game for the third straight season. “There’s no way to defend the SEC. It’s been terrible,” said Paul Finebaum on ESPN’s “First Take,” referencing the league’s 2-7 bowl record. The last time the SEC went three years without a title was from 1999 to 2002—a drought that once seemed unthinkable.
As the dust settles, Miami marches on, its imperfections overshadowed by resilience and timely playmaking. Ole Miss, meanwhile, bows out with heads held high, having given the SEC its deepest playoff run of the year and creating a new standard for the program. The Hurricanes now await either Oregon or Indiana in the National Championship, while the Rebels look to build on a season that exceeded all expectations. One thing’s for sure: the 2026 Fiesta Bowl will be talked about for years to come.
