The electrifying atmosphere inside the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans set the stage for a high-stakes College Football Playoff quarterfinal, as the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs clashed with the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels in the 2026 Sugar Bowl. Fans from both sides packed the stands, their anticipation palpable for a rematch that had been circled on calendars ever since Georgia’s dramatic 43-35 comeback victory over Ole Miss back in October. That night in Athens handed Ole Miss their only loss of the regular season, and the memory of a fourth-quarter collapse lingered as the Rebels prepared to take the field under the leadership of newly minted head coach Pete Golding.
The Sugar Bowl, capping off a New Year’s Day packed with marquee matchups, was not just about redemption for the Rebels. For Georgia, it was a chance to erase the sting of last year’s Sugar Bowl defeat at the hands of Notre Dame and keep their championship hopes alive. With the winner set to advance to the Fiesta Bowl and face Miami in the semifinals, the stakes couldn’t have been higher.
As the clock struck 8:00 p.m. Eastern, the action kicked off on ESPN, with viewers also tuning in via ESPN Unlimited and streaming platforms like Fubo and DirecTV. The Rebels, sporting their distinctive camouflaged helmets—a collaboration with Realtree first unveiled in 2023—won the opening coin toss and received the kick. The national anthem, delivered with soulful power by 84-year-old Grammy winner Irma Thomas, the "Soul Queen of New Orleans," only added to the moment’s gravitas.
Ole Miss wasted no time making history. Kicker Lucas Carneiro drilled a 55-yard field goal, his longest of the season and a new Sugar Bowl record—only to break his own mark minutes later with a 56-yarder. The Rebels jumped out to a 6-0 lead, capitalizing on Georgia’s early struggles to move the ball. But the Bulldogs, as expected, responded with grit and poise. Quarterback Gunner Stockton orchestrated a seven-play, 75-yard drive, capping it with a 12-yard rushing touchdown to put Georgia ahead 7-6 early in the second quarter.
The seesaw battle continued as Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, showing poise beyond his years, connected with tight end Luke Hasz for a touchdown. Hasz, who had just two receptions all season, picked the perfect time to notch his first receiving score, putting the Rebels up 12-7. Georgia, however, was relentless. Stockton, after taking a punishing hit, unleashed a 26-yard strike to Cash Jones, setting up his own one-yard touchdown plunge. With 4:05 left in the half, Georgia reclaimed the lead, 14-12.
Drama struck late in the second quarter. Ole Miss, desperate to close the gap before halftime, drove across midfield thanks to a personal foul against Georgia. But back-to-back dropped passes and a scramble to get the field goal unit on the field left the Rebels unable to attempt a 52-yard kick as the clock expired. Meanwhile, Georgia’s defense made a statement. Defensive back Daylen Everette scooped up a fumble by Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy at the Rebels’ 46-yard line and dashed into the end zone, stretching the Bulldogs’ lead to 21-12 with just over two minutes remaining in the half.
Tempers flared moments later when Georgia’s JaCorey Thomas was ejected for targeting after a shoulder-to-head hit on Ole Miss receiver Cayden Lee. Thomas, the Bulldogs’ second-string strong safety, left the field as the Rebels tried to regroup. Despite the adversity, Ole Miss’s defense tightened up, and linebacker Tahj Chambers made his presence felt with a tackle and a key pass deflection, nearly sacking Stockton on a crucial play.
The halftime score stood at 21-12 in favor of Georgia—a far cry from the offensive fireworks of their regular-season meeting, where Ole Miss led 21-20 at the break. This Sugar Bowl had a different flavor: fewer penalties, more defensive grit, and a sense that every possession mattered. The Rebels’ offense, led by Chambliss, struggled to find rhythm on the ground, with Lacy managing 66 yards on 12 carries but losing a costly fumble. Through the air, Chambliss went 17-for-28 for 160 yards and a touchdown, showing flashes of brilliance when given time in the pocket.
The second half saw Ole Miss claw their way back into contention. Midway through the third quarter, Chambliss engineered a gutsy drive, converting a critical fourth down with a pinpoint throw to Tre Wallace, who danced 36 yards to the Georgia eight-yard line. Moments later, Lacy swept around right end for a seven-yard touchdown, cutting Georgia’s lead to 21-19. The Rebels’ faithful roared—momentum was shifting, and the Superdome was alive with hope.
Georgia’s offense, so potent in the first half, sputtered as the Rebels’ defensive front stiffened. The Bulldogs managed just 16 yards on their first two drives of the half, and kicker Peyton Woodring came up short on a 55-yard field goal attempt. On the other side, Ole Miss’s offensive line struggled in the run game but gave Chambliss enough time to make plays in the passing attack, particularly on fourth-down conversions.
As the third quarter wound down, the Bulldogs clung to their slim lead. Georgia’s Zachariah Branch, needing four catches to set a new single-season team record, did so in the first half, but the Rebels held him to just 19 yards. The game was turning into a defensive chess match, with both teams trading stops and neither able to deliver a knockout punch.
Throughout the contest, discipline reigned. Only three penalties were called in the first half, all on Georgia, making for a clean and hard-fought battle. The Rebels, despite their earlier miscues, refused to back down, buoyed by a crowd that sensed something special could be brewing. With every possession, the tension mounted—could Ole Miss finally exorcise the demons of their October defeat, or would Georgia’s championship pedigree shine through once more?
As the clock ticked into the final quarter, the Sugar Bowl remained very much undecided. Both teams had traded blows, made history, and left everything on the field. For fans and neutrals alike, this was college football at its finest—a clash of titans with everything on the line and no shortage of drama. The winner would punch their ticket to the semifinals, but as of press time, the outcome was still hanging in the balance. Stay tuned—this one’s far from over.
