GLENDALE, Ariz. — The College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl delivered every ounce of drama fans could hope for, as No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 10 Miami clashed with a spot in the national championship on the line. With both programs hungry for a return to glory—Miami seeking its first national title since 2001 and Ole Miss aiming for its first since 1960—State Farm Stadium was the stage for a game that will be talked about for years to come.
Entering the matchup, Miami was riding high after toppling No. 2 Ohio State 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl, a victory that marked the biggest upset in College Football Playoff history. The Hurricanes had also dismantled Texas A&M in the opening round, sacking the Aggies seven times and holding them to just 326 yards on 75 plays. Their defensive front, led by Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor, had been the nation’s most feared, and they were three-point favorites in Glendale. For Miami, this was a chance to bring “The U” back to the pinnacle of college football, with the national championship scheduled for Hard Rock Stadium in Coral Gables.
On the other sideline, Ole Miss entered the game with a 13-1 record and the most explosive offense in the playoff, averaging 40 points per game. The Rebels’ storybook season was made even more remarkable by the dramatic departure of coach Lane Kiffin right before the playoff and the unlikely rise of Trinidad Chambliss, a former Division II quarterback, who had become the heart and soul of the Rebels’ attack. The Rebels had already shown their resilience, knocking off Georgia in the quarterfinals and overcoming adversity all season long.
The opening quarter was a defensive masterclass, with Miami’s methodical offense keeping the ball away from Ole Miss’s quick-strike attack. The Hurricanes’ first scoring drive chewed up over seven minutes, resulting in a field goal and a 3-0 lead. Ole Miss, desperate to establish their rhythm, finally broke through on the first play of the second quarter. After a Miami offsides penalty granted them a first down, Kewan Lacy dashed 73 yards up the middle for a touchdown, putting the Rebels up 7-3 and igniting the crowd.
Miami responded with grit. Malachi Toney, who had briefly left the field after a helmet-to-helmet hit, returned to convert a crucial third-and-long, keeping the drive alive. CharMar Brown capped the possession with a four-yard diving touchdown run, and the Hurricanes regained the lead at 10-7. The back-and-forth continued, with Ole Miss tying it up on a 42-yard field goal by Lucas Carneiro, only for Miami to strike again. Quarterback Carson Beck found Keelan Marion wide open for a 52-yard touchdown, sending the Hurricanes into halftime with a 17-10 advantage.
But Ole Miss refused to wilt. Carneiro drilled a 58-yard field goal just before halftime, cutting the deficit to 17-13. Despite Miami dominating time of possession—nearly 23 minutes to Ole Miss’s seven in the first half—the Rebels’ offense remained a threat, especially with Lacy’s big-play ability, though his hamstring injury would cast a shadow on the rest of the game.
The third quarter saw both teams trading blows but struggling to finish drives. Miami’s defense continued to harass Chambliss, but a tipped pass by Beck was intercepted by Kapena Gushiken, giving Ole Miss a crucial turnover. Carneiro’s 54-yard field goal—after a doink off the upright—brought the Rebels within one, 17-16, as the game entered its final 15 minutes.
The fourth quarter was nothing short of chaos. Miami’s offense, led by Mark Fletcher Jr. and Toney, powered into scoring range, but the drive stalled, and a missed field goal kept the game tight. Ole Miss, now with Lacy back in the lineup, leaned on Chambliss, who delivered when it mattered most. After a controversial pass interference call and a 19-yard Chambliss scramble, the Rebels reached the red zone. Chambliss then fired a 24-yard strike to tight end Dae’Quan Wright, who was wide open on a corner route. The Rebels converted the two-point attempt, taking a 27-24 lead with just over three minutes remaining.
Miami’s defense, so dominant all season, suddenly found itself shorthanded. Cornerback Xavier Lucas was ejected for targeting Cayden Lee, and OJ Frederique Jr. left with an injury, leaving the Hurricanes vulnerable. “We’ll figure it out at halftime,” Ole Miss coach Pete Golding had said about Lacy’s injury earlier, but the Rebels’ depth and resilience were being tested in real time.
With the season on the line, Miami’s offense took the field with urgency. A pass interference penalty on Ole Miss gave the Hurricanes a boost, and Fletcher picked up 17 yards on a bruising run. Then, in a moment that had the Miami faithful roaring, Toney took a screen pass, broke multiple tackles, and sprinted 36 yards for a touchdown, putting Miami back on top 24-19 with about five minutes to play.
Yet, the Rebels had an answer. Chambliss, whose poise under pressure had defined Ole Miss’s season, orchestrated a swift, clinical drive. He connected with Wright again for another touchdown, and the two-point conversion gave Ole Miss a 27-24 lead as the clock ticked under three minutes. The Rebels’ fans in Glendale erupted, sensing a historic moment was within reach.
Miami still had a chance, but the Rebels’ defense, which had looked exhausted earlier, found new life. Back-to-back sacks of Beck forced a punt, and Ole Miss regained possession deep in its own territory with just over two minutes to go. The Hurricanes’ hopes now rested on their defense, but with key players sidelined, the challenge was immense.
As the final minutes ticked away, both teams had left everything on the field. The winner would earn a trip to Miami Gardens for the national championship game in 11 days, facing either Indiana or Oregon. For now, the Fiesta Bowl semifinal was a testament to resilience, star power, and the unpredictable magic of college football.
With the action still unfolding at State Farm Stadium, the nation watched as two storied programs battled for the right to play for it all. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the drama is far from over.
