The No. 10 seed Miami Hurricanes defeated the No. 6 seed Ole Miss Rebels 31-27 in the College Football Playoff semifinal Fiesta Bowl. This victory secures Miami's progression to the national championship game, where they are scheduled to play the winner of the Peach Bowl between No. 1 seed Indiana and No. 5 seed Oregon.
Game Overview
The Fiesta Bowl concluded with Miami scoring 31 points to Ole Miss's 27. The decisive play involved a 3-yard rushing touchdown by quarterback Carson Beck with 18 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, completing a 75-yard drive that began with 3:13 left in the game. The final play of the contest included contact, with no penalties called, allowing Miami to maintain its lead.
Miami, which entered the playoffs as an at-large team and the No. 10 overall seed, did not win the ACC Championship. The victory marked Miami's third consecutive postseason win against a higher-seeded opponent.
Key Player Performances
Miami:
- Carson Beck (Quarterback): Completed 23 of 37 passes for 268 yards, throwing two touchdowns and one interception. He also contributed the game-winning rushing touchdown and recorded his eighth career fourth-quarter comeback.
- Malachi Toney (Wide Receiver): Recorded five receptions for 81 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown.
- Keenan Marion (Wide Receiver): Caught seven passes for 114 yards and one touchdown.
- Mark Fletcher Jr. (Running Back): Rushed for 133 yards on 22 carries.
Ole Miss:
- Trinidad Chambliss (Quarterback): Completed 23 of 37 passes for 277 yards and one touchdown.
- Kewan Lacy (Running Back): Carried the ball 11 times for 103 yards, which included a 73-yard rushing touchdown.
Team Statistics and Records
Miami incurred 10 penalties and one interception during the game, while maintaining possession for a longer duration than Ole Miss. The win established several school records for Miami:
- First appearance in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
- Achieving 13 wins in a single season for the first time.
- Securing their first Fiesta Bowl victory.
Miami is now the lowest-seeded team (No. 10) to reach the CFP National Championship Game. Additionally, they are the first team in the BCS/CFP era to play a national championship game in their home stadium.
For Ole Miss, the loss ended their seven-game winning streak and an eight-game streak of scoring at least 30 points.
National Championship Outlook
Miami will seek its first national title since 2001. The College Football Playoff championship game is scheduled for January 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET, and will be held at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami's home venue. The outcome of the Fiesta Bowl ensures that the national title game will not feature an all-SEC matchup.