Miami tops Ole Miss in Fiesta Bowl thriller, advances to national title game

By Truman Begaye
Special to the Times

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Miami’s return from the wilderness is complete.

A year after shaking off irrelevance, the Hurricanes capped their resurgence with a 31–27 victory over Ole Miss in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl, punching their ticket to the national championship game at Hard Rock Stadium and moving one win away from their first national title since 2001.

Senior quarterback Carson Beck delivered the defining performance of Miami’s season, throwing for 268 yards and two touchdowns while adding the game-winning score on a late 3-yard run. Beck completed 23 of 37 passes and guided the Hurricanes through a fourth-quarter shootout that swung back and forth until the final seconds.

“There was a lot of adversity — not just individually, but as a team,” Beck said. “We really banded together, believed in each other, and never flinched in the face of it.”

Miami improved to 13–2 overall and emerged from the playoff field with wins built on resilience, timely execution, and poise under pressure.

Ole Miss (13-2) matched Miami blow for blow. Senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss completed 23 of 37 passes for 277 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions, keeping the Rebels within striking distance all night. Playing without former head coach Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss showed no signs of folding.

“I’ll remember how they embraced each other,” Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding said. “There was a lot that could have gone wrong over the last month, but I don’t recall one issue with effort or buy-in.”

The Rebels struck first momentum-wise, taking the opening kickoff and driving to their own 31-yard line before turning the ball over on downs. Miami capitalized with a short drive that stalled in the red zone but resulted in a field goal for a 3–0 lead.

Ole Miss answered early in the second quarter when sophomore running back Kewan Lacy burst straight up the middle and outran the defense for a 73-yard touchdown, giving the Rebels a 7–3 advantage. Miami responded immediately, driving to the 4-yard line before running back CharMar Brown powered into the end zone to reclaim a 10–7 lead.

The Rebels tied the game at 10–10 with a field goal after reaching the Miami 24-yard line, but Beck struck again late in the half. A 52-yard strike to wide receiver Keelan Marion put the Hurricanes ahead 17–10 with 2:18 remaining. Ole Miss answered once more, kicking a field goal just before halftime to trim the deficit to 17–13.

The third quarter turned into a battle of missed opportunities. Both teams failed to convert early drives, and each missed a field goal — Ole Miss from 42 yards and Miami from 33 — keeping the score unchanged. Ole Miss finally closed the gap with a successful 54-yard field goal, entering the fourth quarter trailing just 17–16.

In the final period, the tension escalated.

Ole Miss regained the lead with a 21-yard field goal at the 7:00 mark, moving ahead 19–17. Miami responded with a decisive play, as Beck connected with Malachi Toney on a 36-yard touchdown pass to swing the score back in the Hurricanes’ favor, 24–19.

The Rebels refused to go quietly. Chambliss fired a 24-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dae’Quan Wright, giving Ole Miss its final lead at 27–24.

That set the stage for Beck’s final drive.

With the season hanging in the balance, Beck dropped back, scanned the field, then tucked the ball and raced into open space. His 3-yard touchdown run sealed the 31–27 win and sent the Hurricanes back to college football’s biggest stage.

“I’m really proud of this program — first and foremost the players,” Miami head coach Mario Cristobal said. “We’re grateful for the opportunity, and it starts with these guys and the way they play for each other.”

Miami now turns its attention to the national championship game, where the Hurricanes will play on their home field at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens against the Indiana Hoosiers, chasing their first national title since 2001.

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