> At a Glance
> – No. 6 Ole Miss (13-1) meets No. 10 Miami (12-2) in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal on Jan. 8.
> – The Rebels are playing weeks after Lane Kiffin left for LSU; DC Pete Golding now leads.
> – Miami’s defense has forced five turnovers and allowed 17 points across two upsets.
> – Why it matters: Winner earns a home-state title shot at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 12.
Two programs that had never cracked the College Football Playoff are now one win from the national championship game.
How Ole Miss Got Here
The Rebels secured their first CFP berth days after Lane Kiffin exited for LSU. Interim coach Pete Golding kept momentum alive with a 41-10 rout of No. 11 Tulane and a 39-34 Sugar Bowl thriller over No. 3 Georgia. Down 10 in the fourth, quarterback Trinidad Chambliss hit De’Zhaun Stribling for a 40-yard dagger that set up the winning kick. Chambliss finished 362 yards and two TDs while the offense rolled up 473 total yards.
Miami’s Defensive Surge
The Hurricanes haven’t played at home since Nov. 15, yet they’ve silenced two high-octane attacks:
- Held No. 7 Texas A&M to 3 points in College Station
- Sacked Heisman finalist Julian Sayin five times and picked him twice in a Cotton Bowl stunner over defending champ Ohio State
- Keionte Scott’s 72-yard pick-six punctuated the dominant upset
Championship History on the Line
| Program | National Titles | Last Claimed |
|---|---|---|
| Miami | 5 | 2001 |
| Ole Miss | 1 | 1960 |
The Fiesta Bowl victor faces Friday’s Peach Bowl winner between No. 1 Indiana and No. 5 Oregon.
Game Details
- Date: Thursday, Jan. 8
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Site: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
- TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN.com, ESPN app
Key Takeaways
- Ole Miss fields the No. 2 offense in yards and No. 10 in scoring.
- Miami owns the No. 4 scoring defense, fresh off five takeaways in two games.
- A Hurricanes win would deliver a home-field title game inside Hard Rock Stadium.
The Rebels’ aerial fireworks against the Hurricanes’ turnover-hungry defense sets up a must-see semifinal with everything on the line.
