> At a Glance
> – No. 6 Ole Miss (13-1) meets No. 10 Miami (12-2) in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal on Jan. 8
> – Winner faces either unbeaten No. 1 Indiana or No. 5 Oregon in the national championship
> – Ole Miss offense ranks 2nd in yards; Miami defense has forced 5 turnovers and allowed 17 points in two playoff games
> – Why it matters: The victor earns a home-field title shot at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium while both programs chase their first CFP crown
Two programs that had never cracked the College Football Playoff now stand one win from the national-title game. Ole Miss and Miami will collide in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal, each riding momentum after toppling higher-seeded foes.
Coaching Shake-up Fails to Slow Rebels
Lane Kiffin exited for LSU days before Ole Miss clinched its inaugural CFP berth. Defensive coordinator Pete Golding stepped up and the Rebels kept rolling.
- First round: 41-10 rout of No. 11 Tulane
- Quarterfinal: 39-34 Sugar Bowl thriller over SEC champion No. 3 Georgia
Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss threw for 362 yards and 2 touchdowns, guiding a 473-yard attack against the Bulldogs. A 40-yard strike to De’Zhaun Stribling set up the game-winning kick in the final minute.
Miami’s Road Warriors
The Hurricanes haven’t played at home since Nov. 15, yet their defense has fueled back-to-back upsets.
- Defeated No. 7 Texas A&M 10-3 on the road
- Toppled defending champ No. 2 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl
Keionte Scott’s 72-yard pick-six highlighted a five-sack, two-interruption night against Heisman finalist Julian Sayin.
| Playoff Stats | Ole Miss | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Scoring avg | 40.0 | 13.0 |
| Yards per game | 473 | 280 |
| Turnovers forced | 1 | 5 |
Championship Stakes
Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens hosts the Jan. 20 title game, giving the Hurricanes a chance to play for hardware at home. Ole Miss, chasing its first national crown since 1960, eyes a neutral-site rematch with either unbeaten Indiana or Oregon, who meet Friday in the Peach Bowl.
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 offense averages 40 points through two CFP games
- Miami’s defense has allowed 17 total points and forced five turnovers
- National-title game will be played in Miami’s backyard on Jan. 20
- Both schools seek their first College Football Playoff championship
The Fiesta Bowl winner secures a historic berth in the ultimate showdown, setting up a potential storybook finish in South Florida.
