The Fiesta Bowl lived up to its billing, delivering a tightly contested playoff matchup that came down to the final seconds. Miami outlasted Ole Miss 31–27. Carson Beck and Trinidad Chambliss put on an absolute show. The momentum swings were constant. It was one of those classic games when you feel like whoever has the ball last would walk away the winner and that was almost the story of this one if not for a critical non-call on the game’s last play.
Miami struck first with an early field goal, but Ole Miss answered in the second quarter when Kewan Lacy ripped off a long touchdown run to give the Rebels a 7–3 lead. From there, the game settled into a back-and-forth rhythm. Miami responded with a rushing touchdown by Mark Fletcher Jr., followed by a big-play passing score from Carson Beck to Keelan Marion, pushing the Hurricanes ahead 17–10 late in the second quarter. It’s incredible that both of these running backs will be back next season. Where this season it was clear that Jeremiah Love was the darling running back of every draft pundits eyes, next season the vision want be so clear as I’m sure both will vy for top billing as college football’s best running back.
Ole Miss stayed within striking distance thanks to the leg of their kicker, who connected on multiple long field goals, including a 58-yarder just before halftime. That kick trimmed Miami’s lead to 17–13 at the break and kept momentum within reach. In this one, Lucas Carneiro, went 4/5 with that 58 yarder being being his longest of the night.
The second half continued the trend. Ole Miss briefly took the lead early in the fourth quarter after another field goal, but Miami answered with a touchdown pass from Beck to Malachi Toney to regain control. Toney is such an explosive athlete, that you just know the freshman would put his stamp on this one at some point and he did at one of the most critical junctures of the contest. Ole Miss refused to go away, however, as Trinidad Chambliss led a clutch drive capped by a touchdown pass to Daequan Wright, followed by a successful two-point conversion that gave the Rebels a 27–24 advantage with just over three minutes remaining.
That set the stage for the defining moment of the game.
With under a minute left, Miami leaned on composure and execution. Last season college football experts raved about the demeanor of Cam Ward, Miami’s quarterback last season and the number one overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, but the body language and calm of Carson Beck heading into that final drive was legendary. Beck engineered the final drive and ultimately scored on a short quarterback run with 18 seconds remaining, reclaiming the lead at 31–27.
Ole Miss’s last-ditch effort fell short, sealing the Hurricanes’ victory. That’s a neat way to end it but I’d be remiss not to at least mention the final Hail Mary. One the final play of the game as an Ole Miss receiver is trying to get to the spot where the ball will land in the end zone he is CLEARLY being touched and pulled by the defender. This is at bare minimum, hands on the receiver after 5 yards, but also very blatantly this is defensive pass interference. If this were called there is almost NO WAY that Chambliss doesn’t pull off the comeback with better field position and one more play. The play was deemed “mutual combat” and seen as hand fighting by both the receiver and defender and therefore didn’t warrant a penalty. This is typical on Hail Mary plays, due to the chaotic nature of the play. So with that call not being made Miami heads home to play for the National Championship.
Miami finished with 459 total yards, including 191 rushing yards, and dominated time of possession by holding the ball for more than 41 minutes. Ole Miss was efficient when it had the ball, but Miami’s ability to sustain drives and convert on third down proved to be the difference in a classic Fiesta Bowl finish.
We will know Miami’s opponent shortly, as the battle between Indiana and Oregon happens later tonight. That too should be a thriller.
