Football’s Historic Season Ends in CFP Semifinals Against Miami

GLENDALE, Ariz. – The incredible run for the No. 6 Ole Miss came to an end as No. 10 Miami topped the Rebels 31-27, Thursday night in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.

Ole Miss would erase another halftime deficit, regaining the lead at 27-24 with 3:18 to play, but Miami would respond with a game-winning drive of their own spanning 75-yards over 16 plays, capped off by a Carson Beck three-yard rushing touchdown with 18 seconds remaining.

Offensive Leaders
Trinidad Chambliss gave everything he had again for Ole Miss going 23-of-37 for 277 yards and one touchdown. Chambliss finished his season with 3,937 yards passing and 30 total touchdowns.

His favorite target on the night was De'Zhaun Stribling who hauled in five catches for 77 yards. Cayden Lee would also tally five receptions for 67 yards. Chambliss's favorite target down the stretch was Dae'Quan Wright who recorded three catches for 64 yards and the lone touchdown reception.

Kewan Lacy crossed the century mark on the ground for the seventh time this season with 103 yards on 11 carries. Lacy's 73 yard touchdown run marked his career-long as he extended his single-season school record with his 24th rushing touchdown on the season.

Defensive Leaders
TJ Dottery paced the Rebel defense with a team high 11 tackles. He had one tackle for loss and nine of his tackles were solo. Behind Dottery was Chris Graves Jr. who had a career-high eight tackles including seven solo. Graves Jr. also tied a career-high with three pass break ups.

Three Rebels recorded at least one sack led by Suntarine Perkins at 1.5. Princewill Umanmielen and Dottery recorded 1.0 each and Will Echoles tallied 0.5 a sack.

In the secondary, Kapena Gushiken hauled in his first interception as a Rebel and fourth of his career.

First Quarter
Ole Miss received the opening kickoff but was held to a three-and-out. Miami drove 13 plays on its first possession, resulting in a 38-yard field goal from Carter Davis to put the Canes up 3-0. After a second straight Rebel three-and-out, Miami looked to drive again but penalties backed the Hurricanes up into their first third-and-long situation. On 3rd-and-13, Will Echoles knifed his way through the line of scrimmage to make the tackle for no gain, forcing a Miami punt.

At the end of one, Miami led 3-0.

Second Quarter
Needing to find something offensively, Ole Miss would do just that with Kewan Lacy taking the first play of the second quarter 73 yards for a touchdown. The two-play, 80-yard drive took just 34 seconds, making it 7-3 Rebels. Lacy's career-long rush added to his single-season school record with his 24th rushing touchdown on the year.

Miami answered the Lacy score with one of their own, marching 75-yards over 16 plays capped off by a CharMar Brown four-yard rushing touchdown to put the Canes back up 10-7.

Trinidad Chambliss and the Rebel offense continued to find their rhythm, resulting in three more points. Logan Diggs kickstarted the drive with a pair of productive runs before Chambliss found Harrison Wallace III for a 20-yard completion down the seam to set up 1st-and-10 at the Miami 27. The Hurricane defense would bend but not break, though, stalling the Rebel drive and forcing a field goal attempt from Lucas Carneiro. The 42-yard try was no problem for the Cornelius, North Carolina native, knotting the score 10-10.

The back-and-forth on offense would continue as Miami responded with a five play, 75-yard drive highlighted by a Carson Beck 52-yard strike to Keelan Marion for six to give the Hurricanes the lead again at 17-10.

After both sides exchanged punts, Ole Miss would get the ball back with 54 seconds left in the half and managed to get Carneiro into range for a field goal try. He would connect on a career-long 58-yard attempt to cut the deficit to four with 15 seconds remaining.

Carneiro's long strike to close the half marked the second-longest in Fiesta Bowl history and second-longest in CFP history, the best by a Rebel since 1970 and the best by an SEC kicker since 1984.

Miami would hold the 17-13 advantage at the break.

Third Quarter
Miami received the second half kick and moved into field goal range but came away with zero points. The 51-yard try from Carter Davis drifted wide right as Ole Miss came away with a big stop to start the third quarter.

Chambliss would capitalize off the missed field goal, finding De'Zhaun Stribling for 21 yards down the sideline to jumpstart Ole Miss' first drive of the second half. Chambliss would then fire a pass to Cayden Lee for 12 yards down the middle, quickly getting into Miami territory.

The drive would again stall at the 34, though, resulting in another Carneiro field goal try. The 51-yard attempt clanked off the left upright, resulting in zero points for the Rebels as well to begin the third.

Needing another stop, the Rebel defense would deliver with time winding down in the quarter. With Miami lurking inside the 25, Kam Franklin got a big paw up on 3rd-and-12, deflecting Beck's pass straight up into the air. Kapena Gushiken came barreling down from his safety position to intercept the batted pass, getting the ball back for the Rebels with 3:19 to play.

Chambliss then found Stribling for a pair of receptions to churn momentum offensively. Deuce Alexander hauled in a pass to get across midfield and Cayden Lee would pick up 12 more yards to get Ole Miss to the 37.

Unable to convert a third-and-long, Carneiro would trot out again to try and bring the Rebels within one of the lead. The 54-yard attempt would bang off the left upright again, but this time had the right spin and curled inside the post, putting three on the board for the Rebels.

The scoreboard would read 17-16, with Miami clinging to a one-point lead at the end of three.

Fourth Quarter
Miami would start on offense to begin the fourth but were forced to punt after back-to-back sacks from the Rebel defensive line. Suntarine Perkins came flying off the edge to take down Beck, setting up 3rd-and-16. Will Echoles teamed up with Perkins for another sack on the following play to force another Miami punt, giving Ole Miss the ball at its own 10-yard line.

Needing breathing room, Lacy converted a huge 3rd-and-1 to keep the drive going. Chambliss then found Dae'Quan Wright for 19 yards to get to the 40, and on another massive 3rd-and-9 Chambliss hung in the pocket and delivered a pass to Cayden Lee for 11 yards, setting up 1st-and-10 at the Miami 21.

Lacy and Chambliss would muscle the offense down to the four, but the Rebels were forced to take another field goal. Carneiro connected from 21 yards to give Ole Miss a 19-17 lead with 7:00 minutes remaining.

Miami would answer, finding their playmaker Malachi Toney on a screen pass 36 yards for a touchdown to put the Canes back in front 24-19.

Ole Miss took over again with 5:04 to play, as Chambliss found his favorite target of the second half, Wright, for 21 yards to jumpstart the possession. After another third down conversion, Chambliss scrambled for 19 more, setting up 1st-and-10 at the Miami 26. Two plays later, Chambliss found Wright again for a 24-yard score. The two-point conversion to Caleb Odom was successful, making it 27-24 Rebels with 3:18 to go.

Miami would drive to their own 37 as the clock reached the two-minute warning. With 3rd-and-8 looming, Miami would draw a facemask penalty, setting up 1st-and-10 at the Ole Miss 47. On 3rd-and-6, Beck would find CJ Daniels to move the sticks again for the Hurricanes. With 1:00 minute and another 3rd-and-10 coming, Beck connected with Keelan Marion for 17 yards to get the Canes inside the 20.

Out of a Miami timeout, Beck found Marion for another catch, setting up 1st-and-GOAL at the eight. CharMar Brown would take the carry to the three as Miami burned their second timeout with 24 seconds left on the clock.

Carson Beck would drop back and, seeing the left side open, scrambled for a three-yard touchdown to put Miami up 31-27 with 18 seconds to play.

Chambliss would get Ole Miss to the Miami 35 after two completions to Wallace III and Stribling. With six seconds remaining, Chambliss would float one to the endzone that would go incomplete as the clock hit zero.

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Team Stats

Trinidad Chambliss

Players Mentioned

Deuce Alexander

Lucas Carneiro

Trinidad Chambliss

Logan Diggs

TJ Dottery

Will Echoles

Kam Franklin

Chris Graves Jr.

Kapena Gushiken

Kewan Lacy

Cayden Lee

Caleb Odom

Suntarine Perkins

De'Zhaun Stribling

Princewill Umanmielen

Harrison Wallace III

Dae'Quan Wright

The University of Mississippi Athletics