Miami Advances to National Championship After Thrilling Fiesta Bowl Victory.

Miami’s long journey back to college football prominence reached a defining moment Thursday night in Glendale, Arizona. With a dramatic 31–27 win over Mississippi in the Fiesta Bowl, the Hurricanes earned a place in the College Football Playoff national championship game for the first time since 2001. Quarterback Carson Beck sealed the victory with an 18-second scramble into the end zone from three yards out, capping a composed late-game drive that showcased Miami’s resilience. Beck finished with 268 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, guiding the Hurricanes through adversity in a game that swung repeatedly in the fourth quarter. Despite entering the playoff as a controversial selection, Miami validated its spot by defeating high-powered opponents throughout the postseason. After limiting Texas A&M and defending champion Ohio State to a combined 17 points in earlier rounds, the Hurricanes slowed Ole Miss’ explosive offense for much of the semifinal. Miami took a 24–19 lead when Malachi Toney turned a short screen pass into a 36-yard touchdown. Ole Miss responded quickly, as quarterback Trinidad Chambliss connected with Dae’Quan Wright for a 24-yard score with just over three minutes remaining. That set the stage for Beck’s final march down the field. Beck, now 37–5 as a starting quarterback, leaned on his experience—having previously won a national title as a backup at Georgia—to steady Miami in the game’s most critical moments. His late touchdown secured a championship opportunity on Miami’s home field at Hard Rock Stadium, where the Hurricanes will face either top-ranked Indiana or No. 5 Oregon on Jan. 19. Ole Miss’ season ended in heartbreak but marked the most successful campaign in program history. Playing under interim head coach Pete Golding after Lane Kiffin’s departure to LSU, the Rebels remained competitive to the final play. Chambliss moved Ole Miss into scoring range with seconds left, but his Hail Mary attempt fell incomplete as time expired.

The Hurricanes’ defensive turnaround under first-year coordinator Corey Hetherman proved decisive once again. Although Ole Miss briefly broke through with a 73-yard touchdown run by Kewan Lacy, Miami’s defense regrouped and limited the Rebels’ scoring chances down the stretch. As Miami heads home to compete for a national championship, the win symbolizes more than a single season’s success. It marks the program’s return to college football’s elite, built on perseverance, discipline, and timely execution.