Miami Breaks Fiesta Bowl Curse Defeating Ole Miss to Advance to the National Championship Game
In this story:
GLENDALE — These are the games that the Miami Hurricanes lose.
Terrible penalties, four dropped interceptions, and failing to execute at the highest level all fit the billing on how the Hurricanes lost to Louisville and SMU. However, the Hurricanes have been down this road before, and this time was a bit different.
"I think it's more a reflection of our players and their DNA and the way that they're wired, how they came into the program and how they've continued to develop and evolve," Miami head coach Mario Cristobal said after the game. "So it almost seems like the tougher it gets, the better we play. And it's a testament to them, to their resilience, and their will."
The game already felt like an "ESPN Instant Classic" with the Hurricanes playing in a rabid environment, highlighting the 65/35 split between Ole Miss Rebels and Canes fans at State Farm Stadium.
The Hurricanes came into the game hobbling on the defensive side of the ball, and it got worse as time ticked away. The Ole Miss offense proved to be troubling with a fast tempo that confused the Canes at every opportunity. Entering this game, the Hurricanes had never trailed in this College Football Playoff, but at two different times during the 60 minutes, the Canes found themselves down.
Early on, the Hurricanes saw star Rebels running back Kewan Lacy burst through a gap for a 73-yard rushing touchdown that put the Canes down 7-3 after a Carter Davis 38-yard field goal.
It was clear that the Hurricanes would never match the Rebels' offense pace, but they didn't have to.
Miami's goal was always to pound the ball up the A-Gap and allow their two-star running backs, Mark Fletcher Jr and ChaMar Brown, to do most of the heavy lifting. The Canes finished with 191 yards rushing and two total touchdowns on the ground. They also control the clock with a 41:22 to 18:38 time of possession advantage.
Moreover, even defensive back and Fiesta Bowl defensive MVP Jakobe Thomas was so restless that he started to get involved in the offensive huddles.
"Yeah, we knew those guys ran tempo a lot. I'm extremely appreciative that the offense was able to do what they did tonight," Thomas said. "Obviously, it gave us time to get a win, really get corrections done. Allowed us to make a lot of adjustments. But at the same time, as Mark [Fletcher] just said, when they hold the ball that long, I can't sit on the bench and sit over there and talk to coaches and DBs. I have to stand up.
I have to be a part of that, because it's so special what they do and how much they believe in each other and how much they believe in us. I go over in the huddle, and it's not me trying to root anybody on. I just love being in there. I love being around those guys and seeing the grit and all the hard work that they put in. For you guys to finally see, it's just amazing."
Even with the Hurricanes playing bad football, they still had the lead going into the fourth quarter, 17-16. The Rebels then benefited from bad penalties from the Canes, but the defense didn't bend and kept the score close, only being down 2 after a 21-yard field goal from Rebels kicker Lucas Carneiro.
The Canes battled scoring, thanks again to a monster game from Keelon Marion and Malachi Toney. Both combined for nearly 200 yards through the air, but it also came down to Miami's biggest tab of the season, Carson Beck.
Beck had been inconsistent all game, missing touchdowns and throwing some bad passes, but when they needed him most, he came through. The Hurricanes, down 27-24 with three minutes remaining in the game, got the ball one more time, and Beck, along with the team, was ready.
"Yeah, obviously we're sitting there on the sideline," Beck said, retelling his point of view. " I'm telling the guys to just stay in it, stay in it, even though we had just gone down and scored a touchdown. They obviously were able to respond, and they scored as well. I'm just telling all the guys, stay in it, stay in it.
"They finally score. Kind of looked at the guys on the sideline and said: Man, this is what we worked for. This is what we live for. This is why you play the game of football. This is why you come to the University of Miami is for moments like this; to play in these big games, to have these big moments. Are we going to respond or are we not? What are we going to do?
"I told them I love them. I told them whatever happens, I still love them. I'm proud of them. And I think
just looking at the look in everybody's eyes, I kind of felt what was about to go happen."
Beck consistently got in third and trouble but found a way to get the first down, making the clock tick, and putting the Canes in position to win the game or at least go for a tie. However, a tie never went through the minds of Beck, the offense, or the coaching staff. Miami was going for the win.
With 24 seconds remaining in the game, Beck took a snap, looked to his left, scrambled to his right, and eventually, an open lane was there for Beck to roll to his left and skip his way into the endzone, putting the Canes up 31-27.
Only 13 seconds remained for the Rebels, but the defense came through in the end, pushing the ball to the outside, ending the game, and picking up the first win in program history in the Fiesta Bowl.
Carson Beck scored the second-latest go-ahead touchdown in regulation in College Football Playoff history with 18 seconds remaining 🔥 pic.twitter.com/rAux9hnuG3
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) January 9, 2026
Now the Hurricanes' traveling is done. They have a home game for the National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium, awaiting the winner of Oregon and Indiana in the Peach Bowl.
Follow all social media platforms to stay up to date with everything Miami Hurricanes-related: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and BlueSky.
Read More Miami Hurricanes News:
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.