Miami's Star Safety is Playing Possessed in the College Football Playoff
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SCOTTDALE — The College Football Playoff has seen elite performances from players all around the country. The Miami Hurricanes have seen two players step up to the challenge and play otherworldly, starting with returning safety Keionte Scott.
Scott missed the final three games of the regular season, but with a few extra weeks of rest and the Canes making the CFP, he was bound to make a return. It was a standout return against Texas A&M and against Ole Miss; he stamped his name as one of the best defensive players in the country.
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal loves the way his star player is playing. Scott's "transparency" was what drew in Cristobal and why he knows that that Canes can compete for a National Championship
I can't speak enough good things about Keionte," Cristobal said. "From the day he set foot on campus. Really, his visit, his transparency, the way he articulated where he was at, why he chose Miami. Mind you, he was a guy that I recruited when I was at the University of Oregon. We knew each other for a long, long time, him, his mom, everybody. But he has a very unique way about him.
"He is all about action. He's a man of action, backs up his words. But the time invested, not only in his craft, but the time he invests in people and getting to know them, gaining their trust. Being a guy that on a daily basis is going to approach everything like a true professional, it just -- it garners respect, right? Certainly a commanding presence about him, so when he backs it up on the field -- again, I love the guy. I honestly think he's been one of the biggest difference-makers I've ever been around in coaching. Certainly happy for his success so far. He's really excited to play tomorrow."
Scott is also feeling the importance of this game. There hasn't been a moment when he has felt like this is a normal game. Everyone in the locker room is starting to feel it as well.
"All week I've just been telling guys: These are games you share with your kids," Scott said. "You sit down on the couch and show your kids this game. There's definitely times we want to make sure we're taking full advantage of just the smaller things, the little things. There's teams that are not competing, and we're one of four teams that are. There's definitely a moment where we soak it all in. But you've got to stay focused and live in the moment."
How to Watch the Fiesta Bowl:
Game Day: January 8
Kickoff time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern
TV: ESPN
Radio:560 WQAM,990AM ESPN Deportes,WVUM,
Last Time Out, Ole Miss: The Sugar Bowl was an instant classic as the Rebels pulled off the upset victory over the Georgia Bulldogs 39-34, thanks to a legacy-changing game from the star quarterback, Trinidad Chambliss.
Last Time Out, Miami: The Hurricanes pulled off the upset against the 2024 national champions, Ohio State, where they out-muscled the team en route to a 24-14 win thanks to a five-sack day between their monstrous defensive line and a pick-six thanks to Keionte Scott.
Last Meeting:The last time these teams faced off was nearly 75 years ago in 1951, when the Hurricanes defeated the Rebels 20-7. Ole Miss holds a series record of 2-1 in their three-game history.
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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.