The Miami Hurricanes Advance to the National Championship Against Ole Miss: Live Updates
In this story:
Final Score
Miami 31
Ole Miss 27
Four teams down, three games remaining, and two more weekends of football before the lone national champion is decided in Miami Gardens at Hard Rock Stadium.
No. 10 Miami wants a home national championship game, but first, they have to go through another SEC team in the College Football Playoff.
The Hurricanes will battle No. 6 Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. Eastern.
The Hurricanes are already betting favorites as early lines were announced. However, with the performance that Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss put on in the Sugar Bowl, this could be another game that gives the Hurricanes some trouble.
Miami Player to Watch: Mark Fletcher Jr.
Not only do the Miami Hurricanes have one of the best running backs in the country, but he is also just getting started with his legendary career. Fletcher continues to be the Canes' anchor during the postseason with a career game against Texas A&M, and is one of the driving forces for the Canes to defeat Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
The Georgia Bulldogs ran the ball well against Ole Miss. Miami statistically has a better offensive line and run game than the Bulldogs. It could be a great game for a running back from the Canes.
Ole Miss Player to Watch: Trinidad Chambliss
Chambliss might be the first player in history to have a heat check in football. The former DII standout quarterback went nuclear against the Bulldogs en route to a game-winning drive and comeback in the Sugar Bowl. He has the quickest release of any quarterback that the Hurricanes have seen all season, and his dual-threat ability is game-breaking.
The Hurricanes have faced running quarterbacks before, but Chambliss will be the best they have seen all season.
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.
Pregame
Field view from the Fiesta Bowl pic.twitter.com/SSGQie5AIh
— Miami Hurricanes On SI (@CanesCentralSI) January 8, 2026
Although Miami cornerback Damari Brown was listed as questionable on the initial injury report, ESPN's Pete Thamel reports that he is OUT against Ole Miss.
Source: Miami cornerback Damari Brown will not play against Ole Miss tonight in the College Football Playoff semi-finals. He'd been listed as questionable. He hasn't played since Nov. 29. pic.twitter.com/FEr01tCfCn
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 8, 2026
Along with Brown, Miami running back Jordan Lyle, linebacker Malik Bryant, wide out Daylyn Upshaw, defensive lineman Cole McConathy II, and defensive lineman Donta Simpson are also all OUT, with nose guard Ahmad Moten Sr. being listed as a game-time decision.
How big of a game to you expect from Mark Fletcher Jr.? #GoCanes pic.twitter.com/cCCnZhgexE
— Miami Hurricanes On SI (@CanesCentralSI) January 8, 2026
Here come your Hurricanes⭐️🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/zktJjTMaYK
— Miami Hurricanes On SI (@CanesCentralSI) January 9, 2026
There is a vast difference in the contingency of Ole Miss fans who made the trip to Phoenix vs. Miami fans who did the same. Of course, if Miami wins, it means the Hurricanes get a home game in the national title game.
It feels like an away game for Miami. 70/30 split it feels like
— Justice Sandle (@Justice_News5) January 9, 2026
First Quarter
OM: Ole Miss wins the toss and elects to receive the opening kickoff. The ball sails out of the end zone for a touchback.
On first down, Trinidad Chambliss finds Harrison Wallace for a gain of 4 yards before Ahmad Moten makes the tackle and is down on the play. | 14:18
On the ensuing 3rd down play, Chambliss is hurried by Mohamed Toure, which draws an intentional grounding. Ole Miss will punt it away from its own goal line, and the Hurricanes will take over on their own 36-yard line.
MIA: On the first Miami play from scrimmage, Mark Fletcher rushes for five yards before Beck finds Keelan Marion to move the sticks. On the following first down, Beck overthrows Malachi Toney over the middle to bring up 2nd and 10.
On second down, Fletcher carries the ball again for a gain of 2 yards. Beck scrambles for another 7 yards on third down, and the offense remains on the field. After Fletcher moves the chains, play is stopped due to an Ole Miss injury. | 10:49
After Marty Brown carries for a gain of 5 yards on first down, a screen pass to Toney lunges forward for another 4-yard gain to bring up 3rd and 1. Brown strikes again in the flat to move the chains after a quick toss from Beck.
Fletcher carries for another gain of 3 yards before he's brought down just shy of the first down marker to bring up 3rd and 3. Toney lines up in a wildcat formation and gets tackled for a loss of 2 yards. The Miami field goal unit takes the field, and Carter Davis's kick is up and good. 3-0 Miami. | 6:22
OM: Following a touchback, Kewan Lacy hauls in a pass for 4 yards before Chambliss carries for no gain on second down. On 3rd and 6, Chambliss's pass is incomplete, and the Rebels will punt it away. Miami will take back over the possession at their own 23-yard line.
MIA: Marty Brown carries it for 8 yards on first down, followed by a short pass to Alex Bauman that moves the sticks on a 7-yard gain.
Beck finds Toney over the middle, and Toney takes a hard hit. The play is under review for targeting on Ole Miss. | 3:52
After the review, there is no foul on the play, and Miami is still rewarded with a fresh set of downs at midfield. On 1st and 10, Marty Brown carries for a first down, but Bauman is called for a holding to bring the play back.
1st and 16 leads to a short pass to JoJo Trader for 3 yards. A backwards pass to Fletcher from Beck brings up 3rd and 9, where Miami commits a false start. On the eventual 3rd and 13, Fletcher carries for one yard up the gut before Miami's punt unit sends the ball down range and out of the Ole Miss end zone. | 0:24
OM: Lacy carries for a 2-yard gain on first down before Miami commits an offside penalty to net the Rebels a free 5 yards. That will bring up the end of the first quarter. | 0:00
Second Quarter
OM: On 2nd and 3, Lacy takes a rush 73 yards to the house for an Ole Miss TOUCHDOWN. The kick is up and good, putting the Rebels up 7-3. | 14:50
MIA: On the first play from scrimmage, Beck finds CJ Daniels for a gain of 7 yards before Fletcher moves the chains and then some on 2nd down. Following his 11-yard rush, Miami takes over at its own 43-yard line.
Fletcher draws a defensive pass interference to give the Hurricanes a fresh set of down at their own 48-yard line. Beck's pass falls incomplete to bring up 2nd and 10. Joshua Moore hauls in a low throw from Beck to move the sticks again.
Beck's deep ball to Toney falls incomplete on the ensuing play, and he follows the miss by carrying for a gain of three yards to bring up 3rd and 7. Beck finds Lofton over the middle of the field to keep the posession alive and move the sticks down to the Ole Miss 24-yard line.
Beck falls on a bad snap, but Miami got a timeout off before the ball was snapped, which I'm sure the Ole Miss fans in attendance will have no issue with at all. | 11:23
Brown carries for a gain of 3 yards on first down. On second down, Beck fires for Toney again in the end zone and it falls incomplete. Toney catches a ball short of the sticks on 3rd down, makes a few men miss, and wiggles across the first down marker to bring up 1st and 10 from the 14-yard line.
Fletcher lowers the shoulder and moves the entire pile forward to bring up 2nd and 5. After another gain of 3 from Fletcher, the Hurricanes and Fletcher cross the sticks to bring up first and goal.
Brown slips anf falls on first and goal for a loss of 2 yards. On 2nd and goal from the 4, he makes up for it and finds the end zone for a MIAMI TOUCHDOWN. The kick is up and good. | 7:09
OM: After the Miami kickoff sails out of the end zone, Chambliss finds Logan Diggs for a gain of 7 yards, which Diggs follows up with 6-yard rush. On 1st and 10, Chambliss sails a pass, but Justin Scott is called for roughing the passer, which will bring Ole Miss inside Miami territory.
On the ensuing play, Chambliss finds Wallace for a gain of 20. Chambliss finds Watkins for another gain of 3 yards before Keionte Scott tackles Diggs for no gain to bring up 3rd and 7. The pressure gets to Chambliss, and the Rebels kick a FIELD GOAL to knot the score at 10 a piece. | 4:38
MIA: After the kickoff sails through the end zone, Fletcher carries for a gain of one yard. Beck finds Marion on second down for a gain of 4 yards, and on third down, Marion pops open again and moves the sticks for a gain of 14 yards.
Bauman hauls in a screen pass and moves the pile forward for a gain of 4 yards before Beck finds Marion again wide open in the middle of the field for a 52-yard TOUCHDOWN. The kick is up and good. | 2:18
OM: Chambliss finds Odom for a gain of 4 yards to take us to the 2-minute warning. | 2:00
Out of the warning, a pair of dismal rushes go nowhere, the Hurricanes call a timeout ahead of 4th and 2 from the Rebels. Toney Fair catches at the Miami 25-yard line, and the Hurricanes will have 1:19 on the clock before the half.
MIA: Beck is sacked for a loss of 8 yards on first down, and Ole Miss takes its first charged timeout of the half. On 2nd down, Brown carries for a short gain before Ole Miss takes its second timeout.
For 3rd and 16, Brown carries it up to the 24-yard line, and Ole Miss takes its final timeout of the half. The Miami punt unit will hit the turf and down the ball at the Ole Miss 31-yard line. | 0:55
OM: Chambliss finds Diggs for a gain of 4 yards on first down. Then, Chambliss drops back and finds Wallace over the middle of the field, but he's tackled in bounds. Chambliss finds Wallace for a gain of 7 before he gets out of bounds, and the Rebels get to midfield.
After Chambliss finds Kaden Lee, he spikes it to bring up 2nd and 10. Miami then calls its final timeout before Dylan Day drops what would have been a pick-six. The ensuing pass is dropped, and Ole Miss kicker Winston Watkins drills a 58-yard FIELD GOAL. | 0:11
MIA: Beck kneels it out to send both teams to the halftime break. | 0:00
Third Quarter
MIA: After the second half kickoff sails out of the endzone for a touchback, Fletcher carries teh first play for a gain of 3 yards. Beck throws incomplete on second down, and on third down, a tunnel screen to Toney moves the ball to the Miami 41 yard-line.
Fletcher carries the entire pile for 19 yards to move deep into Ole Miss territory before Beck is called for an intentional grounding on a flea flicker. On 2nd and 22, Fletcher carries for another chunk play to bring up 3rd and 9. Beck misses Daniels on 3rd and 9, and Davis will come on to attempt the 51-yard field goal. He pushes it right, and Ole Miss will take over. | 11:53
OM: On first down, Chambliss finds Stribling deep down the sideline before another pass finds its target over the middle to move the chains again. Jakobe Thomas misses out on another interception to bring up 2nd and 10. Chambliss's next throw is behind his target, and on 3rd and 10, Zecheriah Poyser drops another potential interception to bring out the Ole Miss field goal unit, whose kick bounces off the uprights from 51 yards out. | 10:56
MIA: Beck carries for a short gain on first down, followed by a Fletcher rush for 4 yards to bring up 3rd and 5. Beck rushes for a first down and a gain of 8 yards.
Fletcher rushes for another 5 yards on the ensuing first down, and is brought down for a gain of 2 yards to bring up 3rd and 3. Beck hands off to Marty Brown to move the chains again.
On another first down play, Brown gains a pair of yards before the Hurricanes are called for a false start. | 6:43
On 2nd and 13, Beck's throw to JoJo Trader is on target, but dropped. Beck then scrambles out of the pocket again for a gain of 11 yards to bring up 4th and 1. The offense stays out, and Marty Brown converts another 4th down for Miami.
Brown carries again for a gain of three to bring up 2nd and 7 from the Ole Miss 19-yard line. Brown is finally stuffed, and on third down, another false start will stall the drive. Beck's pass is batted at the line and intercepted by Ole Miss. The play will be under review. | 3:19
OM: The interception is ruled good, and Ole Miss will take over at their own 14.
Chambliss finds Stribling over the middle for a gain of 17 yards. Another deep ball from Chambliss is nearly picked off. The Rebels are trying to hand Miami posession, and they just won't take it.
Chambliss finds Stribling again, then finds Alexander for a gain of 7. A screen to Lee moves the chains again on a gain of 12 yards. Chambliss's next throw is incomplete to Lacy to bring up 2nd and 10. Chambliss air mails a deep ball, and it's 3rd and 10. After a short scramble, he's brought down short of the line to gain, and the Ole Miss field goal unit takes the field. Instead of a doink miss, it's a doink MADE FIELD GOAL. | 0:22
MIA: The kickoff sails through the back of the end zone, and Miami will take over at its own 25-yard line.
Fletcher carries for another first down to end the third quarter. | 0:00
Fourth Quarter
MIA: A first down screen pass to Toney moves the chains, and the following rush from Fletcher is good for three yards to bring up 2nd and 7 from the Ole Miss 45. Beck is sacked to bring up 3rd and 17. He's sacked again, and Ole Miss has every bit of momentum in the game on its side now.
The punt unit comes on, and the ball is downed at the Ole Miss 10-yard line. | 12:19
OM: Lacy's first carry is brought down for no gain, and on 2nd down, Chambliss finds Stribling to bring up 3rd and 1. Lacy carries across the line to gain to give the Rebels another set of downs.
On 1st and 10, Chambliss finds Wright for a gain of 19 yards. Lacy then carries for a gain of 4 yards, then moves the sticks with an 8-yard rush. A rush from Watkins gains a yard to bring up 2nd and 9. Chambliss is pressured, and his pass on second down is incomplete. On 3rd and 9, Chambliss finds another receiver over the middle. On the tackle, Miami's Xavier Lucas is called for targeting. The play is under review. | 8:54
The ruling is upheld, and Cristobal is letting the officials know his displeasure.
Another Lacy rush sees Miami's David Blay called for a late hit, and it's first and goal for Ole Miss.
Lacy carries for a short gain to bring Ole Miss inside the 5-yard line, and a Miami player is down on the field. | 7:54
The injured player is EDGE Akheem Mesidor, and he walks off under his own power.
Chambliss attempts a quarterback keeper and gains one yard to bring up 3rd and 4. Miami forces an incompletion, and the Ole Miss field goal unit will trot onto the field. The Miami defense bends, but doesn't break, as Lucas hits another OLE MISS FIELD GOAL. | 7:00
MIA: The kickoff sails out of the end zone, and Miami will try and capitalize off one more drive.
Beck goes deep on first down and Marion draws a Pass Interference to net the Hurricanes a quick 15 yards. On the following first down play, Daniels gains 8 yards. 2nd and 2 sees Fletcher sprint around the edge to move deep into Ole Miss territory. Fletcher then slips for a loss of 1 yard before Toney takes another screen in for another 36-yard MIAMI TOUCHDOWN. The Kick is up, and the Hurricanes are back in control. | 5:04
OM: After another kick sails out of the end zone, Ole Miss takes over at their own 25-yard line.
Chambliss finds Wright again, and Jakobe Thomas exits with an injury. Lacy is stuffed for a gain of 2 yards on first down, and on second, Chambliss's pass to Stribling is broken up by Jaboree Antoine. Miami will take its first timeout of the half, as Cristobal evidently didn't like what he saw.
On the following play, Antoine is called for a pass interference. Chambliss then scrambles for another first down and a gain of 19 yards. Lacy is then brought down for a gain of 2 to bring up 2nd and 8 form the Miami 24. Then, Chambliss finds his tight end Wright for another OLE MISS TOUCHDOWN. The Rebels get the conversion to go. | 3:13
MIA: The kickoff sails out of bounds.
Beck's first down throw sails incomplete, but on second down, Marion hauls it in for a gain of 8 yards on the sideline. Fletcher quickly rushes for the conversion.
Beck looks deep to Bauman, but he can't haul it in. On 2nd down, Beck finds Brown for a gain of 2. That play will take us to the two-minute warning. When we return, it'll be 3rd and 8 from the Miami 39-yard line.
On 3rd down, Beck looks downfield to Marion, and it's incomplete, but a facemask will give Miami a fresh set of downs. Now in Ole Miss territory, Daniels hauls in a screen pass for a 4-yard gain. Beck loads up, looks downfield to Toney, and he makes a miraculous catch on the sideline, which is now under review. | 1:26
The ruling is overturned, and on third down, Marion hauls in a short pass to move the chains. On 1st and 10, Beck sails one to the sideline incomplete. On 2nd and 10, he's nearly intercepted on the sideline. After another clutch catch from Marion that moves the chains, Miami takes over at the Ole Miss 19-yard line.
A rush from Beck loses a yard, and Ole Miss takes a timeout. | 0:37
Marion grabs another one to move the sticks and bring up first down and goal. Ole Miss will take its second timeout of the half. | 0:31
Brown carries for another short gain, and Miami takes its secome timeout of the half. | 0:24
Carson Beck scrambles into the end zone for a MIAMI TOUCHDOWN with 18 seconds left on the clock. The kick is up good. | 0:18
OM: The kickoff is fair caught, and the Ole Miss offense will take the field needing a touchdown.
Chambliss finds his man at midfield, and then the Rebels will spike the ball with 11 seconds left. On 2nd and 10, he drops back and finds Stribling for another chunk play, which leaves 5 seconds on the clock. Ole Miss takes its final timeout.
Miami then elects to take its own final timeout. Chambliss then drops back for an end zone heave, and it falls incomplete. That ends the game, and Miami advances to the national championship game. | 0:00
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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.