How It Happened: Ole Miss Football Stuns Georgia Bulldogs in Thrilling Sugar Bowl

NEW ORLEANS – The No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels have punched their ticket to the College Football Playoff Semifinals after taking down No. 3 Georgia 39-34, Thursday night in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

The Rebels (13-1) erased a nine-point halftime deficit, orchestrating one of the more dramatic second half comebacks in recent CFP history. Until now, Georgia had won 53 straight games when leading at the half, which was the longest active streak in the FBS, and 75 straight wins when leading after three quarters.

With the victory, Ole Miss is off to its first ever Fiesta Bowl to square off against No. 10 Miami (12-2). At seven Sugar Bowl victories, Ole Miss now stands behind only Alabama (10) in all-time wins in the prestigious bowl game.

At 13-1, this marks the first 13-win season in Ole Miss history. The 2025 Rebels were also the first to post an 11-win regular season and a 12-win season overall.

Lucas Carneiro and Trinidad Chambliss were the heroes of the game. Chambliss threw for over 300 yards and two touchdowns while Carneiro hit three field goals including the game winner with six seconds left.

Offensive Leaders
Chambliss guided the Rebels with another strong outing. He finished 30-of-46 through the air with several incredible plays throughout. He had 362 yards, a career high, and two touchdowns, his eighth game of the season with at least 300 yards passing en route to Sugar Bowl Offensive Player of the Game. In doing so, Chambliss is tied with Jaxson Dart and Bo Wallace for the second-most 300-yard games during a season in program history.

His second half is where much of his success came from, completing his first 12 pass attempts of the half. He threw 13 straight completions, which set a Sugar Bowl record previously held by Florida's Tim Tebow.

His favorite target of the evening was Harrison Wallace III, who had career highs in yards with 156 and receptions with nine. He added one clutch touchdown as well, which was his fourth of the season and 10th of his overall career. Wallace III had five plays north of 10 yards, including a clutch 44-yard reception early in the fourth in a drive that gave the Rebels a lead. He caught the two-point conversion in that drive which put Ole Miss up by three.

Ole Miss Football. — Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

The player who scored the touchdown on that drive, Kewan Lacy, had another show-stopping night on the ground. The sophomore sensation had 98 yards and a pair of touchdowns, increasing his Ole Miss single-season rushing touchdown record to 23. He is now tied with Tebow and Auburn's Tre Mason for the third most in a single season by an SEC athlete.

De'Zhaun Stribling joined Wallace III by surpassing the century mark in yards for the game, finishing with 122. Like Wallace III, he had a clutch 40-yard reception on Ole Miss' final offensive drive that set up Carneiro's game-winning kick.

Defensive Leaders
Suntarine Perkins came up with likely the play of the game midway through the fourth quarter, when he strip-sacked Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton on a crucial fourth down deep in their own territory. He would recover the fumble as well. He finished the game with six tackles on top of that sack.

Zxavian Harris paced Ole Miss' defense in tackles with a career-high 10. He had one tackle for loss and five of his tackles were solo. Behind Harris was linebacker Princewill Umanmielen who had seven tackles, as well as Perkins and safety Wydett Williams Jr. with six apiece.

The Rebels dropped Georgia behind the line of scrimmage nine times, led by Will Echoles, who had two on his own. Echoles also paced the team in pass breakups, batting down two throws at the line of scrimmage. For his efforts, Echoles was named the Sugar Bowl's Defensive Player of the Game.

First Quarter
Both teams would run six plays on their opening possessions, but both ended with punts.

The Rebels would take their second drive 60 yards over 11 plays, ending in a 55-yard field goal from Carneiro that set a Sugar Bowl record.

Georgia would go three-and-out on their second drive, as Tahj Chambers batted a pass off a blitz to get Ole Miss off the field.

Ole Miss would find rhythm again offensively late in the first, jumpstarted by a 22-yard strike from Chambliss to Wallace III. The drive would stall, though, at the Bulldog 44-yard line as UGA would get a batted pass of its own at the line of scrimmage, forcing another field goal try.

Carneiro went on to break his own Sugar Bowl record, this time with a 56-yard strike, putting Ole Miss up six.

With Georgia driving at the end of one, Ole Miss would lead 6-0.

Second Quarter
The Bulldogs would score the first touchdown of the game to go up 7-6, capping a seven-play, 75-yard drive with a Gunner Stockton rushing touchdown from 14 yards out.

Ole Miss would answer with a touchdown of its own with an eight play, 75-yard drive over 3:04. Chambliss would find De'Zhaun Stribling for 39 yards down the sideline to set up 1st-and-10 in Georgia territory. A facemask penalty would move the ball inside the 10, and two plays later Chambliss would find Luke Hasz for a three-yard touchdown reception.

The catch was just the third on the season for Hasz and his first score as a Rebel. Ole Miss would go for two but the try was unsuccessful, making it 12-7 with 10:33 to play in the half.

The scoring would continue, as Georgia made it back-to-back drives with a rushing touchdown from Stockton. The 12-play, 75-yard march regained Georgia the lead at 14-12.

The Bulldogs would capitalize on an Ole Miss fumble, as Elijah Griffin would take the ball 46 yards for a scoop-and-score touchdown, stretching the Georgia lead to nine.

Neither side could convert late drives into points, though, as Georgia took a 21-12 lead into the break.

Third Quarter
Georgia received the second half kickoff, but went three-and-out after Will Echoles disrupted a 3rd-and-6 run draw play from Stockton. Ole Miss drove to midfield, but was stuffed on a 4th-and-1 play, turning the ball over on downs.

The Ole Miss defense would come up with a big stand, holding Georgia to a field goal attempt after the turnover on downs. The 55-yard attempt from Peyton Woodring would come up short, giving the Rebels the ball back with 8:33 to play in quarter number three.

When they needed it most, Chambliss orchestrated a seven play, 63-yard drive, resulting in a seven-yard touchdown from Lacy. The crucial play in the drive came on 4th-and-3 when Chambliss found Wallace III for a 36-yard catch and run. Lacy added to his school record with his 22nd rushing touchdown of the season, cutting the UGA lead to two with 4:51 to play.

With momentum on their side, the Rebel defense would force another three-and-out with Echoles impacting the line scrimmage again with another batted pass. Georgia would run a fake punt on fourth down, completing a 16-yard pass hauled in by Lawson Luckie setting up 1st-and-10.

Despite the momentum shift, the Ole Miss defense would hold Georgia to a field goal, making it 24-19 Bulldogs at the end of three.

Fourth Quarter
Ole Miss would take over on offense to start the fourth and marched 75 yards over eight plays, resulting in another Lacy rushing touchdown. The drive included an incredible shovel pass play from Chambliss to Lacy followed by a 44-yard laser to Wallace III putting the Rebels inside the UGA 20. Lacy's punch in from 5-yards out plus the successful two-point conversion gave Ole Miss the 27-24 lead with 11:29 to play.

Georgia's next drive would go just four plays resulting in another punt. The Bulldogs would trot the offense on the field for fourth down again and this time Ole Miss was ready as Perkins would sack Stockton for a 10-yard loss, setting the Rebels up 1st-and-10 at the Georgia 25.

Two plays later, Chambliss would find Wallace III again for a 13-yard touchdown reception. Wallace III's ninth catch of the ball game gave Ole Miss a 34-24 lead.

Georgia would not go away as they responded with a touchdown of their own to cut the deficit to three with 7:03 remaining.

The Bulldogs would force a Rebel three-and-out getting the ball back again with 5:33 to play.

Stockton would take the Bulldogs 12 plays spanning 58-yards resulting in a 24-yard field goal to tie the game at 34 with 56 seconds to play.

Chambliss, needing one more miraculous drive, would take over once more for the Rebels. None were bigger than the 3rd-and-5 connection to Stribling for 40 yards, setting up a 47-yard try for Carneiro.

Carneiro, who was clutch all game, drilled the try, giving the Rebels a 37-34 lead with just six seconds to play.

Next Up
Ole Miss will travel to Phoenix and face No. 10 Miami (12-2, 6-2 ACC) in the CFP semifinal Vrbo Fiesta Bowl. Kickoff at State Farm Stadium is set for Thursday, January 8th, at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.

More Ole Miss News:

Lane Kiffin Reacts to New Offensive Coordinator Being Hired By Ole Miss Football

Ole Miss Football QB Trinidad Chambliss Wins Major Award Amid Breakout Season

ESPN Predicts Outcome of Ole Miss Football vs. Tulane Green Wave in CFP Showdown

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