GLENDALE, Ariz. — No. 10 Miami is aiming to keep their College Football Playoff run alive when they face No. 6 Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal Thursday.
The winner of the Fiesta Bowl will advance to the National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 19.
The last time Miami reached the national title game was the 2001 season, when the Hurricanes defeated Nebraska 37-14 in the Rose Bowl (then the BCS Championship) on Jan. 3, 2002, earning their fifth national championship.
The Rebels have never played in a CFP National Championship game, but they claim national titles from earlier eras. Their most recent win was in 1962.
Miami upset defending champion Ohio State 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal, while Ole Miss edged No.3 Georgia 39-34 last week.
The Hurricanes (12-2, 6-2 ACC) have won six straight games and are 4-0 against ranked opponents.
Quarterback Carson Beck has completed 74.4% of his passes for 3,313 yards and 27 touchdowns while also rushing for one score.
Freshman wideout Malachi Toney leads the receiving corps with 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Hurricanes’ running game has been pivotal in the playoffs, including key contributions from CharMar “Marty” Brown, who scored a game-cliching touchdown against Ohio State.
Running back Mark Fletcher Jr., who also scored in that game, praised Beck’s leadership when speaking to Local 10 on Tuesday.
“I honestly believe he just takes pride in knowing his personnel, knowing that he has playmakers all around him,” Fletcher said. “He’s a special quarterback, but we’re his teammates. He puts the balls in playmakers’ hands and trusts us to make plays.”
Ole Miss (13-1, 7-1 SEC) has won seven straight and is 2-1 against ranked opponents.
Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has thrown for 3,660 yards and 21 touchdowns with just three interceptions while rushing for eight scores.
Running back Kewan Lacy has 1,464 yards and 23 rushing touchdowns, helping keep defenses honest.
Chambliss’ top target is Harrison Wallace III, who had a standout game against Georgia, catching nine passes for 156 yards and a touchdown.
Miami’s defense, led by coordinator Corey Hetherman, ranked fourth nationally in scoring defense and 10th in total yards allowed. Defensive linemen Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor anchor a dominant front.
Linebacker Wesley Bissainthe said of the team’s approach: “Man, everybody, the whole defense and Coach Hetherman, that’s what he preaches — that’s the identity of the defense: excitement, swarm and violence. That’s why everybody’s out there like that.”
Defensive back Keionte Scott, who returned an interception for a touchdown vs. Ohio State to give his team an early two-score lead, told reporters on Wednesday that head coach Mario Cristobal has the team locked in and ready for these moments.
“He (Cristobal) does a good job of keeping us focus. It’s a moment where we don’t want to be too high or too low,” Scott said.
Ole Miss leads the all-time series 2-1, though the teams haven’t met since 1951.
Miami is 0-4 all-time in the Fiesta Bowl, including a 2002 BCS title-game loss to Ohio State, but will look to erase that negative part of their history with a win.
The winner of the Fiesta Bowl will face the winner of the No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 5 Oregon game in the Peach Bowl, with the victors advancing to the 2026 National Championship game.
Kickoff from State Farm Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
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