Above Image Credit: Bleacher Nation
When: Thursday, Jan. 8th, 7:30 PM EST
Where: Vrbo Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium (Glendale, AZ)
How to Watch: ESPN
The journey to the national championship and college football greatness continues with the first CFP semifinal matchup between the Miami Hurricanes and Ole Miss Rebels at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
Here Come the Hurricanes
No one ever expected for Miami to be within reach of a national championship appearance let alone be in the CFP bracket in the first place. Well, here we are now.
The Hurricanes shocked everyone with a 10-3 win against #7 Texas A&M thanks to their dominant defense. Then, they did it again with a 24-14 victory over #2 Ohio State. So far, they’re showing everyone why the CFP committee was right to choose them for the playoffs.
Why is the Hurricanes defense so important? That’s because they are one of the top performers in all of the nation. They are fourth overall in points allowed (13.1) and 1st in total number of sacks (46). This is thanks in part to DLs Akheem Mesidor (T-1st in ACC with 10.5 sacks) and Reuben Bain Jr. (T-3rd in ACC with 8.5 sacks).
Miami is the only one of the final four teams who has won a national championship. In their case, they won five national championships, and the last one they won was back in 2001.
No Lane Kiffin, No Problem…So Far
After Lane Kiffin took the head coach position at LSU, me and many others thought Ole Miss would lose in the quarterfinals. So far, the Rebels have been proving doubters and naysayers wrong. It was no surprise that Ole Miss would dominate Tulane in the first round. What caught everyone, including myself, by surprise was how they defeated Georgia 39-34 in unbelievable fashion.
The 4th quarter had all the surprises. First, Rebels LB Suntarine Perkins sacked Georgia QB Gunnar Stockton, forcing a fumble recovery. The score then became 34-24 after Ole Miss scored again. It wouldn’t last as Georgia caught up and tied the game at 34-all with only a few minutes left of the game.
Rebels kicker Lucas Carneiro then nailed one last field goal and took the score to 37-34 with only six seconds left. Georgia had the chance to tie again, but instead, a safety happened, giving the Bulldogs the final two points to total the score at 39-34.
Not having Kiffin around has somehow helped the team do even better than before. The interim coach will be there to stay, but win or lose, Ole Miss will have more time to figure out the moves they’ll make during the offseason.
Miami vs. Ole Miss: Final Thoughts and Prediction
The Fiesta Bowl has been a curse to Miami so far. They have an 0-4 record when playing in that bowl game. One of those four losses included their last national championship appearance back in 2003 where they lost to Ohio State 31-24 in double overtime.
However, this Miami team is very different. Their offense has been holding steady with Georgia transfer and QB Carson Beck at the helm. He’s 4th in the ACC with 3,313 yards. Helping him out has been RB Mark Fletcher Jr., who is one of the top 5 rushers in the conference. Then, you have sensational Freshman WR Malachi Toney, who is fourth in the conference with 1,008 receiving yards.
Rebels QB Trinidad Chambliss, who announced a few days ago that he will be back next season, can be a bit of a dual-threat, but he does more passing than running. That’s where star RB Kewan Lacy comes in. He leads the nation with 1,464 rushing yards, so he’s got plenty of speed. However, Miami will use their defensive dominance to take him and Chambliss down.
If they keep hounding the Rebels offense the way they did with Ohio State and Texas A&M, they will make it through the game. Whatever happens next, this Miami vs. Ole Miss game is sure to be one for the books. The winner of this game will face either Oregon or Indiana in the national championship in Miami Gardens, FL.
