CFP news: Miami beats Ole Miss to earn spot in national championship game

The Miami Hurricanes are heading to the School Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship Sport, coming away with a slim victory over Ole Miss, 31-27, in an all-time postseason contest. 

The Hurricanes will now await the winner of the opposite semifinal between the Indiana Hoosiers and Oregon Ducks to see who they may play on Jan. 19. However Miami will achieve this on their house turf, with the Nationwide Championship Sport being performed at Exhausting Rock Stadium – the positioning of their house video games. 

The sport started slowly for each groups, with solely Miami getting on the scoreboard within the first quarter with a area aim on their 13-play opening drive. However the fireworks got here out from there for the Rebels because of the velocity of operating again Kewan Lacy.

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On simply the second play of the second quarter, Lacy was off to the race, discovering a seam and busting out a 73-yard landing run to go up 7-3 after the additional level.

However this recreation was forwards and backwards for fairly a while, together with the following Hurricanes drive as quarterback Carson Beck led the way in which on a 15-play landing sequence with a CharMar Brown dashing rating from 4 yards out.

The sport was deadlocked at 10 apiece when Beck determined to air it out to Keelan Marion, and it was definitely worth the danger. Marion made the seize for a 52-yard landing to assist Miami go up 17-13 at halftime.

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The third quarter was an odd one for each squads, as their opening drives resulted in a missed area aim apiece. Then, after Beck threw an interception, the Rebels had been in a position to reduce the result in 17-16 in favor of the Hurricanes heading into the fourth quarter for the ages.

There was no absence of electrical performs when it mattered most within the closing quarter-hour, as Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss bought his group downfield sufficient to take a 19-17 lead with a area aim.

However the velocity of Malachi Toney modified the scoreboard for Miami in the easiest way doable, as he took a display 36 yards to the home, capping a four-play, 75-yard reply drive for the Hurricanes proper after Ole Miss took the lead.

Trinidad Chambliss of the Ole Miss Rebels celebrates a landing in opposition to the Miami Hurricanes within the second quarter in the course of the 2025 School Soccer Playoff Semifinal on the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Photographs)

With a 24-19 lead and 5 minutes left to play within the recreation, Chambliss and the Rebels’ offense had fairly sufficient time to retake the lead. He did simply that, discovering trusty tight finish Dae’Quan Wright for twenty-four yards to ship the Rebels devoted ballistic.

Ole Miss needed to go for 2 in hopes of constructing it a three-point lead, and Chambliss got here by means of once more, discovering a large open Caleb Odom for the important thing rating.

It was as much as Beck and the Miami offense to maintain the sport alive with not less than tying the sport at 27 apiece. On a vital third-and-10 simply inside area aim vary, Beck was assured together with his cross to Marion to get nicely inside vary. One other cross to Marion made it first-and-goal, and it was clear Miami wasn’t attempting to power extra time. They needed to win all of it.

How becoming was it that Beck, scanning the sector, discovered a seam to his left and simply sprinted for the coloured paint to attain the game-winner with 18 seconds left.

However issues bought fascinating on the finish, with Ole Miss going 40 yards in only a few seconds to arrange a Hail Mary for the win. Chambliss had the area to loft a cross to the tip zone, and although it hit off the hand of a teammate, it landed incomplete for the Miami victory. 

Carson Beck of the Miami Hurricanes passes the ball in opposition to the Ole Miss Rebels within the first quarter in the course of the 2025 School Soccer Playoff Semifinal on the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona.   (Chris Coduto/Getty Photographs)

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Within the field rating, Beck was 23-of-37 for 268 yards together with his two passing touchdowns and an interception. Marion was a key participant within the victory with seven catches for 114 yards, whereas Mark Fletcher Jr. set the tone within the floor recreation with 133 yards dashing on 22 carries. Toney additionally tallied 81 receiving yards for Miami.

For Ole Miss, Chambliss additionally went 23-of-37 for 277 yards together with his landing to Wright, who completed with 64 yards on three grabs. De’Zhaun Stribling was 5 for 77 by means of the air, whereas Lacy rushed for 103 yards on 11 carries.

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