Ole Miss and Miami added a new chapter to a rarely played matchup on one of college football’s biggest stages, meeting for the first time in postseason history at the Fiesta Bowl. While the Rebels came up short on the scoreboard, the night still marked a milestone moment for the program.
The game was just the fourth all-time meeting between the schools and the first ever with both teams ranked. With the result, the all-time series now sits even at 2-2, dating back to matchups in 1936, 1940, and 1951.
A New Bowl Benchmark for Ole Miss
This Fiesta Bowl appearance was a first for Ole Miss and represented the program’s 21st trip to a major bowl game. The Rebels now own a 13-8 record in major bowls and have appeared in every major New Year’s bowl except the Rose Bowl.
It was also Ole Miss’ 44th bowl game overall. The Rebels finish with a strong 28-16 bowl record on the field and a 14-5 mark in their last 19 postseason appearances, showing long-term consistency when the lights are bright.
More importantly, the loss brought an end to the most successful season in school history. Ole Miss wrapped up its first-ever 13-win campaign and completed the program’s first 15-game season across 131 years of football, including a historic debut run in the College Football Playoff era.
Leaders on the Field
Team captains for the night included linebacker Tyler Banks, offensive lineman Patrick Kutas, wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, and safety Wydett Williams Jr.
Up front, Jayden Williams continued his ironman run, making his 34th career start to lead all active Rebels. Linebacker TJ Dottery and left tackle Diego Pounds each logged their 24th straight start, setting the standard for durability.
Attendance for the game was announced at 67,928, packing State Farm Stadium for the high-profile showdown.
Offensive Records Keep Falling
Ole Miss’ offense once again delivered, even against a tough Miami defense. The Rebels allowed just one sack, the second time this season they limited a top-10 sack defense to a single takedown.
The 27 points scored pushed Ole Miss to 554 points on the season, breaking the program record set in 2015. The Rebels also finished with 7,345 total yards, becoming the first Ole Miss team to cross the 7,000-yard mark.
Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss threw for 277 yards and a touchdown, adding another page to his record book. He eclipsed 9,000 career total yards, reached 90 career touchdowns, and broke the Ole Miss mark for most 250-yard passing games in a season with 12. Chambliss finishes the year third all-time in single-season passing and total offense at Ole Miss.
Running back Kewan Lacy delivered one of the night’s biggest moments with a 73-yard touchdown run, the longest rush Miami allowed all season and the fourth-longest in Fiesta Bowl history. Lacy ended the year with 1,567 rushing yards, tying the school record, and became Ole Miss’ new all-purpose yardage leader with 1,744.
Tight end Dae’Quan Wright also made history, hauling in three catches for 64 yards and a score to move into second place all-time among Ole Miss tight ends in receiving yards.
Defense Brings the Pressure
Ole Miss’ defense gave Miami problems all night, recording five sacks, the most the Hurricanes allowed all season.
TJ Dottery led the unit with 11 tackles and a sack. Suntarine Perkins added seven tackles and 1.5 sacks, climbing into the top 10 in program history for both career sacks and tackles for loss. Princewill Umanmielen chipped in with a sack and finished the season with nine, putting him among the elite single-season pass rushers in Ole Miss history.
In the secondary, Kapena Gushiken grabbed his first interception of the season, while Chris Graves Jr. posted a career-high eight tackles and three pass breakups.
Carneiro Delivers a Special Teams Masterclass
Kicker Lucas Carneiro was automatic, going 4-for-5 on field goals and drilling a career-long 58-yarder just before halftime. That kick tied for second-longest in Ole Miss history and ranked as the second-longest field goal ever made in Fiesta Bowl and College Football Playoff history.
Carneiro broke the school record for career 50-yard field goals, set a new CFP record for field goals in a single playoff run, and tied the SEC single-season record with 31 made field goals. His 149 points this season now stand as the Ole Miss single-season scoring record.
Final Takeaway
The result may sting, but the bigger picture is clear. Ole Miss didn’t just show up to the national stage this season, it planted its flag. Records fell, history was made, and the Rebels proved they belong in college football’s top tier. This season set a new standard in Oxford, and there is no going back.
