GLENDALE, Ariz. — Carson Beck saved enough energy for one final run with 18 seconds to play in the Fiesta Bowl.
The Miami quarterback tucked the ball on a three-yard scramble and crossed the goal line with ease, lifting No. 10 Miami past No. 6 Ole Miss, 31-27 Thursday night. The win pushed the Hurricanes into the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Miami heads home to Hard Rock Stadium for that matchup, one win from its first national crown since 2001.
Miami spent the first three quarters squeezing air out of the Rebels’ offense, then survived a fourth-quarter knife fight that featured four lead changes. Beck finished 23 of 37 for 268 yards and two touchdown passes to go with an interception, then delivered the closer with his legs.
The Hurricanes’ opening statement came from the defense, which coordinator Corey Hetherman has molded into a playoff weapon. Miami forced a three-and-out on the Rebels’ first series and kept stacking pressure on Trinidad Chambliss. The Canes also lost defensive lineman Ahmad Moten Sr. to a right leg injury on Ole Miss’ third snap, but kept rolling anyway.
Miami’s offense cashed in on that early control. The Canes leaned on Mark Fletcher Jr. before Carter Davis drilled a 38-yard field goal for a 3-0 edge. Ole Miss answered with one huge play. On the first snap of the second quarter, Kewan Lacy hit the crease, split the defense and raced 73 yards for a touchdown, flipping the score to 7-3 and flipping the energy in the stadium towards the Rebels.
Miami answered with a 15-play, 71-yard response drive that ended with CharMar Brown’s 4-yard touchdown run. Lucas Carneiro tied the game with a 42-yard field goal for Ole Miss, then Beck punished a busted coverage, hitting Keelan Marion for a 52-yard touchdown. Carneiro closed the half with another field goal (from 58 yards) and Miami went into the locker rooms with a 17-13 lead. Beck had completed 14 of 18 for 156 yards before intermission, and Miami limited Chambliss to 71 passing yards in the opening half.
The third quarter turned into a special-teams tug-of-war with one costly Miami mistake. Davis pulled a 51-yard attempt wide, and Miami left points on the field again when a Beck pass ricocheted off a defender and into Kapena Gushiken’s hands for the game’s first turnover. Miami’s defense held Ole Miss out of the end zone after that interception, but a 54-yard field goal with 22 seconds left in the quarter cut Miami’s advantage to 17-16. Nobody could have seen the change of pace coming in the fourth quarter.
Ole Miss grabbed its first lead early in the final period. Hurricanes’ penalties helped the Rebels move down the field, and Carneiro converted yet another field goal to put Ole Miss up 19-17 with seven minutes to play. Beck responded with pace and precision, finding Marion downfield and watching Fletcher burst for chunk yardage. On the drive’s punch line, Beck flipped a receiver screen to Malachi Toney, who turned upfield, split two defenders and scored from 36 yards out. The highlight-reel score from Toney made for a 24-19 Miami lead with five minutes to go.
Chambliss answered right back. He drove the Rebels 68 yards and hit Dae’Quan Wright for a 24-yard touchdown with three minutes left. Chambliss then fired a two-point conversion to Caleb Odom, and the Rebels jumped ahead, 27-24.
Beck never blinked. Miami’s final drive covered 60 yards in 15 plays, and Beck repeatedly targeted Marion, including completions that set up first-and-goal. Then Brown grinded out tough yards to shrink the field further. With 18 seconds left, Beck kept the ball on a 3-yard scramble for the go-ahead touchdown, and Davis added the extra point.
Ole Miss still had a heartbeat, though. Chambliss connected on passes of 23 and 17 yards to reach the Miami 35 with six seconds left, setting up one final heave. His Hail Mary drifted into a crowd, and contact between De’Zhaun Stribling and Miami corner Ethan O’Connor sparked protests, but officials kept the flag in their pocket as the pass fell incomplete.
Miami won this one with volume and balance. The Hurricanes ran 88 plays for 459 yards, converted 11 of 19 third downs and piled up 28 first downs, keeping Ole Miss parked on the sideline for long stretches.
Fletcher led the ground game with 22 carries for 133 yards, while Brown supplied a rushing touchdown. Marion paced the receivers with seven catches for 114 yards, and Toney added five grabs for 81 yards plus the crucial 36-yard score.
Ole Miss leaned on explosives and a kicker who never stopped firing. Chambliss threw for 277 yards and a touchdown, and Lacy’s 73-yard burst supplied the Rebels’ lone rushing TD. Carneiro hit field goals from 42, 58, 54 and 21 yards, but Ole Miss converted only 2 of 10 third downs.
Miami now turns the page toward a home-field championship opportunity — the first team to play the CFP or BCS title game in its own stadium. Hard Rock Stadium hosts the winner of Indiana-Oregon on Jan. 19.
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