Miami Hurricanes vs Ole Miss Rebels Preview: A Stunning Fiesta Bowl Clash
The sixth-ranked Ole Miss Rebels face the tenth-ranked Miami Hurricanes in tonight's Fiesta Bowl clash, with the winner heading to the CFP National Championship. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. EST at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, home of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals.
The winner will play the winner of the Big Ten clash between undefeated, top-ranked Indiana and fifth-ranked Oregon on January 19.
Championship History
The Hurricanes are looking to win their sixth national championship and their first since 2001, while Ole Miss has claimed three national championships (1959, 1960, 1962). However, the Associated Press never listed them as national champions, although the NCAA listed them as co-champions with Minnesota in 1960.
Lane Kiffin Drama
There's been a lot of drama in the Ole Miss camp, with Lane Kiffin departing the program ahead of the College Football Playoff to take the LSU head coaching position. Nevertheless, the 13-1 Rebels have looked extremely strong on the gridiron, destroying Tulane 41-10 before squeaking past SEC rivals Georgia in a 39-34 Sugar Bowl thriller.
“That’s the one thing that’s been consistent for us since we’ve been here,” new head coach Pete Golding said after their win over Georgia.
“We were pi**ed off last year, we didn’t make the playoffs. Everybody doubted us. But the goal, why Trinidad [Chambliss] came, was to compete for a championship.
“That’s something we’re going to do around here on a consistent basis.”
Proving the Doubters Wrong
When the Miami Hurricanes were the last at-large team to make the College Football Playoff over Notre Dame, there were a lot of angry fans around the country. Many believed that Notre Dame's season validated itself, while the playoff committee decided to choose Miami, largely due to their three-point victory over the Fighting Irish in the season opener.
While Notre Dame decided to hang up their boots for the rest of the season, the Hurricanes have done nothing but impress, holding Texas A&M and Ohio State to a combined 17 points and coming up with 12 sacks to reach the CFP semi-finals in style.
All-American Reuben Bain and defensive end Akheem Mesidor are going to surely going to be first-round picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. They've combined for 19 of Miami's 46 sacks - the most in the country.
"Those two are game wreckers," Miami quarterback Carson Beck told reporters earlier this week. "Even just having one of those guys would be a huge impact for any defense.
"Being able to have both of them has completely changed the course of this season, the way our defense plays."
Miami Hurricanes vs. Ole Miss Rebels Game Lines
Odds via FanDuel
- Spread: Miami -3.5
- Money Line: Miami -164; Ole Miss +138
- Total: 52.5
Predictions
Nick Crane: Ole Miss 28, Miami 21 - Ole Miss is my slight upset lean because the Rebels have multiple ways to create offense when the game gets uncomfortable, which is usually the difference in playoff-style matchups.
Blaise Bourgeois: Miami 20, Ole Miss 17 - Miami's defense has held opponents to 12 points or less eight times this season. The Hurricanes have allowed just 13.6 points per game all season, which ranks fourth in the country. While Ole Miss has one of the best offenses in football, so did Texas A&M and Ohio State, and the Hurricanes held them to 17 combined points. Take the Hurricanes and the under.
Bet $5 Get $300 in Bonus Bets If Your Bet Wins! Find more information on odds and picks in our 2026 Fiesta Bowl Odds Guide.
All Odds as of 9:00 a.m. ET on Jan. 8
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