Miami beats Ole Miss 31-27, is off to the national championship game at home

I don’t have words. My brain is broken. All I can do is scream…..THE MIAMI HURRICANES ARE GOING TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!!!!

The Hurricanes rallied from two fourth quarter deficits to win 31-27 over Ole Miss in the first College Football Semifinal and advance to the national championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Carson Beck ran four yards for a touchdown with 18 seconds left, and the defense survived a Hail Mary to advance. It’s the Hurricanes’ Fiesta Bowl win in program history, improving to 1-4 all time.

Carson Beck was named game MVP. He went 23/37 passing for 268 yards with 2 touchdowns and an interception. Mark Fletcher, Jr. was a dude again with the ball in his hands, turning 22 carries into 133 yards. Keelan Marion had a legacy game with 7 catches for 114 yards and a touchdown.

This was a relatively slow game for three quarters, but it was one that Miami held a close lead in. Miami took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter after forcing a three-and out and turning in an extended drive. However, a 73-yard Kewan Lacy touchdown gave the Rebels the lead, and Miami trailed for the first time in this CFP. Miami responded with a 15-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Marty Brown bowling into the end zone from about 3 yards out. Ole Miss tied it up at 10, but then the Hurricanes took the lead back on a 52-yard touchdown pass to a WIIIIIIIIIDE open Marion. The Rebels tacked on a field goal before the half, and the teams hit the locker room with Miami up 17-13.

The third quarter saw Miami waste some scoring opportunities, while Ole Miss drew closer on a pair of doings – one went through and one bounced out. Miami led 17-16 going into the fourth quarter. And then all hell broke loss in what ended as a classic.

Miami punted it away to start the quarter, and Ole Miss drove 86 yards to get close to the end zone. However, the Canes held and forced a field goal, and Ole Miss led again 19-17 with 7 minutes left.

Miami answered quickly, with Malachi Toney taking a screen pass 36 yards for a touchdown to cap a 4-play drive and give Miami the lead again with over 5 minutes left.

But, as this insane game would have it, Ole Miss would answer quickly. They’d go 75 yards in 6 plays in less than 2 minutes, capping it with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Dae’Quan Wright for the lead. They’d add a two-point conversion, and Ole Miss led 27-24 with a little bit over three minutes left in the game.

And the Carson Beck legacy drive would begin. It would last 15 plays and cover 75 yards. A facemask flag converted one third down, and Beck would convert two more with his arm. Then, on second and goal from the three, Beck dodged pressure, saw man coverage, and ran to a wiiiiiiide open left side of the end zone for the lead with 18 seconds left.

Trinidad Chambliss drove Ole Miss furiously to the Miami 35 with 6 seconds left, but Miami survived a final heave into the end zone with the Rebels WR getting a hand on the ball before it bounced incomplete, and the Hurricanes survived and advanced.

WE’RE GOING TO THE SHIP, Y’ALL!!! CELEBRATE! GO CANES!