GLENDALE, Ariz. — If you’re looking for a lesson in grit and getting darn close, Ole Miss checked all the boxes Thursday night in the Fiesta Bowl.
A 31-27 loss to Miami in the CFP semifinal didn’t exactly send the Rebels home with confetti and a national title ticket in hand, but it did deliver a season that will be used for comparison awhile.
Ole Miss, ranked No. 6 and finishing 13-2 on the year, played toe-to-toe with Miami and came within a whisker of advancing to the title game.
A three-yard touchdown run by Miami quarterback Carson Beck with 18 seconds left sealed it — and with that, the Rebels’ historic run came up one play short in Phoenix.
Ole Miss coach Pete Golding’s club had already rewritten expectations once this postseason, knocking off Georgia in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal.
But against Miami it was the same close-but-no-cigar script that will have the Grove chewing on what might’ve been.
Close game, big moments
This Fiesta Bowl was as back-and-forth as any talking point in your uncle’s group chat.
The Rebels got on the board with a 73-yard sprint by Kewan Lacy early, reminding everyone why defenses dread that guy.
Miami grabbed a lead, Ole Miss tied it with field goals from Lucas Carneiro, and by halftime it was a one-possession game.
Chambliss moved the offense when needed, hitting Dae’Quan Wright for a big score in the fourth that briefly put the Rebels ahead.
You could almost hear the plans for party buses forming in Oxford. Then Beck — cool as an iced tea on a July porch — drove Miami downfield and crashed the party with the winning score.
Oddly enough, with all the fireworks, there wasn’t much extra time. With a couple ticks left on the clock after the Hurricanes’ go-ahead score, Chambliss’ final heave fell incomplete for what might’ve been Ole Miss’ last shot.
Boom. Season over, slim margin, and a whole lot to chew on.
What this means
Look, the drive home from Glendale is going to be quiet for a lot of Rebels fans. Not angry, not silent — just thoughtful.
This team broke school records, captured the Sugar Bowl, and proved it belongs among college football’s best.
The ending sucked — that’s just the blunt truth — but there’s durability in that fight.
Golding didn’t hide from it, either.
“We’re going to remember how they embraced each other,” he said after the loss.
That sounds like coach-speak, but it also feels right. These Rebs bought into a vision and nearly pulled off something deeper than anyone expected.
And if there’s any silver lining in this desert dusk, it’s that spring practice is just around the corner.
This program now gets a full offseason to build on a historic run, not start from scratch. That’s huge — especially with returning talent and experience in tow.
What’s next
Spring practice kicks off in just a couple of months, which means questions like “Can Ole Miss reload?” and “Where do we go from here?” will get plenty of buzz over the next few weeks.
Fans hung up on one play might not want to hear it, but that’s the very part of this loss that could fuel next season.
The Rebels now get the offseason they’ve earned — not as a consolation prize, but as a chance to validate everything they started this fall.
An early taste of CFP success, leadership gained through adversity, and a core that wants more: that’s spring practice fuel right there.
If you’re looking for the simple narrative here, maybe it’s that Ole Miss came, saw, and almost conquered.
That’s not a season some programs get to enjoy, and certainly not one most expected this year. Now the challenge is clear: take these lessons, bring back the hunger, and make 2026 an even stronger statement.
Key takeaways
- Historic season ends in narrow CFP loss — Ole Miss fought Miami to the final minutes before falling 31-27 in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal.
- Resilience and experience gained — This season’s growth gives the Rebels a foundation to build on in spring practice and beyond.
- Spring practice looms as key reset — With offseason workouts ahead, Ole Miss can validate its breakthrough season with continuity and improvement.
