GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Mississippi has kept winning despite its coach bolting for another program.
Miami has rekindled the glory days of its 2001 national championship with a ferocious defense and steady quarterback.
One will play for a national championship after Thursday night’s Fiesta Bowl.
Ole Miss (13-1) spent the last half of the regular season wondering if coach Lane Kiffin would stick around or leave for LSU. Once the coach did head out, the sixth-seeded Rebels kept winning to reach the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Defensive coordinator Pete Golding took over as coach and many of the assistants expected to join Kiffin in Baton Rouge stuck around to see the Rebels through the rest of the playoffs. Ole Miss and its high-scoring offense blew out Tulane in its opening CFP game and outlasted mighty Georgia 39-34 in the semifinals.
Miami (12-2) is in the midst of its best run since winning the 2001 national title.
The 10th-seeded Hurricanes have done it with a defense that went from mediocrity to one of the stingiest in the FBS under first-year coordinator Corey Hetherman. Miami gave up its fewest points since the 2001 national championship team — fourth nationally at 13.07 per game. The Hurricanes have been even stingier in the CFP, holding Texas A&M and Ohio State to a combined 17 points.
Like most big games, the Fiesta Bowl will likely come down to which quarterback plays best.
Miami’s Carson Beck is a proven winner, earning a national championship as a backup at Georgia before two stellar seasons as the starter. He’s been a perfect fit since transferring to Miami, throwing for for 3,313 yards and 27 touchdowns on 74% passing with 10 interceptions.
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss took a circuitous route to the playoffs.
With limited options out of high school, the dual-threat quarterback opted to play at Ferris State, leading the Bulldogs to a Division II championship last season. Chambliss has been superb since taking over as starter three games into this season, racking up 4,180 total yards and 29 touchdowns.
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