In the first semifinal game of this season’s CFP, Miami will take on Ole Miss at the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 8.
Both teams are making their CFP debuts and the winner of this game will move onto the National Championship, playing either Oregon (5) or Indiana (1) on Jan. 19.
Keep reading to learn how to watch the semifinal, key players to watch, and the head-to-head record between the teams.
How to watch College Football Playoff semifinal Fiesta Bowl game:
Thursday, January 8:
Miami (10) vs. Ole Miss (6)
When: 7:30 p.m ET
Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Watch: ESPN
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Ole Miss: Storylines, players to watch
The Rebels (6) made their way to the semifinals after besting Tulane (11) 41-10 in the first round and are fresh off a rematch 39-34 win over Georgia (3) in the quarterfinals at the Sugar Bowl.
This will be Pete Golding’s third game as head coach for the Rebels, after the departure of Lane Kiffin to LSU. The matchup is the first CFP game for the Rebels that is not a rematch from the regular season.
Ole Miss senior QB Trinidad Chambliss continues to be a star player for the team after moving into the starter role, putting up 362 yards and two touchdowns in the upset vs. the Bulldogs. The duo of Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy is a dangerous combination for any team’s defense, with Lacy ranked third nationally for rushing yards (1,464). Lacy recently announced he will return to Ole Miss for the 2026 season, barring the NCAA approves his request for an extra year of eligibility.
Rebels’ wide receiver Trey Wallace played in the Fiesta Bowl last season for Penn State and is coming off a season high nine catches in the quarterfinal game against Georgia.
Miami: Storylines, players to watch
The Hurricanes (10) are coming off a 24-14 major upset over Ohio State (2) in the quarterfinals at the Cotton Bowl. Prior to that win, Miami bested Texas A&M (7) in the first round, 10-3.
Miami’s defense will certainly be a test for Ole Miss, as the Hurricanes haven’t allowed more than 26 points this season and lead the nation with 46 sacks. Hurricane’s QB, Carson Beck, has faced Ole Miss before when he was the quarterback in 2023 and 2024 for Georgia. Beck threw 138 yards and had one touchdown against the Buckeyes in the quarterfinals.
“He’s very experienced, he’s been successful everywhere he’s been,” Golding said on Beck. “He’s always had his teams competing at a championship level and being in the playoffs.”
Freshman wide receiver, Malachi Toney, has also had a strong season for the Hurricanes. Toney is ranked fourth in the nation with 94 receptions for 1,008 yards.
Ole Miss vs. Miami head-to-head record:
Ole Miss leads the overall series 2-1. The two teams have not played since 1951, when the Hurricanes came away with a 20-7 win against the Rebels.
Who played in the Fiesta Bowl last season?
In the 2024 season, the Fiesta Bowl served as a quarterfinal game between Penn State and Boise State. Penn State won 31-14, but fell in the semifinal 27-24 to Notre Dame.
