Chambliss, Ole Miss hope to temper Miami motor in first CFP semifinal

MIAMI, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- A battle between the Ole Miss offense and fierce Miami pass rush will highlight Thursday's Fiesta Bowl, the first College Football Playoff semifinal.

The primetime face-off will be one of several storylines emerging from a menu of marquee matchups. The No. 10 Hurricanes (12-2) will take on the No. 6 Rebels (13-1) at 7:30 p.m. EST Thursday in Glendale, Ariz. The game will air on ESPN.

"I think they know who they are and they've got a philosophy," Rebels coach Pete Golding told reporters, when asked about the Hurricanes' pass rush.

"What stood out to me is the energy, effort and toughness, snap in and snap out," Golding said.

Miami's rabid rush is led by 6-foot-3 defensive ends Rueben Bain Jr., and Akheem Mesidor.

Bain, projected to be one of the first players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, totaled 8.5 sacks this season, with 5.5 over his last three games, including the Hurricanes' previous two playoff victories.

Mesidor, a projected Day 2 or 3 NFL Draft pick, logged 10.5 sacks this season for the Hurricanes, which led the ACC and tied for 12th in the nation.

But Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss could be uniquely qualified to overcome the persistent pursuit in the first Miami-Ole Miss meeting since 1951.

"He's a magician," Mesidor said of Chambliss. "He has a great arm. He can do it all. He's a dangerous player that we're going to have to contain."

Chambliss, who transferred from Ferris State last off-season, took over as Rebels starter in the third game of the season and proceeded to lead the SEC with 3,660 passing yards, while throwing for 21 scores and just three interceptions.

He also ran for 520 yards and eight scores through his first 14 appearances this season and will likely need that elusiveness to avoid Bain and the Hurricanes.

"One of his best attributes is the ability to extend plays," Golding said of Chambliss. "There are times he is going to keep his eyes down field, like he did the other night. He's got elite accuracy on the move. Then there are times where he sees match concepts and he's going to tuck it and become a runner. And he's an elite runner."

Like Bain, Chambliss rose to the occasion during the College Football Playoff. He accounted for three touchdowns, including two rushing scores, in the Rebels' tournament-opening win over Tulane. He followed that performance with 362 yards and two passing scores in a quarterfinal win over the Georgia Bulldogs.

He now could be the catalyst of a groundbreaking triumph for the Rebels, who continue to roll despite losing former head coach Lane Kiffin to LSU. So far, Chambliss helped Mississippi total the second-most yards per game (496.2), including the third-most passing yards per game (315.9) in the nation.

Meanwhile, the Hurricanes totaled the third-most sacks per game (3.29), surrendered the fourth-fewest points per game (13.07) and allowed the 10th-fewest yards per game (285.1).

The Hurricanes also rank No. 5 against the run and No. 6 in time of possession and could lean on a strategy of ball control to keep the script away from Chambliss, running back Kewan Lacy and the Rebels' other offensive weapons.

"Their front seven, their defensive line, they got dudes up front," Chambliss said of the Hurricanes. "They're physical, high-motor defense. And I know [Hurricanes coach] Mario Cristobal will get those guys ready."

Cristobal is obviously reluctant to share the Hurricanes' defensive game plan, but said his players will be ready for the challenge.

"They're an excellent, excellent offense," Cristobal said. "No one has really had any success against them whatsoever. Looking forward to the opportunity to compete."

The Hurricanes' offense, quarterbacked by Carson Beck, ranked 30th in points per game (31.6) this season after leading the nation in that category in 2024, when they were led by top 2025 NFL Draft pick Cam Ward.

"We had a really good feeling about this team and the talent that we were going to have," said Beck, an off-season transfer from Georgia. "From the coaches to the players and the way that everything has meshed, it's been an unbelievable season for us.

"We're just going to continue to work and focus on what we need to focus on."

Beck was the most accurate quarterback in the ACC this season (74.4%). He also led the conference with a 161.7 passer rating. But the Hurricanes' recent success could mostly be tied to their ground game, with running back Mark Fletcher galloping for 287 yards from scrimmage over their two playoff appearances.

Beck also will look to get touches for freshman phenom Malachi Toney, who hauled in 94 catches for 1,008 yards and eight scores through 14 games this season, including what proved to be a game-winning score in the Hurricanes' first-round win over Texas A&M.

"It's whoever makes the least mistakes and when the opportunities are there, who is going to see those opportunities and seize the moment," Fletcher said of the matchup.

Rebels wide receiver Harrison Wallace III and Hurricanes wide receiver C.J. Daniels join Toney, Lacy, Fletcher, Bain, Mesidor, Beck and Chambliss among players to watch in the first College Football Playoff semifinal.

Ticket prices for the Fiesta Bowl ranged from about $55 to more than $12,000 on the secondary market as of Wednesday afternoon.

The least expensive tickets for the Peach Bowl -- the other College Football Playoff semifinal between the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers and No. 5 Oregon Ducks -- were about $168.

Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosiers (13-0) or fellow top 2026 NFL Draft quarterback prospect Dante Moore and the Ducks (11-1) will meet the Hurricanes or Rebels in the national title game Jan. 19 in Miami Gardens, Fla.

The Hoosiers and Ducks will kick off the Peach Bowl at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Atlanta, with coverage available on ESPN. Indiana and Miami are both 3.5-point favorites in their respective semifinals.