No. 6 Ole Miss misplaced a heartbreaker towards No. 10 Miami 31-27 within the Fiesta Bowl, costing the Rebels a shot on the program’s first-ever nationwide title recreation look. However whereas the Hurricanes are heading to the nationwide title recreation, contact on the ultimate Hail Mary try will go away many followers questioning what may have been.
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss put his cape on in maybe his remaining look with the Rebels, connecting for consecutive passes of 23 and 17 yards to succeed in the Miami 35-yard line. Each groups referred to as a timeout with six seconds remaining, figuring out that the subsequent play would probably be the ultimate one in Phoenix.
Chambliss dropped again, backpedaling to purchase time after which focused receiver De’Zhaun Stribling within the nook of the top zone. Stribling received a hand on the ball, however was unable to reel it in by means of a number of defenders. He shortly put his arms within the air in protest.
As Stribling made his means down the sphere, Miami cornerback Ethan O’Connor appeared to carry onto his pads. Stribling’s jersey moved on account of O’Connor’s pull, and Stribling pushed again towards O’Connor’s face. O’Connor additionally appeared to drag down because the ball reached the top zone.
Ole Miss gamers after the play appeared to the officers with confusion, anticipating a flag, however none got here.
ESPN guidelines analyst Invoice LeMonnier was requested in regards to the play on the printed. Regardless of the preventing and pulling, he agreed with the choice to not throw a flag and let the sport finish.
“When we now have mutual fight, we’ll go away that alone 99% of the time,” LeMonnier stated.
On the day, Miami was the extra penalized crew, committing 10 violations for 74 yards. Ole Miss was extra disciplined, referred to as for under 4 for 34 yards. Throughout one key sequence, the Hurricanes dedicated a move interference and a late hit in consecutive performs, pushing Ole Miss into the crimson zone. Nevertheless, they solely escaped with a area purpose. It is also value noting that the sport was officiated by a impartial Huge Ten crew.
Miami quarterback Carson Beck led a legacy-defining drive within the waning seconds of regulation, working for a landing with solely 18 seconds remaining. The Hurricanes are actually set to play of their first nationwide championship recreation since 2002. The title recreation is happening at Exhausting Rock Stadium, the identical venue the place the Hurricanes play their residence video games.
For Ole Miss, a lot of the teaching workers is about to depart for LSU after former coach Lane Kiffin left earlier than the Faculty Soccer Playoff. Pete Golding was promoted to move coach earlier than the postseason, and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. remained to name performs. With this consequence, Weis’s tenure in Oxford is over.
