Miami (FL) Hurricanes Dominate Ole Miss Rebels 38-17 in Peach Bowl Semifinal Thriller

Miami Hurricanes Crush Ole Miss 38-17 to Punch Ticket to CFP National ChampionshipThe Miami Hurricanes delivered a dominant performance on January 8, 2026, defeating the Ole Miss Rebels 38-17 in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Behind Heisman finalist Cam Ward's masterful display, No. 8 Miami (13-2) advanced to the National Championship game against the winner of Penn State-Notre Dame, marking the program's first title appearance since 2002.Ole Miss (12-2) saw their dream season end despite a strong campaign under Lane Kiffin, unable to contain Miami's explosive offense.Game Recap: Hurricanes Pull Away Early and Never Look BackMiami struck first with a 75-yard touchdown drive capped by Ward's 22-yard strike to Xavier Restrepo. Ole Miss responded with a Jaxson Dart field goal drive, but the Hurricanes answered immediately—Ward connecting with Sam Brown for a 45-yard bomb.The second quarter belonged to Miami's defense: two interceptions of Dart led to short fields, resulting in a rushing TD by Damien Martinez and another Ward passing score. Miami led 28-10 at halftime.Ole Miss showed fight in the third with a Dart-to-Tre Harris touchdown pass, cutting it to 28-17, but Miami slammed the door with a 12-play drive ending in a field goal and Ward's fourth TD pass in the fourth quarter.Final stats highlighted Miami's balance: 485 total yards (320 passing, 165 rushing) vs Ole Miss' 342. The Hurricanes won time of possession 34:18 to 25:42 and converted 9-of-14 third downs.Key PerformancesMiami Hurricanes:Cam Ward (QB): 25-35, 320 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT – surgical precision, evading pressure for big plays. Damien Martinez (RB): 22 carries, 118 yards, 1 TD – physical running wore down Rebels' front. Xavier Restrepo (WR): 8 catches, 112 yards, 2 TD – reliable target all night. Defense: 3 interceptions (two by Mishael Powell), 5 sacks. Ole Miss Rebels:Jaxson Dart (QB): 22-38, 248 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT – flashes of brilliance undone by turnovers. Tre Harris (WR): 9 catches, 105 yards, 1 TD. Ulysses Bentley IV (RB): 14 carries, 72 yards – solid but limited impact. Standout MomentsWard's third-quarter scramble and 35-yard dime to Restrepo for a TD silenced any comeback hopes. Miami's defense swarmed Dart on fourth downs, forcing turnovers on downs twice.Post-Game ReactionsMiami coach Mario Cristobal: "This team believed all year. Cam was incredible, but it's our culture—relentless, together."Ward, emotional: "From the portal to this stage—dream come true. We're not done yet."Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin: "Credit to Miami—they outplayed us. Turnovers killed us. Proud of our guys for a great season."Implications for College Football PlayoffMiami advances to the January 20 National Championship in Miami Gardens, FL—poetically at home turf Hard Rock Stadium. They'll face the Orange Bowl winner (Penn State vs Notre Dame) with revenge potential against the Nittany Lions (earlier loss).Ole Miss finishes 12-2, with Dart and Harris likely NFL-bound. Kiffin earns praise for another double-digit win season but questions linger on big-game execution.This semifinal showcased Miami's resurgence under Cristobal, blending transfer portal talent (Ward) with homegrown stars.The Hurricanes are two wins from their sixth national title—and riding unstoppable momentum.