Ole Miss authored an incredible 39-34 Sugar Bowl victory thanks to a 47-yard a game-winning field goal by Lucas Carneiro with six seconds left.
Carneiro’s kick came after No. 3 Georgia tied the game with less than a minute remaining on a short field goal by Peyton Woodring. And the Rebels got into field goal position when QB Trinidad Chambliss found WR De’Zhaun Stribling in man coverage on third down with under 30 seconds to go after Georgia sent a blitz hoping to force a punt and try for a game-winning kick of its own.
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The win means No. 6 Ole Miss will play No. 10 Miami in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 for a spot in the national championship game on Jan. 19. And it also means that Ole Miss has now won two College Football Playoff games under coach Pete Golding after Lane Kiffin left the team at the end of the regular season to be the new coach at LSU.
Though Carneiro’s field goal broke a 34-34 tie, the margin of victory ended up being five points after a lateral by Georgia on the ensuing kickoff hit an end zone pylon to result in a safety.
That safety necessitated a replay review to establish that there was still a second on the clock. The review took place as Ole Miss celebrated and the Sugar Bowl trophy presentation stage had been wheeled out onto the field.
After the stage was wheeled back off the field — and the celebrations stopped — Georgia tried an onside kick and recovered it. But the Bulldogs’ last-ditch multi-lateral play included a penalty and didn’t go anywhere in the first place.
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The best quarterfinal of the season … by far
The final quarterfinal of this season’s College Football Playoff provided the most drama. Chambliss and Georgia QB Gunner Stockton each played incredibly as the Rebels somehow scored 27 points in the second half on their way to the win.
Chambliss took over in the second half with his incredible improvisation skills. The Rebels took a 27-24 lead on a TD run by Kewan Lacy after Chambliss saved multiple plays that assuredly looked like they’d result in a no gain at best.
Chambliss finished 30-of-46 passing for 362 yards and two touchdowns. It’s not a stretch to say it was the best performance of his career.
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The former Ferris State QB transferred to Ole Miss ahead of the 2025 season and began the year backing up Austin Simmons. After Simmons injured his ankle in Week 2, Chambliss became the team’s starter and didn’t relinquish the job after Simmons got healthy.
Chambliss finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting — one place behind Stockton — as he threw for nearly 3,300 yards and 19 TDs during the regular season while also rushing for 506 yards and eight scores.
Ole Miss trailed 21-12 at halftime after the Rebels botched the final offensive play before halftime. Instead of potentially kicking a field goal to cut Georgia’s lead to six, Ole Miss TE Dae’Quan Wright didn’t get out of bounds after catching a pass in Georgia territory with less than 10 seconds to go.
It was easy to see how the end to the second half could be demoralizing for the Rebels. Instead, Ole Miss responded with 20 points in the fourth quarter to seize control of the game.
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Georgia almost benefited from a massive missed call
Ole Miss fans would gladly point out that Georgia shouldn’t have had the opportunity to tie the game with less than a minute to go.
The Bulldogs’ game-tying field goal came after officials inexplicably missed a blatant facemask on Lacy. The missed call came on second down and would have resulted in an automatic first down with approximately six minutes to go.
Instead, Chambliss’ third-down pass was batted down at the line of scrimmage, and Georgia converted a huge fourth down itself to get into position for a game-tying field goal.
Live50 updatesThu, January 1, 2026 at 8:56 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
NOW it’s official after the teams played out the final second. Ole Miss pulls the upset win advance to the CFP semifinals, where it will face Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.
Ole Miss celebrated three separate times after having to play out the final second of the clock in strange, chaotic fashion.
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 5:10 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 9:09 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Remember, Lane Kiffin gets a $500K bonus for Ole Miss winning a playoff game even though he’s now coaching at LSU.
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 9:02 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
When everyone initially thought time had run out, the celebration ensued. But when a second was put back on the clock, the postgame stage had to be rushed off the field.
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 8:52 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
A chaotic kickoff ends up hitting the pylon for a Georgia safety, but the officials put a second back on the clock so this game is not over yet.
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 8:46 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Lucas Carneiro hits from 47 yards to give the Rebels the lead!
Ole Miss 37, Georgia 34
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 8:43 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Trinidad Chambliss hits De’Zhaun Stribling for a 40-yard bomb and the Rebels are at the Georgia 30 with under 20 seconds to play.
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 8:37 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Peyton Woodring hits the chip-shot 24-yard field goal to knot the score with 55 seconds left.
Georgia 34, Ole Miss 34 | 0:55 to play
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 8:34 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
A PI call gives the Bulldogs a crucial new set of downs.
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 8:29 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The ball is now on the Ole Miss 35-yard line with Georgia facing a 3rd-and-9 on the other side of the 2-minute warning. Will the Bulldogs play for the field goal here?
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 8:22 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Bulldogs running back limped off the field after going down on a run play.
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 8:19 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Georgia defense quickly gets a stop and gets the ball back with under 6 minutes to play and a chance to tie or take the lead. The Bulldogs got away with a clear facemask on 2nd down.
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 8:13 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Gunner Stockton finds Zachariah Branch for an 18-yard TD toss. That was an extremely quick and necessary answer by the Bulldogs, and we’re headed for a fun finish here.
Ole Miss 34, Georgia 31 | 7:03 to play
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 8:07 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Trinidad Chambliss drops a dime to Harrison Wallace for a 13-yard TD! Suddenly the Rebels are in total control.
Ole Miss 34, Georgia 24
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 8:05 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Bulldogs go for it again on 4th down from deep in their own territory but this time it’s a disaster as Gunner Stockton gets sacked when it looked like half the team wasn’t ready for the snap. Ole Miss takes over.
Nick Bromberg
That was bizarre … and could end up being what decides the game.
Nick Bromberg
Even if the Rebels don’t win tonight, Chambliss’ performance will go down in Ole Miss lore.
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 7:55 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Kewan Lacy powers his way into the end zone for a 5-yard score to put the Rebels in front early in the 4th quarter. And the Rebels hit the 2-point try to get a 3-point lead.
Ole Miss 27, Georgia 24
Nick Bromberg
Kirby Smart has learned well from Nick Saban. Neither coach is afraid of making an aggressive call in a playoff game.
Thu, January 1, 2026 at 7:41 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Peyton Woodring hits from 37 yards as the Bulldogs take advantage of a crucial fake punt conversion. It remains a one-score margin late in the 3rd quarter.
Georgia 24, Ole Miss 19