Ole Miss Advances to CFP Semifinals for First Time

For the first time in program history, Ole Miss is headed to the College Football Playoff Semifinals, rounding out a successful season marred by Lane Kiffin’s tumultuous exit. 

The No. 6 seed Rebels will face No. 10 seed Miami at the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday, January 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET, with the game airing nationally on ESPN. 

Both Ole Miss and Miami are making their debut runs in the College Football Playoff.

Ole Miss handily dominated No. 11 Tulane in the first round of the Playoff with a 41–10 victory, followed by a nailbiter 39–34 win against No. 3 Georgia in the quarterfinals at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Despite losing to Georgia during conference play, Ole Miss defeated the Bulldogs and is now clear to advance to the CFP semifinals. 

With seven Sugar Bowl wins, Ole Miss is second to Alabama for the most all-time victories in the prestigious bowl game.

The 2025 season is the most successful in Ole Miss history. At 13–1, the program recorded their first 13-win season. This year’s team also became the first to achieve an 11-win regular season and a 12-win season overall.

Miami enters the semifinals with momentum of its own. The Hurricanes earned their spot by defeating No. 7 Texas A&M 10–3 in the first round and pulling off a 24–14 upset over No. 2 Ohio State in the quarterfinals at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Miami currently holds a 12–2 record.

Ole Miss leads the all-time series against Miami 2–1, though the two programs have not met in more than seven decades. Their last matchup came in 1951, when Miami defeated Ole Miss 20–7.

Don’t forget to tune in on January 8th to catch this historic matchup.

Author administrator Corinne Ellington