\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMiami barged into the College Football Playoff like a hurricane, a stifling defense and steady quarterback rekindling the magic of 2001.Mississippi has been excelling since its coach left for another program, an athletic and acrobatic quarterback taking the Rebels to heights not seen since the 1960s.The Fiesta Bowl will be a playoff game like no other, the sixth-seeded Rebels facing the 10th-seeded Hurricanes in the desert, a spot in the national championship game on the line.\u201cSeeing the way things played out just goes to show you that college football has become a lot like the NFL, that on any given day, any given team at any level, if you\u2019re not at your very best, you can get beat,\u201d Miami coach Mario Cristobal said.Miami and Ole Miss were left out of the playoffs a year ago, but got in this year \u2014 with a bit of consternation.For the Hurricanes (12-2), the question was whether they should have been in the 12-team field at all. Miami didn\u2019t play in the ACC title game, but got the nod over champion Duke based on its resume and CFP rankings.The Hurricanes proved they belong with a pair of impressive wins, shutting down No. 7 Texas A&M 10-3 in the opening round, then pulling off one of the biggest upsets in CFP history by taking down No. 2 Ohio State 24-14.The latest: Sports coverage from WPBF 25 NewsThat puts Miami within reach of its first national title since 2001.\u201cThe confidence that the coaches have and the players and vice versa has shown up more and more on the field,\u201d Cristobal. \u201cI think when that happens, then you feel energy, but really, we haven\u2019t strayed from our original blueprint.\u201dThe Rebels (13-1) have stuck to their gameplan despite the uncertainty over coach Lane Kiffin\u2019s future and his eventual decision to leave for LSU.Behind what\u2019s-he-going-to-do-next quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss closed the regular season with five straight wins, including a decisive win over rival Mississippi State while Kiffin was deciding what to do. Even after their coach left, the Rebels kept charging, blowing out Tulane in the opening round and outlasting No. 3 seed Georgia 39-34 in the CFP quarterfinals.Get the latest sports updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.Ole Miss claims one national title recognized by the NCAA, in 1960.\u201cThey don\u2019t flinch,\u201d said Ole Miss coach Pete Golding, the team\u2019s defensive coordinator before being elevated upon Kiffin\u2019s departure. \u201cThere\u2019s a grit and toughness about this group to where regardless of the talent level, regardless of what happens … there\u2019s not a panic.\u201dAbout that DThe addition of former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has been a huge reason for Miami\u2019s run.So has its defense.With first-year coordinator Corey Hetherman calling the shots, the Hurricanes went from porous to nearly impenetrable is a very short time.Miami this season gave up its fewest points since the 2001 national championship team, finishing fourth nationally at 13.07 per game. The Hurricanes have been even stingier in the CFP, holding Texas A&M and Ohio State to a combined 17 points.\u201cThey got dudes,\u201d Chambliss said. \u201cThey\u2019re a physical, high-motor defense.\u201dCoaching questionsOne of the questions Golding has repeatedly faced is whether the Ole Miss assistant coaches will remain with the team through the playoffs.Several assistants, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., are expected to join Kiffin at LSU, but so far they\u2019ve stuck around to finish off the Rebels\u2019 season.\u201cThey have every opportunity, like they have up to this point, to be able to make that decision,\u201d Golding said. \u201cWeek in and week out, I don\u2019t dictate whether they do that or not. They are not employed by me. Up to this point that\u2019s how it\u2019s been and that\u2019s my expectation.\u201d\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\tGLENDALE, Ariz. \u2014 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Miami barged into the College Football Playoff like a hurricane, a stifling defense and steady quarterback rekindling the magic of 2001.<\/p>\n
Mississippi has been excelling since its coach left for another program, an athletic and acrobatic quarterback taking the Rebels to heights not seen since the 1960s.<\/p>\n
The Fiesta Bowl will be a playoff game like no other, the sixth-seeded Rebels facing the 10th-seeded Hurricanes in the desert, a spot in the national championship game on the line.<\/p>\n
\u201cSeeing the way things played out just goes to show you that college football has become a lot like the NFL, that on any given day, any given team at any level, if you\u2019re not at your very best, you can get beat,\u201d Miami coach Mario Cristobal said.<\/p>\n
Miami and Ole Miss were left out of the playoffs a year ago, but got in this year \u2014 with a bit of consternation.<\/p>\n
For the Hurricanes (12-2), the question was whether they should have been in the 12-team field at all. Miami didn\u2019t play in the ACC title game, but got the nod over champion Duke based on its resume and CFP rankings.<\/p>\n
The Hurricanes proved they belong with a pair of impressive wins, shutting down No. 7 Texas A&M 10-3<\/a> in the opening round, then pulling off one of the biggest upsets in CFP history by taking down No. 2 Ohio State 24-14<\/a>.<\/p>\n The latest: Sports coverage from WPBF 25 News<\/a><\/p>\n That puts Miami within reach of its first national title since 2001.<\/p>\n \u201cThe confidence that the coaches have and the players and vice versa has shown up more and more on the field,\u201d Cristobal. \u201cI think when that happens, then you feel energy, but really, we haven\u2019t strayed from our original blueprint.\u201d<\/p>\n The Rebels (13-1) have stuck to their gameplan despite the uncertainty over coach Lane Kiffin\u2019s future and his eventual decision to leave for LSU<\/a>.<\/p>\n Behind what\u2019s-he-going-to-do-next quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss closed the regular season with five straight wins, including a decisive win over rival Mississippi State while Kiffin was deciding what to do. Even after their coach left, the Rebels kept charging, blowing out Tulane in the opening round and outlasting No. 3 seed Georgia 39-34<\/a> in the CFP quarterfinals.<\/p>\n Get the latest sports updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ole Miss claims one national title recognized by the NCAA, in 1960.<\/p>\n \u201cThey don\u2019t flinch,\u201d said Ole Miss coach Pete Golding<\/a>, the team\u2019s defensive coordinator before being elevated upon Kiffin\u2019s departure. \u201cThere\u2019s a grit and toughness about this group to where regardless of the talent level, regardless of what happens … there\u2019s not a panic.\u201d<\/p>\n About that D<\/p>\n The addition of former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has been a huge reason for Miami\u2019s run.<\/p>\n