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Tag: College Football

  • Winners, losers as Indiana tops Miami 27-21 to win first CFP championship

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    The 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship is headed to Indiana.

    Top-seeded Indiana won its first ever football championship on Monday, outlasting the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes 27-21 in a game that started murky but ended in a thriller.

    Things started relatively slow for both sides, as Indiana took just a 10-0 lead into halftime with Miami’s offense getting nothing going on the ground or over the top.

    But, as usual in low-scoring college first halves, the script flipped in the final two quarters. Miami woke up to put the pressure on the Hoosiers, but Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza stepped up and Hurricanes QB1 Carson Beck couldn’t.

    Beck had the chance to deliver a game-winning drive, but forced a deep pass that was picked off. Indiana held on 27-21, winning the program’s first ever football title in its debut appearance while Miami’s wait since 2001 persists, despite being at home in Hard Rock Stadium.

    Let’s analyze the game further with winners and losers as Indiana ends the season unbeaten at 16-0:

    WINNER: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

    The Heisman winner and potential No. 1 pick had all the eyes on him tonight. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but he displayed the grit and poise needed at the next level.

    Mendoza threw for 186 yards on 16 of 27 completions, while also rushing for the key 12-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

    He’ll still need to polish his game more to truly thrive in the NFL, especially if the Las Vegas Raiders believe he’s the QB1 that can elevate their trajectory. But for now, he can bask in the moment.

    LOSER: Carson Beck, Miami

    On the other hand, it was a slightly different story for Miami’s QB1. Carson Beck, 23, could’ve had his moment to change the narrative on his college career — and boost his potential draft odds in the process.

    He overcame a slow start and displayed much better command in the second half, finishing with 232 passing yards and a touchdown on 19 of 32 completions. But the lone pick might just summarize his five-year collegiate run best — a competitive college option but not at the level required to win the majors.

    WINNER: Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami

    Most eyes were on Mendoza’s legitimacy to go No. 1, but Miami had an opportunity to show off some of its skill players as well.

    Malachi Toney, a rising 18-year-old wideout, seized his moments and will be one to watch for the future. Junior running back Mark Fletcher Jr. also stood out, and he could even be NFL ready if he declared.

    Fletcher Jr. reflected Miami’s stagnant offense in the first half but helped open it up in the second, ending the game with 112 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. He enjoyed a career-best 57-yard run, also the second-longest touchdown in a BCS final.

    LOSER: Third-down efficiency

    Indiana’s defense ranked among the top in several defensive statistics this season, and getting off the field on third downs was a major reason why.

    The Hoosiers at one point limited Miami to being 0-for-6 on third downs. Miami finished with a 3-for-11 rate, while Indiana went 6-for-15. Miami’s defense delivered an underrated performance, but Mendoza helped chip at the margins where Beck couldn’t.

    Had the Hurricanes improved their rate in the first half, apart from the doinked field-goal try, this could’ve been a different ball game.

    WINNER: Curt Cignetti, Indiana

    In an era where there’s a power vacuum at the college football summit, Indiana might have something brewing. The Hoosiers are far from a football powerhouse, but they’ve flipped from being terrible to national champs in two years under Curt Cignetti.

    The 64-year-old is revered by his players and has built a sturdy culture beyond Mendoza, with more youngsters hoping to develop through the program now.

    If the Hoosiers can capitalize off this success, they can be a dominant figure for years to come. It’ll start with getting their next QB1 right, though.

    CNBC senior sports reporter Michael Ozanian explains why the University of Texas’ athletic program is valued at $1.48 billion.

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    Sanjesh Singh

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  • How a Sixtysomething Coach from a So-So School Turned Indiana into World-Beaters

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    There was little reason to think that Indiana would turn into the new Alabama—or that Indiana would humiliate the old Alabama in the Rose Bowl, 38–3. Cignetti had been an assistant to Nick Saban at Alabama, but that was nearly two decades ago. He’d left Tuscaloosa for a low-paying job as head coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Division II school, and then moved on to Elon University; from Elon, he went to J.M.U. When he came to Indiana, he brought many of his assistants and the core of the team from J.M.U. with him.

    He’s toned down the boasts since then. Cignetti has said that he leaned into a more arrogant persona in part to give Indiana fans—which is to say, basketball fans—a reason to talk about the football team. Now he can let his team’s results speak for him. This is the first college-football season to feature a twelve-team playoff. On its way to the title game, Indiana has beaten Ohio State, Alabama, Penn State, and Oregon (twice). It has won the Big Ten, the Rose Bowl, and the Peach Bowl, and is heavily favored to win the championship. It could become the first team to go 16–0 since 1894.

    How? Everyone is trying to figure out the blueprint. Maybe it has to do with Cignetti’s attention to detail, his emphasis on execution and not making mistakes; he obsesses over things like hand placement and how many inches a player should step. Or maybe it’s the culture of the team: Indiana’s coaches tuck in their shirts, and players are expected to have solid handshakes. Or the recruiting: Cignetti used the transfer portal to build a team largely out of overlooked players by focussing on past productivity instead of raw athletic traits—except for those traits that he believes really matter, such as joint mobility. Or maybe it’s his coaching staff: Cignetti has hired coördinators and coaches who are especially good at developing players. Or it could be continuity and experience: Indiana’s starters have, on average, played more than four years of college football, and much of the coaching staff has been with Cignetti for a long time. Or is it accountability? Cignetti is known to have high expectations. Others point to faith: the quarterback, Mendoza, seems to begin every sentence by praising God. Or maybe it’s the doubt from outsiders: the players call themselves a “bunch of misfits” who are proving everyone wrong. Or possibly it’s simply common sense: practices are brief and hyperefficient, because Cignetti has the radical idea that healthy, rested players are better than exhausted, injured ones. (He could be on to something!) Maybe Indiana made a deal with the devil. (Bobby Knight?)

    I like to think that it has something to do with Cignetti’s infamous expression on the sideline. It’s the same half scowl whether his team has just scored or been stuffed at the line of scrimmage. Every once in a while, he’ll pop his left eyebrow.

    It serves a purpose, that face. Cignetti is not unfeeling; he is capable of enjoying a moment. After Indiana beat Oregon, an on-field interviewer took it for granted that Cignetti was already concentrated on beating Miami, until Cignetti told her, “I’m really not thinking about the next game, I’m thinking about cracking open a beer.” His game face, though, serves as a reminder to focus and move on. Cignetti has said that he asks his players to approach every play, from the first one in the first game to the hundred-and-fiftieth of the season, the same way. “I can’t be seen on the sideline high-fiving people and celebrating, or what’s going to happen, right? What’s the effect going to be?”

    It’s possible, of course, that high-fiving people would have a galvanizing effect: players sometimes respond to joy, or to anger, better than they do to stoicism. Just look at Mendoza, Indiana’s quarterback, who is so ebullient that his smile seems to strain with happiness. But part of Cignetti’s power seems to stem from predictability and routine—the same expressions, the same gameday conversations, the same Chipotle order every day (rice, beans, and chicken, no toppings, side of guacamole).

    “Repetition is the mother of learning,” he likes to say. Repetition makes skills automatic. It helps players improve. And the awareness that you have been there, that you have done it before—even if, really, you haven’t—is the best, perhaps the only, way to deal with the uncertainty inherent in football. “I don’t have any idea what they’re going to do,” Cignetti said before playing Oregon in the semifinal, at that press conference with Lanning. “They don’t know what we’re going to do. As I sit here right now, I know everything we’ve practiced, but I have no idea what that tape is going to look like the day after. And that’s every game,” he went on. “That’s football. There are a lot of variables.”

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    Louisa Thomas

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  • Minnesota Gophers bring back career rushing leader Mohamed Ibrahim to coach running backs

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    Minnesota has brought back all-time leading rusher Mohamed Ibrahim as running backs coach, one of eight new hires to the staff announced Friday by coach P.J. Fleck.

    Ibrahim, who spent six years at Minnesota and the 2023 season in the NFL with the Detroit Lions, worked with the Gophers in 2024. He was running backs coach at Kent State last year. Ibrahim finished his college career with 4,668 rushing yards and 53 touchdowns, which was also a Gophers record.

    Another former Gophers player, Isaac Fruechte, was hired as wide receivers coach after serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at North Dakota for the last two seasons. Fruechte played for Minnesota from 2012-14 and spent three years in the NFL with the Vikings and Lions before beginning his coaching career.

    Fruechte replaces Matt Simon, who was not retained after finishing his ninth season under Fleck with the Gophers. Simon also served as co-offensive coordinator, so that role will now be handled solely by Greg Harbaugh Jr. Simon was one of four primary position coaches and eight assistants overall who won’t return in 2026.

    Another notable addition was Matt Limegrover as assistant offensive line coach. Limegrover was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the Gophers from 2011-15 under coach Jerry Kill, before departing for Penn State. He was most recently the offensive line coach at Kent State from 2023-24.

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  • Road back to title contention was long for UM, but it has finally broken through

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    CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami safety Jakobe Thomas enjoyed seeing the Hurricanes at their worst.

    He was with Middle Tennessee State in 2022 when the Blue Raiders — four-touchdown underdogs that day — came into Hard Rock Stadium and used big play after big play to beat Miami 45-31, part of the Hurricanes’ spiral to a 5-7 season in Mario Cristobal’s first year back at his alma mater.

    And it wasn’t like that MTSU team was some juggernaut, either. It went 0-3 in its next three games, losing by a combined 60 points. But it had no trouble with Miami.

    That was then.

    Miami’s resurrection from that bad day and a lot of others over the last 20 years — a period during which the Hurricanes have had six coaches, three other interim coaches, 17 seasons that didn’t include a bowl win, countless headaches and zero Atlantic Coast Conference championships — is just about complete. The Hurricanes (13-2, No. 10 College Football Playoff) play for the national championship on Monday night against Indiana (15-0, No. 1 CFP) at that same Hard Rock Stadium that was practically empty at the end of MTSU’s win four years ago.

    What You Need To Know

    • Miami will play Indiana in the College Football Playoff championship game on Monday

    • Over a 20-year period, the Hurricanes have had six coaches, three interim coaches and 17 seasons that didn’t include a bowl win

    • Under coach Mario Cristobal, Miami has restored its accountability and much success

    • The method was to outwork everyone, make honesty and transparency fundamental principles, hire top people and win some recruiting battles

    “It’s completely different,” said Thomas, who transferred to Tennessee for 2024 before coming to Miami for his final college season. “The Miami team we played back in ’22 was not this team now. I think coach Cristobal changed the culture around this place.”

    Make no mistake: Swagger is still a thing at Miami. These Hurricanes are brash and aggressive and tackle hard and play harder. Cristobal’s intensity is constant. Same goes for his staff. But there’s a balance now as well, a demand for accountability and carrying yourself the right way at all times.

    Some examples — wide receiver Malachi Toney, the best freshman in America this season, gave away turkeys at Thanksgiving; star defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. organized a toy drive at Christmas and made a $5,000 donation to the elementary school he attended years ago; and receiver CJ Daniels conducted an event to raise awareness of epilepsy, something that has touched his family.

    Ever since Cristobal came back to Miami, the team has broken two records each year: one for fall-semester grade-point average, then one for spring-semester GPA.

    “We have good people,” Cristobal said. “No, we have great people. It starts there. Surround yourself with great people, like-minded people and see what happens.”

    Cristobal didn’t use some unheard-of, wacky formula to bring Miami back to the national title picture. It was really quite simple: outwork everyone, make honesty and transparency fundamental principles of the program, hire the best people and fight like hell to win recruiting battles — nationally, of course, but also the ones waged in the Hurricanes’ talent-rich backyard, which sends tons of kids to the highest levels of college football every year.

    Landing Bain — a Miami guy who stayed home for college and who should be a sure-fire first-round NFL draft pick — in 2022 was a huge get. Cristobal was on a plane when Bain called him to commit. He threw his phone across the plane when he heard the words. Luckily, it was a private plane. The phone didn’t hit anyone.

    “We’re used to winning, and that’s what we’re going to bring back to Miami,” Bain said in 2022 when he announced his college choice. “They need help bad. They need help right now, and I’m willing to come in right now and make a change.”

    Changes were made.

    After that 5-7 first season, Miami went 7-6 in 2023. Better, but nowhere near good enough. In 2024, the Hurricanes started 9-0, then lost three of their last four games. Better again, but still not good enough.

    So, Cristobal hired defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman away from Minnesota to shore up that side of the ball. Carson Beck signed and took over for No. 1 draft pick Cam Ward at quarterback. Miami kept landing key pieces in the transfer portal — Thomas, Keionte Scott and Mohamed Toure are some who’ll play big roles on defense Monday night, while Keelan Marion, James Brockermeyer, Marty Brown, Daniels and Beck are just a few of the names who’ll be on the offensive side.

    “It was just getting the brotherhood right,” said linebacker Wesley Bissainthe, who played for Miami in that loss to MTSU. “I feel like we’re all in there. Every person in that locker room is playing for each other. That’s what it looks like when we’re out there. No one is just playing for themselves. The brotherhood, I feel like it’s one of the most important things in a team’s culture. You’ve got to play for the person beside of you.”

    Miami has put together back-to-back seasons of double-digit win totals. It had four consecutive 10-or-more-win seasons from 2000 through 2003, then exactly one such season from 2004 through 2023. It will have back-to-back season-ending appearances in the AP Top 25 for just the second time since 2005. Win or lose on Monday, Cristobal will inevitably say more work needs to be done.

    But the dark days at Miami, finally, seem to be over.

    “A care factor that’s through the roof and a die-hard belief in the University of Miami, bleeding orange and green through all of us, I think that’s what has really forged our progress forward as we continue to try to get better,” Cristobal said. “And we certainly have a long ways to go.”

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    Associated Press

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  • Murray: How antitrust laws ruined college football | Long Island Business News

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    In Brief:
    • rulings allow athletes to receive compensation and endorsements for their likeness.
    • now lets Division I schools distribute up to 22% of Power 5 revenue to players.
    • , expanded playoffs, and unrestricted have altered traditional rivalries.
    • Critics warn reforms risk turning college football into a professional league focused on money over school pride.

    Everyone who follows college football saw huge changes in the game this year. There is now revenue sharing between the colleges and players, a realignment of conferences, expanded playoffs and no restrictions on players transferring. But most college football fans may not realize these changes arose due to a Supreme Court decision eliminating the restraints on a college player’s ability to make money. Permitting to receive compensation for their contributions is warranted; however, these changes have diminished the sport’s traditional appeal. Instead of representing their school, college athletes have become free agents, willing to play for the highest bidder.

    In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled in National Collegiate Athletic Association v. Alston that the NCAA could not restrict a player’s ability to be paid for the use of his likeness or endorsements and struck down limits on the number of scholarships awarded to players. The Supreme Court expressly held that the NCAA is subject to antitrust limitations and suggested that the limitation on a school paying a player would be illegal also.

    Although a few professional sports leagues, like Major League Baseball, are exempt from the antitrust laws, as of now college football is not one. To be expected, lawsuits challenged any restrictions on a player’s ability to be paid by the school they attend, and these lawsuits were consolidated as a class action. This past year, a settlement of the class action was approved.

    Pursuant to the settlement, which colleges could opt out of and continue with litigation, NCAA Division I member schools can share up to 22% of the revenue of the Power 5 schools —SEC , Big Ten ACC, Big 12 and PAC 12—including media rights, ticket sales and sponsorships. This cap means that any one of the over 350 Division I schools can share up to $20.5 million with its student athletes.

    The settlement has been criticized as merely exchanging one cap—zero—with another cap. This limit on revenue sharing, critics claim, will actually constrain an athlete’s earning capacity and is likely to engender more litigation. At the other extreme, legislation introduced in Congress, called the SCORE Act, would exempt college football from the antitrust laws.

    There is a compelling argument to allow college football players to earn money for playing. College football raises millions of dollars for the schools, and the players are at risk of injury, which could prevent them from playing in the NFL. But the NCAA’s actions have made college football just another professional league. Fewer conferences now stretch coast to coast, players can transfer without restrictions, and colleges now compete as to how much money they can pay.

    Revenue sharing seems like a workable solution, but the other reforms—including removing restrictions on transferring—such as losing a year of eligibility, did not have to be pushed to the sideline. College football’s popularity was based on student and alumni pride in their schools and regional rivalries. While complete exemption from the antitrust laws is not necessary, some leeway must be given to the NCAA to preserve players’ excitement for playing for their school’s pride and not just for money. That is a terrible thing to lose.

     

    E. Christopher Murray is a partner at Rivkin Radler’s Commercial Litigation and Real Estate practice groups. The views expressed here are his own and do not necessarily represent the views of the firm.


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    Opinion

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  • Dylan Raiola announces he’s transferring from Nebraska to Oregon

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    Quarterback Dylan Raiola announced Monday on social media he intends to transfer from Nebraska to Oregon.

    Raiola was the highest-ranked recruit to sign with Nebraska and started 22 games over two seasons. He broke his leg against Southern California on Nov. 1 and missed the Cornhuskers’ last four games.

    Oregon’s quarterback room for 2026 remains unsettled even with the addition of Raiola as Dante Moore decides whether he will enter the NFL draft.

    Moore said Friday after a 56-22 loss to No. 1 Indiana in a College Football Playoff semifinal that he was uncertain on declaring for the draft or returning to Oregon for a final season. Moore went 24-of-39 for 285 yards with an interception and two fumbles against the Hoosiers.

    He completed nearly 73% of his throws for 3,280 yards, with 28 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season.

    Two of Moore’s backups, Austin Novosad and Luke Moga, have entered the transfer portal. Should Moore remain at Oregon, Raiola could redshirt next season before taking over as starter in 2027.

    Raiola completed 72.4% of his passes for 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns in nine games this season. In his freshman year in 2024, he threw for 2,819 yards with 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

    ___

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  • Alabama loses major transfer portal commitment in flip to Texas

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    The new college football landscape is dictated by the transfer portal.

    Indiana and Miami have shown they can master the transfer window, and they will now battle for the College Football Playoff national championship on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium.

    24 hours ago, Steve Sarkisian’s Texas program was on the verge of being overrun by angry Longhorns fans demanding a change. Arch Manning had committed to stay for what is likely his last year of college ball, but they’d whiffed on numerous top transfer talents and were bleeding out in terms of roster depth.

    But personifying how wacky and wild the transfer portal can be, there might not be a bigger winner of the 15-day transfer window thus far than Sarkisian after Sunday’s bombshells.

    Not only did the Longhorns lock down the consensus best wide receiver of the portal, Cam Coleman, formerly of Auburn, but they then went out and pulled off an even greater coup.

    More news: Arch Manning Should Leave if Texas Transfer Portal Freefall Worsens

    More news: Kalen DeBoer, Alabama Suffer Worst Bowl Loss Ever in CFP Shock vs Indiana

    Kalen DeBoer, like Sarkisian, was having a rough transfer portal season. Still, he had recruited top running back Hollywood Smothers from NC State and was seen as a favorite for the wideout Coleman.

    Then, on Sunday, not only did Coleman go to Austin, but Smothers, in a crazy move, flipped his recruitment from Alabama to Texas. Over the course of a few hours, Texas landed what could be the best wide receiver and the best running back to pair with Arch Manning going into the 2026 season.

    After this move, the Longhorns now possess a significant amount of sway heading into the second week of the 15-day window, with three offensive stars to attract more talent.

    In Tuscaloosa, however, the heat is now directly under DeBoer, who is coming off the worst point differential loss Alabama has suffered in a quarter-century while also watching their prized signing flip to an SEC rival.

    The transfer portal officially closes on Jan. 16, 2026.

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  • Indiana Hoosiers book ticket to Miami for CFB National Championship

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    Hoosiers filled the stands at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Friday night. They will have to book their flights to Miami next. The College Football National Championship Game will take place on Monday, January 19, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    Indiana University is a football school.

    The Hoosiers, head football coach Curt Cignetti, and his staff are on their way to South Florida and a date with the Miami Hurricanes. The winner gets a national championship. The College Football National Championship Game will take place on Monday, January 19, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.

    The Hoosiers dominated their College Football Playoff semifinal matchup with the Oregon Ducks in Atlanta on Friday night. Final score: 56-22.

    The Indiana Hoosiers football program has qualified for its first National Championship game. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    “It’s a great win against a good football team,” Hoosiers head football coach Curt Cignetti said after the game.

    The Oregon Ducks finished the season 13-2. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    The two Big Ten programs had played before. In fact, they played a couple of months ago in a game that Indiana won 30-20 in Eugene, Oregon, on October 11. In Atlanta, just like they did in the Pacific Northwest, the Hoosiers got off to a strong start. Defensive back D’Angelo Ponds intercepted Oregon quarterback Dante Moore’s first passing attempt of the game and returned it for the game’s first touchdown of the game. The roar from the pro-Indiana crowd in the stadium could be heard all the way on Peachtree Street. This game felt like an Indiana Hoosiers home game well before kickoff. 

    Oregon head football coach Dan Lanning credited the Hoosiers for playing a complete game. “They have a great chance of keeping it going and having great success,” Lanning said.

    Moore only had nine interceptions to 28 passing touchdowns coming into the game. Now three of his 10 interceptions have come against Indiana. Moore had two in the loss to the Hoosiers earlier this season. 

    The Ducks did not have their prayers answered on this night. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    Oregon’s second offensive drive ended better than its first when a 14-play drive that included a fourth-down conversion deep in Indiana territory ended with a Moore to Jamari Johnson touchdown. The successful extra point tied the game with 7:11 remaining in the first quarter. Indiana’s defense had only allowed Oregon to score seven points during the first quarter of their first matchup, so the Ducks were already ahead of pace. 

    Indiana defensive back Louis Moore (7) and the Hoosier defense held their own on Friday night in Atlanta.
    Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    The Hoosiers finally got a chance to touch the football midway through the first quarter and wasted no time going 75 yards on 11 plays to regain the lead, 14-7. Running back Roman Hemby had two long carries before Heisman trophy winner Fernando Mendoza found receiver Omar Cooper, Jr. in the left corner of the end zone for Indiana’s second touchdown of the first quarter. 

    The second quarter saw both defenses sure up a bit. The teams exchanged third-quarter sacks early on and forced each other to punt. Oregon outside linebacker Nasir Wyatt sacked Mendoza for a 19-yard loss. Following the sack and a punt, Indiana defensive lineman Mario Landino recovered a Moore self-inflicted fumble on his own three-yard line to shift the momentum back to Indiana. The Hoosiers would quickly lead by 14 points, 21-7, as Kaelon Black scored his first touchdown of the game. 

    Indiana sure-handed receiver Elijah Sarratt (13) was a go-to guy for Mendoza the entire game.
    Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    Mendoza to receiver Elijah Sarratt was a common theme during this game. Time after time, Mendoza, more than likely the first quarterback drafted in June, found Sarratt for first downs. With just under five minutes remaining in the first half, the two players hooked up again for another one. On the very next play, Mendoza found receiver Charlie Becker for a touchdown. The four-play, 61-yard drive made the score 28-7 with 3:13 remaining in the first half. Becker was the third Hoosier offensive player to score a touchdown. 

    Indiana is a complete football team. Hoosier defensive lineman Daniel Ndukwe or Landino could arguably be considered the MVP of the first half. Neither player scored a point, but both wreaked havoc in their own right. Ndukwe had two sacks, and Landino recovered two fumbles. Indiana’s defense held Oregon to nine rushing yards and 121 overall yards during the first half. Ndukwe would go on to block an Oregon punt in the fourth quarter as well.

    The first half ended with Indiana scoring again. This time, Mendoza found Sarratt for a touchdown, his first of the game, and the Hoosiers’ fifth, 35-7.

    Indiana quarterback and 2025 Heisman trophy winner Fernando Mendoza (15) fumbled at the end of this run. It was one of the rare mistakes he would make during a spectacular Peach Bowl performance. Photo by Tabious McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    Mendoza finally made a mistake. It came in the opening drive of the second half, when he fumbled at the end of a long quarterback-keeper. The problem for Oregon was that Pat Coogan, the decorated offensive lineman for Indiana, recovered it. Mendoza made up for the fumble with a touchdown pass to E.J. Williams, Jr. that put the Hoosiers ahead 42-7 at the nine-minute mark. 

    Oregon found its way back to the end zone to make the score 42-15. That Duck touchdown was the only scoring drive of the third quarter. Indiana would add another touchdown from the Ducks’ three-yard line to go ahead 49-15 following that blocked punt by Ndukwe. Mendoza found Sarratt again for his second touchdown catch of the game.

    Brady joined Sarrett, scoring his second touchdown of the game with five minutes to play. Indiana was up 56-15 with 4:51 to play in the game.

    Oregon tight end Roger Saleapaga scored the Ducks’ final touchdown of the game. He caught a short pass from Moore.

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  • When and where is the Miami vs. Indiana CFP national championship game being played?

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    The Miami Hurricanes haven’t played a home game since Nov. 15. Now, they’ll return home for the biggest game of the college football season.

    The No. 10-seeded Hurricanes (13-2) will take on the unbeaten No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers (15-0) in the 2025-26 College Football Playoff national championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

    Curt Cignetti‘s Hoosiers are looking to complete a perfect season to secure the program’s first-ever national championship. Indiana previously hadn’t won a bowl game since the 1991 season, but it’s picked up two bowl victories in this CFP — and both were one-sided affairs.

    Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Co. returned from a first-round bye with a 38-3 Rose Bowl blowout of the No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide. Then, in a Big Ten heavyweight showdown in the Peach Bowl, the Hoosiers raced out to 28-point halftime lead over the No. 5 Oregon Ducks en route to a 56-22 win. Mendoza had more passing touchdowns (5) than incompletions (3) against the Ducks while Indiana’s defense came up with three takeaways, including a pick-six on the first play of the game.

    The only team standing between Indiana and a perfect championship season is Miami, which is trying to cap its debut CFP appearance with a national title triumph on its home field. The Hurricanes were awarded a controversial CFP bid, but they’ve put together quite the résumé on their path to the championship game.

    Mario Cristobal‘s team first got past the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies 10-3 on the road before stunning the defending champion No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl. Miami then punched its national title game ticket with a thrilling Fiesta Bowl victory, outlasting the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels 31-27 in a game that saw four lead changes in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Carson Beck scrambled for a game-winning touchdown inside the final 20 seconds.

    So, with the matchup set, here’s a look ahead to the national title game:

    When is the CFP national championship game being played?

    This season’s national champion will be crowned on Monday, Jan. 19.

    Where is the CFP national championship game being played?

    The Hurricanes will get to play for the national championship at their home venue, as Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, is hosting the title game.

    This will be the second national championship game played at Hard Rock Stadium in the CFP era, with the first in 2020-21.

    What time will the CFP national championship game start?

    The national title game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT/4:30 p.m. PT.

    What TV channel is the CFP national championship game on?

    ESPN will air the national championship.

    Where to stream the CFP national championship game live online

    It will also be available to stream on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.

    How many football national championships have the Indiana Hoosiers won?

    The Hoosiers don’t own any national titles.

    How many football national championships have the Miami Hurricanes won?

    The Hurricanes own five national championships, most recently claiming a BCS championship in 2001. Miami was also an outright national champion in 1983, 1987 and 1989, while also earning a title share with Washington in 1991.

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    Eric Mullin

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  • Miami beats Ole Miss 31-27 in Fiesta Bowl

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    GLENDALE, Ariz. — Carson Beck scrambled for a 3-yard touchdown with 18 seconds left, and Miami will head back home for a shot at its first national championship since 2001 after beating Mississippi 31-27 in an exhilarating College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Miami Hurricanes have advanced to the College Football Playoff championship game

    • Miami defeated Mississippi 31-27 in a CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl

    • Carson Beck put the Hurricanes ahead with a 3-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds left

    • Miami will play the winner of Friday’s other CFP semifinal between Indiana and Oregon at the Peach Bowl

    The 10th-ranked Hurricanes (13-2) had their vaunted defense picked apart by the sixth-ranked Rebels (13-2) in a wild fourth quarter, falling into a 27-24 hole after Trinidad Chambliss threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Dae’Quan Wright with 3 minutes, 13 seconds left.

    Beck, who won a national title as a backup at Georgia, kept the Hurricanes calm amid the storm, leading them down the field for the winning score — and a shot at a national title on their home field at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 19. Beck is 37-5 as a starter, including two seasons at Georgia.

    The sixth-seeded Rebels lost their coach before the playoffs, but not their cool.

    If anything, Lane Kiffin’s decision to bolt for LSU seemed to harden Ole Miss’ resolve, pushing the Rebels to the best season in school history — and within a game of their first national championship game.

    Ole Miss kept Miami within reach when its offense labored and took a 19-17 lead on Lucas Carneiro’s fourth field goal, from 21 yards.

    Malachi Toney, the hero of Miami’s opening CFP win over Texas A&M, turned a screen pass into a 36-yard touchdown that put Miami up 24-19.

    Chambliss’ TD pass to Wright put the Rebels back on top, but their improbable run came to an end when the defense couldn’t hold the Hurricanes.

    But what a run it was.

    With Pete Golding calling the shots after being promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach, and most of the assistants sticking around, the Rebels blew out Tulane to open the playoff and took down mighty Georgia in the CFP quarterfinals.

    They faced a different kind of storm in the Hurricanes.

    Miami has rekindled memories o.f its 2001 national championship team behind a defense that went from porous to nearly impenetrable in its first season under coordinator Corey Hetherman.

    The Hurricanes walled up early in the Fiesta Bowl, holding Ole Miss to minus-1 yard.

    One play revved up the Rebels and their rowdy fans.

    Kewan Lacy, the nation’s third-leading rusher, burst through a hole up the middle for a 73-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter — the longest run allowed by Miami’s defense since 2018.

    The Hurricanes seemed content to grind away at the Rebels in small chunks offensively, setting up CharMar Brown’s 4-yard touchdown run and a field goal.

    Miami unlocked the deep game just before halftime, taking advantage of a busted coverage for a 52-yard touchdown pass from Beck to Keelan Marion.

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    Associated Press

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  • 5-star Big Ten QB to enter transfer portal in stunning decision

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    The transfer portal promised chaos, madness, and more, and it only got crazier on Thursday night as the College Football Playoff semifinals kicked off in Glendale, Arizona.

    While Ole Miss and Miami began their battle to see who would go to the national championship, a major bombshell broke a few hours away in Los Angeles.

    One of the best young quarterbacks in the nation is officially entering the transfer portal with a little over a week before it closes.

    The USC Trojans and Lincoln Riley are a school that knows how to produce superstar quarterbacks, and they re-signed their starter, Jayden Maiava, for the 2026 season. The junior decided to stay for one more year to challenge for a spot in the College Football Playoff and develop before declaring for the NFL Draft.

    This left five-star freshman QB Husan Longstreet on the bench for one more year, at least that’s what Riley and USC thought.

    Longstreet will not be on the bench in 2026, as he is leaving the Los Angeles quarterback factory behind to play for a new program this spring and into the fall.

    More news: Big Ten 5-Star QB Reportedly Considering Entering Transfer Portal

    More news: Lane Kiffin Takes Subtle Shot at Pete Golding Ahead of Ole Miss-Miami CFP

    In limited time this year, Longstreet was brilliant for the Trojans, showing off his elite legs and arm, which make him one of the best dual-threat prospects in college football, even as a freshman.

    This move comes days following his brother Kevin’s announcement of leaving USC and entering the transfer window.

    It also coincidentally coincides with the announcement that Demond Williams, the young star QB of Washington, has withdrawn his name after a 24-hour period where it appeared as if he could be linked to Lane Kiffin’s LSU Tigers. Williams will stay in Seattle, and Kiffin is still looking for his superstar prospect.

    Longstreet will have no shortage of programs looking for him to start in 2026 if he chooses do so, and Kiffin might be at the top of the list following the failed connections to Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby and now Williams.

    The transfer portal officially closes on Jan. 16, 2026.

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  • Ole Miss, Miami to play for spot in FBS national championship game

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    GLENDALE, Ariz. — Mississippi has kept winning despite its coach bolting for another program.

    Miami has rekindled the glory days of its 2001 national championship with a ferocious defense and steady quarterback.

    One will play for a national championship after Thursday night’s Fiesta Bowl, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET.

    What You Need To Know

    • Miami and Ole Miss will play in the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday night for a spot in the CFB championship

    • The Hurricanes are having their best season since they won the 2001 national championship

    • The Rebels have continued their successful season even after Lane Kiffin left to coach LSU after the regular season

    • The outcome could be determined by quarterbacks Carson Beck of UM and Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss

    Ole Miss (13-1) spent the last half of the regular season wondering if coach Lane Kiffin would stick around or leave for LSU. Once the coach did head out, the sixth-seeded Rebels kept winning to reach the College Football Playoff semifinals.

    Defensive coordinator Pete Golding took over as coach, and many of the assistants expected to join Kiffin in Baton Rouge stuck around to see the Rebels through the rest of the playoffs. Ole Miss and its high-scoring offense blew out Tulane in its opening CFP game and then outlasted mighty Georgia 39-34.

    Miami (12-2) is in the midst of its best run since winning the 2001 national title.

    The 10th-seeded Hurricanes have done it with a defense that went from mediocrity to one of the stingiest in the FBS under first-year coordinator Corey Hetherman. Miami gave up its fewest points since the 2001 national championship team — 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.

    Like most big games, the Fiesta Bowl will likely come down to which quarterback plays best.

    Miami’s Carson Beck is a proven winner, earning a national championship as a backup at Georgia before two stellar seasons as the starter. He’s been a perfect fit since transferring to Miami, throwing for 3,313 yards and 27 touchdowns on 74% passing with 10 interceptions.

    Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss took a circuitous route to the playoffs.

    With limited options out of high school, the dual-threat quarterback opted to play at Ferris State, leading the Bulldogs to a Division II championship last season. Chambliss has been superb since taking over as starter three games into this season, racking up 4,180 total yards and 29 touchdowns.

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    Associated Press

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  • Florida, UCF land new quarterbacks in portal; former USF star heads to Auburn

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    FLORIDA — Florida and Auburn have new quarterbacks to pair with new head coaches, and UCF has added a passer from the 2025-26 College Football Playoff for 2026.

    What You Need To Know

    • Alonza Barnett III, who led James Madison to the College Football Playoff, will play for UCF coach Scott Frost in 2026

    • Former Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo is transferring to Florida

    • Gators running back Jaden Baugh also has signed a new contract to stay with Florida

    • Ex-USF quarterback Byrum Brown will join former Bulls coach Alex Golesh at Auburn next season

    Alonza Barnett III, who led James Madison into the 2025-26 College Football Playoff and was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, will join Scott Frost’s Knights team in 2026. Barnett threw for 2,806 yards with 23 passing touchdowns while adding 589 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground and led the Dukes to the Sun Belt championship this past season. Through his redshirt junior season, he notched 5,433 career passing yards with 49 touchdowns and rushed for 1,075 yards and 23 touchdowns.

    UCF’s starting quarterback for most of last season, Tayven Jackson, entered the transfer portal.

    Georgia Tech’s Aaron Philo announced his commitment to the Gators on Tuesday and will follow former Yellow Jackets offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner from Atlanta to Gainesville. Philo is expected to compete with redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. for the starting job to replace departed DJ Lagway. Philo, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound junior, worked with Faulkner the past two seasons, serving as backup to Haynes King and appearing in eight games.

    The Gators got more good news from the transfer portal when they won a bidding war with Texas for running back Jadan Baugh, who rushed for 1,170 yards and caught 33 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns at Florida last season. Other high-profile players returning to the Gators include top tackler Myles Graham, leading receiver Vernell Brown III and wide receiver Dallas Wilson.

    Philo joins former Tech teammate Bailey Stockton, a receiver and brother of Georgia quarterback Gunnar Stockton, and Penn State offensive lineman TJ Shanahan as key guys to pick Florida since the transfer portal opened Friday. The Gators are rebuilding under new coach Jon Sumrall.

    South Florida’s Byrum Brown, meanwhile, announced he is following former Bulls coach Alex Golesh to Auburn.

    Brown reposted on his Instagram account an On3 post announcing that the quarterback is making the move. Brown has thrown for 7,690 yards and 61 touchdowns while also rushing for 2,265 yards and 31 scores over the last four seasons at South Florida. 

    He completed 66.3% of his passes for 3,158 yards with 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. He also rushed for 1,008 yards and 14 touchdowns on 175 carries while helping South Florida go 9-3 in the regular season.

    At UCF, other key players who are staying with the Knights are defensive tackles Horace Lockett Jr., who had entered the transfer portal, and RJ Jackson and defensive backs Braeden Marshall and Antione Jackson.

    In addition to Barnett, the transfer portal so far has brought the Knights running back Landen Chambers from Central Arkansas; offensive lineman Cooper Terpstra from Michigan State; offensive lineman Brady Wayburn from UConn, offensive lineman Tyler Gibson from Charlotte; offensive lineman Henry Tabansi from Buffalo; linebacker Tackett Curtis from Wisconsin; and defensive backs Kahmel Johnson from Wayne State and Caleb Flagg from Missouri.

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    Spectrum Sports Staff, Associated Press

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  • Kalen DeBoer, Alabama lose 5-star two-way playmaker to ACC program

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    The Alabama Crimson Tide took positive strides in Kalen DeBoer’s second season as head coach, but the year still ended with a disappointing second-round loss to the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff — a 38–3 defeat.

    Now, the focus has shifted to the NCAA transfer portal, which opened on Friday, and Alabama is off to a less-than-ideal start. The Crimson Tide have already lost several key players, including former five-star two-way cornerback and wide receiver Jaylen Mbakwe.

    It was revealed on Monday that Mbakwe will be committing to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. A blue-chip recruit from the Class of 2024, Mbakwe was ranked as the nation’s second-best cornerback and the No. 12 overall prospect in his class.

    More news: Lincoln Riley, USC Land Top Cornerback Transfer From Iowa State

    More news: Nebraska Lands 4-Star Notre Dame QB Kenny Minchey in Transfer Portal

    Mbakwe logged just three catches for 55 yards this season in Tuscaloosa after being moved primarily to wide receiver, having spent the bulk of his freshman year at cornerback.

    Now, he’ll join a Georgia Tech team led by head coach Brent Key, who has helped guide the Yellow Jackets’ resurgence into one of the more prominent programs in the ACC.

    Georgia Tech finished the season 9–4 overall, ending the year with a loss to the BYU Cougars in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Key also served as Alabama’s offensive line coach from 2016 to 2018 under Nick Saban.

    As for DeBoer, heading into Monday morning, the Crimson Tide have already lost 15 players to the transfer portal, including four wide receivers, but have been linked to several high-profile targets. Quarterback Ty Simpson has also not ruled out a potential return next season, which could provide another major boost for Alabama.

    More news: Curt Cignetti, Indiana Land QB to Replace Fernando Mendoza in 2026

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  • Not Over Until Well — It’s Over. – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    •••

    And I’m not looking for the Stanford Band here.

    Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons.Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons.

    For Georgia players like freshman AJ Kruah from Philadelphia — the Eagles current compliment of former Bulldogs on the the roster — helping them to shape a Super Bowl assortment of players —is the possibility of the opportunity of getting a chance to play for one of the best organizations in the NFL is the chance of a lifetime. And one thing is clear — the Eagles recruit talent from everywhere.

    Last week in the Sugar Bowl — Georgia’s had one last chance. Actually — they had several. Georgia was trailing Ol’ Miss 37–34 with six seconds left. On the ensuing kickoff — Georgia attempted a lateral after running the ball out of the end zone — a play that concluded with the ball being thrown out of bounds in that same end zone for a safety to make the score 39–34. As both teams stormed the field — the officials regained order as time had not expired — forcing the trophy and the stage back off of the field.

    Georgia then kicked the ball onside — and recovered it seemingly as the game ended. But the clock had not started-forcing the stage and trophy off of the field again. Finally after one last gasp for the Georgia offense from their own twenty-nine yard line and a series of laterals — Gunner Stockton was tackled to end the game — allowing the stage and the trophy to finally get onto the field.

    The game was finally over.

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    Michael Thomas Leibrandt

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  • Keeler: CU Buffs transfers wonder what 2025 under Deion Sanders would’ve looked like if they stayed: ‘They missed out’

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    Noah Fenske had his luggage with him Saturday. It wasn’t Louis.

    “Just Under Armour,” the former CU Buffs offensive lineman texted me from his vacation in Nashville.

    While on the road with his fiancée, Fenske’s also been keeping an eye on an old CU teammate, Alex Harkey. Oregon’s starting right tackle? Yeah, he used to be a Buff.

    Harkey, a 6-foot-6, 327-pound redshirt senior, is prepping for a Friday night showdown with Indiana — and another former CU player, the Hoosiers’ Kahlil Benson — in one College Football Playoff semifinal. The Ducks’ bruiser helped Oregon put up 245 passing yards and convert four fourth-down conversions on The Best Defense Money Can Buy, blanking Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl.

    He’d transferred into CU as a 305-pounder out of Tyler (Texas) Junior College, a 3-star who was weighing offers from Middle Tennessee and Old Dominion. After appearing in 12 games, largely as a reserve guard, Harkey was one of the kids from CU’s 2022 recruiting class swept out in the great Deion Sanders roster purge during the spring of 2023.

    Fenske, who played in seven games with the Buffs in ’22, was Harkey’s roommate at CU. He got swept away, too. Under Armour was out, Louis Vuitton luggage was in.

    “(Harkey has) done incredible, man,” Fenske gushed. “Because when he first came in (to CU), he wasn’t what he is now. And just seeing his transformation from being a (backup) guard on a 1-11 team to being a first-round or second-round (NFL) draft pick …”

    Big Alex could play. So could wideout Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State). And cornerback Simeon Harris (Fresno State). And quarterback Owen McCown, once he’d had some more brisket. McCown, who played as a wafer-thin true freshman at CU in ’22, threw for 30 touchdowns at UTSA this past fall — including three in a 57-20 win over Florida International in the First Responder Bowl.

    “We just stay connected, support each other’s success,” Harris, who still belongs to a group chat of former Buffs, told me over the weekend. “You’ve got to expect the unexpected. That (purge) hit us all in the mouth.”

    CU fans talk a lot — a lot — about 1-11 in 2022. About rock bottom. About Coach Prime lighting the candle for the climb out of obscurity.

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    Sean Keeler

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  • Strong game day experience important to new Colorado Buffs AD Fernando Lovo

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    Around the country, there are few college basketball venues better than The Pit in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

    Over the past year, Fernando Lovo has seen that up close as the athletic director at New Mexico.

    In transitioning to his new job as the athletic director at Colorado, Lovo knows the importance of a strong game day experience for fans of all sports and hopes to bring that to Boulder.

    The Colorado Buffaloes bench celebrates a three point basket against the UC Davis Aggies at CU Events Center in Boulder on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)

    “It’s huge. That’s really important to me,” Lovo, who begins his job at CU this week, told BuffZone. “I’m fanatical about the game day experience. It’s something that I took from my time at the University of Texas. I saw how impactful it was to create. It’s not just a game. It’s got to be an event. It’s got to be engaging. It’s got to be dynamic.”

    Last year, New Mexico ranked 24th nationally in men’s basketball attendance, averaging 13,051 fans per game. The Lobos’ women’s basketball team ranked 26th nationally, at 4,843 per game.

    And in football this year, the Lobos had the largest jump in average attendance in the FBS, with 57.8% more fans at home games in 2025 than in 2024.

    By comparison, CU was 69th nationally in men’s basketball attendance last year (7,038) and is averaging just 5,802 fans at home this year (not counting the game against Portland State when the general public wasn’t allowed at the Events Center due to dangerous wind conditions in the area). In women’s basketball, the Buffs averaged 2,967 fans (54th) last year and just 2,045 so far this year (82nd). Both numbers should increase as the Buffs get into conference play this month.

    In football, the Buffs have done well in attendance under head coach Deion Sanders, but slipped this past year as the team sputtered to a 3-9 record. The Buffs averaged 52,514 fans at Folsom Field in 2024, and 50,459 this past season.

    Lovo understands that putting a winning product on the court or field is essential to attendance, but said the game day experience has to be more than about getting people to the games.

    “We’ve got to be creative with our scripting of our in-game scripts to keep people involved,” he said. “It’s not enough just to say, ‘Hey, come watch a game.’ That’s not the way we’re going to approach things. We’re going to look at how do we do things outside the venue? Inside the venue?”

    Lovo said CU has to give fans a reason to decide they want to come to a CU event in the first place. Then, he said, it’s important to make it easy to get into building.

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    Brian Howell

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  • Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss addresses eligibility situation after CFP win

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    Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss put his stamp on the College Football Playoff, leading the Rebels to an impressive win over Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl. However, his NCAA eligibility remains a significant question, leaving him with an uncertain future.

    He’s currently waiting on an appeal decision with the NCAA, which would allow him to play another season of college football beyond what the association is counting as his limit for eligibility.

    During his team’s postgame press conference, also attended by his current coach, Pete Golding, Chambliss responded to questions regarding his eligibility situation.

    Read more: Georgia’s Kirby Smart Assigns Blame in CFP Loss to Ole Miss

    “I am. I think the NCAA is closed right now. I’m pretty sure they open tomorrow. So hopefully we hear an answer soon,” Chambliss said when asked if he was still waiting on the decision.

    In a follow-up question, he shared more about the situation and his current focus. Unsurprisingly, it’s on continuing to advance towards a national championship with Ole Miss.

    “I’m not the one that’s working on it. You know, my job right now is to focus on football and focus on this team and focus on, you know, being one-and-0 in the next game. So that’s my main focus right now,” he told reporters.

    Per ESPN, he filed a waiver in November with the NCAA seeking a retroactive medical redshirt for his 2022 season at Ferris State. He only played in two games that season due to a respiratory illness, and if the waiver or appeal is approved, he’ll get a sixth season of college football.

    Chambliss’s eligibility doesn’t apply to the upcoming semifinal game against Miami or playing for the championship. Still, it could set up an interesting situation for the Ole Miss Rebels heading into next season.

    He spent his first three years of college football with the Ferris State Bulldogs, a Division II program. He entered the transfer portal after leading the Bulldogs to a national championship and joined Ole Miss in April 2025.

    Obviously, there was a much different coach leading Ole Miss then, with Lane Kiffin coaching throughout most of Chambliss’s season, before deciding to take the job at LSU as their new head coach.

    That said, if Chambliss stays eligible for another season, he may believe in head coach Pete Golding and the program after achieving their massive CFP upset over Georgia.

    Read more: Paul Finebaum Offers Big Prediction for Texas’ Arch Manning

    For more about college football, visit Newsweek Sports.

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  • Mississippi beats Georgia 39-34 in the Sugar Bowl to advance to College Football Playoff semifinals

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    Mississippi beats Georgia 39-34 in the Sugar Bowl to advance to College Football Playoff semifinals

    Updated: 12:14 AM EST Jan 2, 2026

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    Trinidad Chambliss passed for 362 yards and two touchdowns, and Lucas Carneiro kicked his third field goal of the game with 6 seconds left to put No. 6 Mississippi in front for good in a 39-34 victory over third-ranked Georgia in a College Football Playoff in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday night.In an unusual twist, the Ole Miss was awarded a safety on its final kickoff when Georgia’s return team tried a cross-field lateral that hit the pylon.Georgia then recovered an onside kick and ran one more play in which they executed numerous laterals before the play fizzled, sending Ole Miss (13-1, CFP No. 6 seed) on to a semifinal against Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.Kicking off on the heels of two lopsided CFP quarterfinals at the Orange and Rose bowls, the Sugar Bowl provided drama until the end.After seeing a 21-12 halftime lead turn into a 34-24 deficit with 9:02 to play, Georgia (12-2, CFP No. 3 seed) then rallied to tie it, first driving for Gunner Stockton’s 18-yard TD pass to Zachariah Branch before Peyton Woodring’s short field goal tied it with 55 seconds left in regulation.Chambliss responded by setting up the winning kick with a 40-yard pass to De’Zhaun Stribling on third down from Mississippi’s own 30-yard line. A few plays later, Carneiro, who’d already broken Sugar Bowl records with field goals of 55 and 56 yards, hit from 47 and sprinted triumphantly toward the Ole Miss sideline as the Rebels (13-1, CFP No. 6 seed) jubilantly swarmed around him.

    Trinidad Chambliss passed for 362 yards and two touchdowns, and Lucas Carneiro kicked his third field goal of the game with 6 seconds left to put No. 6 Mississippi in front for good in a 39-34 victory over third-ranked Georgia in a College Football Playoff in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday night.

    In an unusual twist, the Ole Miss was awarded a safety on its final kickoff when Georgia’s return team tried a cross-field lateral that hit the pylon.

    Georgia then recovered an onside kick and ran one more play in which they executed numerous laterals before the play fizzled, sending Ole Miss (13-1, CFP No. 6 seed) on to a semifinal against Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.

    Kicking off on the heels of two lopsided CFP quarterfinals at the Orange and Rose bowls, the Sugar Bowl provided drama until the end.

    After seeing a 21-12 halftime lead turn into a 34-24 deficit with 9:02 to play, Georgia (12-2, CFP No. 3 seed) then rallied to tie it, first driving for Gunner Stockton’s 18-yard TD pass to Zachariah Branch before Peyton Woodring’s short field goal tied it with 55 seconds left in regulation.

    Chambliss responded by setting up the winning kick with a 40-yard pass to De’Zhaun Stribling on third down from Mississippi’s own 30-yard line. A few plays later, Carneiro, who’d already broken Sugar Bowl records with field goals of 55 and 56 yards, hit from 47 and sprinted triumphantly toward the Ole Miss sideline as the Rebels (13-1, CFP No. 6 seed) jubilantly swarmed around him.

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  • 12/14/2025: Germany Rearms; The Price of a Life; Hoosier Hysteria

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    First, why Germany is rearming, modernizing its military. Then, a look at life-saving drugs that cost millions per dose. And, Indiana Hoosiers: from outcast to undefeated.

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