Miami and Ole Miss have supplied two of probably the most compelling storylines of this yr’s School Soccer Playoff.
However just one will earn the possibility to play for a nationwide title after the groups sq. off on Thursday night time within the Fiesta Bowl in a CFP semifinal in Glendale, Ariz.
After making the 12-team subject as the ultimate at-large choice, the Tenth-seeded Hurricanes (12-2) have defied the percentages twice with dominant defensive performances in wins towards seventh-seeded Texas A&M 10-3 within the first spherical and a 24-14 Cotton Bowl triumph towards No. 2 Ohio State on Dec. 31.
The No. 6 Rebels (13-1), who will play Miami for the primary time since 1951, drubbed Eleventh-seeded Tulane 41-10 and put collectively a surprising 39-34 comeback win over No. 3 seed Georgia within the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal final Thursday.
The winner of Thursday’s sport will face the winner of the Peach Bowl semifinal matchup Friday between top-seeded Indiana and fifth-seeded Oregon for the nationwide championship on Jan. 19 in Miami.
Ole Miss continues to persevere and lengthen its greatest season in program historical past regardless of having its teaching workers in flux since head coach Lane Kiffin departed in November to turn out to be LSU’s head coach.
With Pete Golding promoted to go coach and a number of assistant coaches equivalent to offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. remaining with the Rebels till their season ends, they’ve continued to seek out methods to increase their season.
Ole Miss quarterbacks coach Joe Choose on Tuesday in contrast the state of affairs to how they dealt with the uncertainty of coaches’ availability throughout the COVID pandemic in 2020.
“We at all times discuss forward principally after each sport, me and Charlie (Weis Jr.) and Pete (Golding) have sat down and talked concerning the subsequent week developing and the way we will deal with it,” Choose stated. “And when he will Baton Rouge, when he is coming again, how we will prep for the subsequent week. All through the week, we have communicated when it comes to all of the what-ifs.”
Ole Miss is looking for its first nationwide championship whereas Miami is one win away from taking part in for a possible sixth nationwide title and its first since 2001.
Two of the most important keys for the Rebels will likely be attempting to decelerate Miami’s speeding assault led by Mark Fletcher Jr. and conserving quarterback Trinidad Chambliss protected against the Hurricanes’ dominant move rush led by defensive linemen Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor.
The Hurricanes have posted 12 sacks in two CFP video games and lead the nation with 46 sacks general over 14 video games.
“We’re a D-line that places a variety of strain on the quarterback,” stated Mesidor, who has 3 1/2 sacks within the playoffs. “Our DBs are massive and quick and nice gamers. I believe we assist one another out, 100%. We put strain on the quarterback, have him make a mistake.”
Ole Miss is ranked No. 65 nationally in speeding protection (146.1 yards per sport), and yielded 124 yards to Georgia final week. Fletcher ran for 172 of Miami’s 175 yards towards Texas A&M and ran for 90 of the Hurricanes’ 153 yards on the bottom towards Ohio State final week.
“They’ve a variety of confidence of their run sport,” Ole Miss linebacker TJ Dottery stated Tuesday. “It’s extremely bodily, and that is considerably of a mannequin to dominate up entrance. And that is our plan, to dominate their line of scrimmage and shut that down.”
Chambliss had among the finest video games of his profession towards Georgia, finishing 30 of 46 passes for 362 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Miami’s high defensive gamers are aware of the problem that awaits them with Chambliss’ playmaking skill.
“I undoubtedly suppose it is one thing all people collectively as a protection has to concentrate on,” stated Miami defensive again Keionte Scott, who had a key 72-yard interception return for a landing towards Ohio State. “I do not suppose you may put it on one or two place teams. When it will get to that time the place it breaks down or it would not break down, I believe all people doing their job (1 by way of 11) can erase a variety of these issues.”
–Discipline Degree Media
