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The Miami Hurricanes open their College Football Playoff Semifinal game against the Ole Miss Rebels as a -3 favorite for this January 8 game.
Keionte Scott picked off a screen pass by Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin, Carson Beck threw a touchdown pass and 10th-ranked Miami shocked the Buckeyes 24-14 on Wednesday night at the Cotton Bowl in the first College Football Playoff quarterfinal.
“I was full of emotions. ... That was a pretty cool moment,” said Scott, who has TD returns on both of his interceptions this season. “Just having fun. ... That’s what this team relies on, man, just going out there playing free and just having fun.”
The Hurricanes (12-2, CFP No. 10 seed) have won two playoff games to get into football’s final four after needing an at-large berth to make the 12-team field, after not even playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. One more win and they will get to play for a national championship in their home stadium.
And on Thursday night, Trinidad Chambliss passed for 362 yards and two touchdowns, and Lucas Carneiro kicked a 47-yard field goal 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 quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl on Thursday night.
“A lot of people did doubt us before the season and they still doubted us when our coach left,” Chambliss said. “We just want to play ball and have fun, and I think that’s showing right now.”
The Rebels (13-1, CFP No. 6 seed) have now won two postseason games since Lane Kiffin left for LSU on Nov. 30 and defensive coordinator Pete Golding was promoted to fill the vacancy at the top of the staff. Next up for Ole Miss is a semifinal matchup with Miami at the Fiesta Bowl.
“We’ve got a lot of good coaches,” Golding said, referring in part to assistants who have agreed to join Kiffin at LSU, but who’ve been permitted to remain with the Rebels through this postseason.
“A lot of guys have been going through a lot of things but they’ve been here for the kids the whole time,” Golding continued. “And this is a special group of kids.”
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
