NEW ORLEANS – With his team tied at 34-34 with No. 3 Georgia early in the fourth quarter of the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Sugar Bowl, Ole Miss senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss did what he’s done all season long. He put the team on his back.
Chambliss found senior wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling for a 40-yard gain with 32 seconds left in the fourth quarter, and Lucas Carneiro nailed a go-ahead 47-yard field goal as the Rebels defeated the Bulldogs 39-34 in a back-and-forth classic and advance to the CFP semifinals against Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.
Chambliss, who was named the game’s offensive MVP, threw for 362 yards and two touchdowns. The Rebels (13-1) outgained the Bulldogs (12-2) 473-343. Sophomore Will Echoles was named the defensive MVP and finished with 2 tackles for loss and 2 pass breakups.
Chambliss converted a key third down earlier in the fourth quarter where he nearly scrambled into his own end zone, pivoted around and calmly tossed the ball to sophomore Kewan Lacy for a first down. Two plays later, Chambliss evaded a rusher, scrambled to his right and threw a 44-yard strike that eventually set up what was then a go-ahead touchdown from Lacy. Lacy led all rushers with 98 yards and scored two touchdowns.
Georgia scored 10 points in the game’s final seven minutes to tie the game after Ole Miss had clawed back from a nine-point halftime deficit.
Following Carneiro’s game-winning kick, Ole Miss forced a Georgia safety on a last-second pitch of the ensuing kickoff. Georgia got the ball back following the free kick but was again stopped following a series of pitches.
The Rebels will face Miami in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8. at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
“My emotions right now, it’s crazy … Really speechless, honestly, about everything,” Chambliss said. “Because it was that same point, we were down nine — or they were down nine the last time we played them, so it was kind of like roles reversed. … I didn’t play my best in the fourth quarter (last time), so I wanted to redeem myself and get back again. So, honestly, just trusting my guys. Our coaches put us in a great position and we executed.”
After failing to force a single punt in the first matchup between the teams — a 43-35 Bulldogs win in Athens, Georgia that the Rebels led by nine after three quarters — the Rebels forced Georgia to punt on its first two drives of the game. Carneiro nailed a pair of first-quarter field goals from 55 and 56-yards out, each setting a new Sugar Bowl record. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton put the Bulldogs in front early in the second quarter with the game’s first touchdown, a 12-yard scramble up the middle.
A 39-yard strike down the Rebels’ sideline from Chambliss to Stribling jump-started Ole Miss’ response, which was capped off by a 3-yard touchdown catch from junior tight end Luke Hasz on third-and-3 and made the game 12-6 following a failed two-point try.
Ole Miss forced Georgia into a third-and-13 and a third-and-12 on the subsequent drive, but the Bulldogs converted both attempts and retook the lead with a Stockton sneak. Lacy fumbled on the following Rebels possession, and Georgia’s Daylen Everette returned it 46 yards for a touchdown. It was Lacy’s third fumble of the season and first lost fumble. A dropped third-down pass from senior Dae’quan Wright stalled the Rebels’ next drive, and Ole Miss was unable to get its field-goal unit on as time expired in the half after moving the ball to the Georgia 35.
Ole Miss dropped four passes in the second quarter, lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown and surrendered a pair of third-and-longs that led directly to a Bulldogs touchdown.
“Definitely didn’t play our cleanest football in the first half on either side of the ball, and kind of challenged them at halftime and said, look, we were up nine on these guys going into the fourth quarter last time. Let’s play 30 minutes of football and outphysical them and execute,” Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding said. “They responded like they have all year.”
Lacy was stopped on fourth-and-1 near midfield on the Rebels’ first drive of the second half but found redemption on the next possession with a 7-yard touchdown that was set up by a long fourth-down catch-and-run from senior Harrison Wallace III. Georgia’s Peyton Woodring added a field goal late in the third quarter that made it 24-19 following a successful Georgia fake punt.
Following Chambliss’ pair of crucial scramble-and-throws that led to a touchdown, Georgia faced a fourth down deep in its own territory. Junior Suntarine Perkins sacked Stockton and, two plays later, Chambliss threw a 13-yard touchdown to Wallace to put the Rebels up 10.
Stockton threw a touchdown to Zachariah Branch on the next drive to cut the Rebels’ lead to three. What appeared to be a missed face mask call ended Ole Miss’ following possession, and a pass interference and a hold on the Rebels set Georgia up inside the 10. Woodring tied the game at 34 with just under a minute to left in regulation, leading to Carneiro’s moment.
“I think Lucas missed that field goal at that exact same spot (at practice yesterday),” Echoles said. “For him to come back and hit that field goal to win the game, I’m very happy for him.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
