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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Football vs. Georgia: Fresh off the Field
1/2/2026 | Football
Presented by Kroger
NEW ORLEANS – No. 6 Ole Miss football advanced to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff with a statement win, taking down No. 3 Georgia 39-34, Thursday night in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
With the victory, this marks the first 13-win season in Ole Miss' history. The 2025 Rebels were also the first to post an 11-win regular season and a 12-win season overall. Ole Miss is now off to its first ever Fiesta Bowl to square off against No. 10 Miami (12-2).
This was Ole Miss 43rd bowl appearance in program history, and its 11th berth in the Sugar Bowl. At seven Sugar Bowl victories, Ole Miss now stands behind only Alabama (10) in all-time wins in the prestigious bowl game.
Hear what Pete Golding, Will Echoles and Trinidad Chambliss had to say after the win.
Just super excited for our players," Golding said. "I thought they responded the right way. 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, you know, look, we were up nine on these guys going into the fourth quarter last time. Let's play 30 minutes of football and out physical them and execute. They responded like they have all year. It's a super tough group. They've got a lot of grit, and they love playing football, and they're not tired of it. So just really, really proud of the group and the effort that took place tonight."
REBELS DEFENSE COMES ALIVE
Echoles earned Sugar Bowl Defensive Player of the Game with five tackles, two for loss, and two pass breakouts.
Just making open-field tackles, taking the right angle," Echoles said. "I think the biggest thing in this game was the third downs, having them in long third downs so we can get our pass rushers on the field and let them rush.
The Rebels defense had 9.0 tackles for loss, a season-high against power conference opponents.
CHAMBLISS' MVP PERFORMANCEWe try to block out the noise and just keep the main thing," Echoles said. "The main thing is go win. No matter who we play, just spot the ball.
Chambliss won Offensive MVP throwing for 362 yards, on 30-for-46 passing and two touchdowns, the second-most passing yards ever by a Rebel in a bowl game.
Really speechless, because it was that same point when they were down nine the last time we played them, so it was kind of like roles reversed," Chambliss said. "I didn't play my best in the fourth quarter, 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.
Ole Miss tallied 473 total yards (362 passing, 111 rushing), breaking the single-season program record at 6,947 yards.
STAY CONNECTEDWe just want to play ball and have fun," Chambliss said. "A lot of people did doubt us before the season and they still doubted us when our coach left. We just want to play ball and have fun, and I think that's showing right now.
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