In New Orleans on Thursday night, No. 6 Ole Miss defeated No. 3 Georgia 39-34 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss threw for 362 yards and two touchdowns while Lucas Carneiro converted a 47-yard field goal with six seconds remaining to break a 34-34 tie. A final-play kickoff sequence produced an awarded safety when a Georgia lateral struck the pylon; Georgia recovered an onside kick and attempted a multi-lateral play before the contest ended. Attendance was 68,371; kickoff was 7:11 p.m. CT and the game lasted 4:05 (ended 11:16 p.m. CT).
Key Takeaways
- Final score: Ole Miss 39, Georgia 34 — Ole Miss advances to the CFP semifinal (Fiesta Bowl) next Thursday against Miami.
- Trinidad Chambliss finished 362 passing yards with two TDs; Harrison Wallace III had nine catches for 156 yards and De’Zhaun Stribling 7 for 122 yards.
- Lucas Carneiro made three field goals, including kicks of 55 and 56 yards earlier and the decisive 47-yarder with six seconds to play.
- Ole Miss outgained Georgia 473 yards to 343 yards overall and rushed for two touchdowns from Kewan Lacy (98 yards, 2 TDs).
- Gunner Stockton passed for 203 yards, threw one TD and ran for two scores; Georgia executed a successful fake punt and recovered an onside kick late in the game.
- A safety was awarded to Ole Miss on the final kickoff when Georgia’s cross-field lateral struck the pylon; that play added two points and helped finalize the margin.
- Game length and late drama: 4:05 duration, with multiple fourth-down conversions and two fourth-quarter comebacks before the final 90 seconds.
Background
The Sugar Bowl quarterfinal arrived after two earlier CFP quarterfinal blowouts; observers expected high stakes and national attention as No. 6 Ole Miss (13-1) faced No. 3 Georgia (12-2). Both teams carried explosive offenses and playoff aspirations: Georgia as a top-three seed seeking a semifinal berth, and Ole Miss as a high-powered Rebel attack aiming to reach the Fiesta Bowl. The matchup featured experienced skill-position talent and special teams with proven range — a combination that foreshadowed a high-scoring, closely contested game.
Historically, the College Football Playoff quarterfinals often hinge on single special-teams plays and late-game execution. That context mattered here: long field goals and late-clock decision-making would be decisive, and both coaching staffs accepted aggressive fourth-down calls and unconventional plays (fake punts, reverses, quarterback scrambles). The teams’ trajectories coming into New Orleans set the stage for a nationally televised showdown with playoff implications and an expectant crowd of 68,371.
Main Event
The Rebels opened with two long field goals by Lucas Carneiro — from 55 and 56 yards — to lead 6-0 after the first quarter. Georgia answered in the second quarter as Gunner Stockton produced a pair of short rushing touchdowns and, aided by a defensive fumble return by Daylen Everette, took a 21-12 advantage into halftime. Ole Miss trimmed the gap early in the second half when Kewan Lacy scored on a 7-yard run after a fourth‑down conversion, putting momentum back with the Rebels.
In the third and fourth quarters the teams traded pivotal plays. Georgia converted a 37-yard field goal to rebuild a small lead, and later executed an on-field fake punt earlier in the second half that sustained a scoring drive. Ole Miss answered with a 75-yard drive capped by Lacy’s second touchdown, then Chambliss connected with Harrison Wallace III for a 13-yard score to push the Rebels ahead 34-24 with 9:02 remaining in the fourth.
Georgia rallied quickly: Stockton hit Zachariah Branch on an 18-yard touchdown at 7:03 to make it 34-31, then Peyton Woodring’s 24-yard field goal with 56 seconds left tied the game at 34. Chambliss then drove the Rebels 70 yards highlighted by a 40-yard pass to De’Zhaun Stribling on third down, setting up Carneiro’s 47-yard game-winner with six seconds on the clock. A final kickoff lateral by Georgia struck the pylon and resulted in a safety; Georgia recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran a final multi-lateral play before time expired.
Analysis & Implications
Ole Miss’s victory underscores the value of explosive special teams and clutch kicking in postseason play. Carneiro’s range (field goals of 55, 56 and 47 yards) not only produced points but changed Georgia’s approach late in drives. When kickers can reliably score from beyond 50 yards, fourth-quarter strategies — whether to attempt long field goals or go for it — shift materially, and that played directly into the Rebels’ advantage in the final minute.
On offense, Chambliss demonstrated pocket mobility and playmaking under pressure, finishing with 362 passing yards and two touchdowns while escaping multiple rush attempts to convert critical throws. The Rebels’ passing game outpaced Georgia’s defense across the evening; Ole Miss’s 473 total yards reflect game-planning that prioritized vertical shots and third-down conversions under duress.
Georgia showed resilience, executing a successful fake punt and finishing with two fourth-quarter scoring drives to erase a 10-point deficit. Stockton’s dual-threat capability (one passing TD, two rushing TDs) kept the Bulldogs competitive, but turnovers and special-teams misfortune — specifically the fumble returned for a touchdown and the kickoff lateral that struck the pylon — proved decisive. For Georgia, the margin of error in playoff football is thin; situational discipline on returns and ball security will be immediate offseason points of emphasis.
| Quarter | Ole Miss | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 6 | 0 |
| 2nd | 6 | 21 |
| 3rd | 7 | 3 |
| 4th | 20 | 10 |
| Final | 39 | 34 |
The box-score profile shows Ole Miss’s balanced attack and Georgia’s mid-game surge. Stat lines — Chambliss 362 passing yards, Harrison Wallace III 156 receiving yards, Kewan Lacy 98 rushing yards — align with the scoring timeline and highlight where each team produced its most effective plays.
Reactions & Quotes
Postgame commentary centered on the final-minute sequence and the impact of Carneiro’s leg. Below are brief official or factual calls from the game log and recap, followed by context about their significance.
“Final: Ole Miss 39, Georgia 34.”
College Football Playoff (official game recap)
The official final-score line confirms Ole Miss’s advancement to the CFP semifinal; that headline framed subsequent coverage and social-media reaction.
“Attendance: 68,371.”
College Football Playoff (official statistics)
Officials noted a strong turnout in New Orleans consistent with the neutral-site playoff environment; crowd energy contributed to the late-game atmosphere described by both teams.
“Game duration: 4:05.”
College Football Playoff (official game log)
The extended duration reflects the number of big-play sequences, reviews and late-clock possessions that produced the game’s dramatic finish.
Unconfirmed
- Whether the hit on Gunner Stockton that left him flat on his back constituted an unpenalized illegal helmet-to-helmet contact — subject to officials’ internal review and no public penalty confirmation.
- The intent behind Georgia’s final kickoff lateral (planned desperation lateral versus miscommunication) has not been confirmed by an official team statement.
Bottom Line
Ole Miss advances to the College Football Playoff semifinal after a 39-34 win over Georgia, propelled by Trinidad Chambliss’s passing, Kewan Lacy’s rushing, and Lucas Carneiro’s exceptional kicking performance. Special teams and late-game decision-making determined the outcome: long field goals, a safety on a kickoff lateral, and one final successful 47-yard attempt decided a tightly contested quarterfinal.
For Georgia, the loss underscores the fine margins of playoff football — a high-octane offense and key fourth-quarter drives were not enough to overcome turnovers and a special-teams sequence that swung the final moments. For Ole Miss, the win paves the way to the Fiesta Bowl semifinal and spotlights areas (pass protection, red-zone finishing) to refine heading into the next matchup.