Football

Updated odds, predictions, tv listing for CFP semifinal game

No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 10 Miami will meet in the Fiesta Bowl for the right to play for a national championship in two days.

Published

5 months ago

January 6, 2026

Taylor Hodges

No. 6 Ole Miss will laned in Glendale, Arizona on Tuesday afternoon ahead of Thursday’s Fiesta Bowl against No. 10 Miami.

The Rebels remain the underdog in the eyes of oddsmakers for the College Football Playoff semifinal game. But a spread of 3.5 points is close to being a tossup.

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One reason why the Hurricanes are favored is their defense. Ole Miss will face the best defense its seen all season that ranks No. 4 in scoring defense (13.07 ppg) and No. 10 total defense (285.1).

“They have a great defense, very physical,” Ole Miss wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling said about Miami’s defense. “They run to the ball very well. They’re very good at the D-line position also, so just looking forward to the challenge and grateful for the opportunity.”

Miami’s defense ranks very similar to Oklahoma in most statistical categories and the Rebels found success against the Sooners in Norman, Okla.

“There’s schematically differences, but this reminds me very much of, like, those great Seattle Seahawks teams, that you don’t have to go out there and try to confuse them because whatever you do, all right, they’ve seen a thousand times,” Ole Miss quarterbacks coach Joe Judge said. “They know how to cover the routes. They know how to match the things. They know what’s coming their way. They don’t do too much that they’re going to be confused when you present them something different. But they get off. They play fast.”

One thing helping out the Rebels is they have one of the two best offenses Miami has faced (Notre Dame is the other). It should make for a fascinating matchup in a little more than 48 hours.