College Football Blitz recaps the most important developments from the College Football Playoff semifinal games and examines their significance moving forward.
Beck delivers in the moment
It was 361 days ago that Carson Beck announced he was withdrawing from the NFL draft and transferring from Georgia to Miami. The price tag was a reported $3.2 million – second only to Duke’s Darian Mensah among quarterbacks. Beck’s been steady, but unspectacular, thus far in the Hurricanes’ season, but the game-winning drive against Ole Miss was proof the money was well spent by Miami.
Down by three with 3:13 to play, Beck took the Canes 75 yards in 15 plays before delivering an all-time Miami moment to send the team back to the national title game for the first time since 2003.
Beck was clutch with a laser over the middle to convert a crucial 3rd-and-10 on Ole Miss’ 35-yard line. That kept the drive going with the potential of a game-winning touchdown instead of a tying field goal – a critical situation considering Trinidad Chambliss had spent the 4th quarter lighting up the Miami defense. Another 11-yard completion to set up 1st-and-goal, and all that was left was Beck’s walk-in touchdown.
Look, it’s neither pretty nor comfortable most of the time with Beck. He spent a large part of the contest giving Miami fans heart palpations with numerous near-interceptions. A lot of his work is done on quick outs or screen passes to avoid throwing into coverage down the field. That can limit the passing attack, but when Malachi Toney is one of your receivers, a 3-yard pass can become a 36-yard touchdown real quick.
But, when Beck was needed the most, he stepped up and played like the extremely experienced player he is. An unflappable face in the biggest situation of the season was exactly what Mario Cristobal – not exactly the calmest man on the sideline – needed in the moment. Beck gave him that and sent the Canes home to play for a long-awaited national title.
You can’t shake this Ole Miss team
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson made the catchphrase “It doesn’t matter!” famous during his legendary wrestling career. While he played his college football for Miami, it’s Ole Miss’ attitude during its playoff run that can best be described by those words.
We won’t re-litigate Lane Kiffin’s choice to leave for a conference rival before the playoff and take a number of assistants with him. Sure, he loaned a number of those coaches back, but they have been pulling double duty flying back and forth between Baton Rouge and Oxford the past week. That left Pete Golding in a position he’d never been before – head football coach. Yep, a reminder that Golding’s first game as the boss came in the playoffs.
“It doesn’t matter.”
How about a 21-12 half-time deficit to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl – a team that had already beat you once this season?
“It doesn’t matter.”
A large portion of Thursday’s game evolved into a “Boys vs. Men” type of match, with Miami imposing its will throughout. The Hurricanes had run the ball 41 different times through three quarters, while the Rebels had executed a total of just 37 plays. The time of possession looked like someone was fudging the math – an absurd 33:50 to 11:10 advantage for Miami.
“It doesn’t matter.”
An electric fourth quarter from both teams gave us an incredible show – and once again Ole Miss rose to the occasion thanks to Chambliss. With star running back Kewan Lacy hobbled, the D-II transfer recaptured the superhero role we’ve grown accustomed to. Chambliss led an 86-yard field goal drive, and then answered a Miami touchdown in style, taking Ole Miss 75 yards down the field for a go-ahead touchdown.
Surely, Miami’s go-ahead touchdown with just 18 seconds to play was enough to finish the job and end the season for even the most resilient group in the country, right?
Chambliss somehow drove the Rebels into Hail Mary range in 18 seconds for one final prayer at a victory. While it ultimately fell short, not one person out there will hold Ole Miss in anything but the highest regard for its incredible run.
This may have been the team that Kiffin built, but the attitude shown by the Rebels throughout the playoff was a unique brand that shows the page is officially turned to the Golding era.
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