After 23 long years, Miami fans can say the U is back. The Hurricanes are heading to the crib to play for the national championship after surviving an Ole-Miss comeback, 31-27, in the Fiesta Bowl.

The path here was anything but easy for the Hurricanes. They started their playoff run on the road against Texas A&M, then squared off against the reigning national champions Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, before pulling out a thriller in the desert against Ole-Miss.

“It was never easy, it was never perfect, there was a lot of ups and downs. There’s a lot of adversity,” said quarterback Carson Beck. “We really band together. We believe in each other. And we never flinch in the face of adversity.“

The Hurricanes started the game off strong defensively, shutting out the high-powered Rebels in the first quarter. But in the second, Rebel fans erupted as Kewan Lacy, the nation’s third-leading rusher, broke through the middle for a 73-yard touchdown to give Ole-Miss the lead.

The Canes answered with a 15-play drive, capped by a 4-yard touchdown run from ChaMar Brown. On their next possession, Miami capitalized on busted coverage with a 52-yard touchdown pass to Keelan Marion, giving the Canes a 17–10 lead. Ole-Miss kicker Lucas Caneiro hit a 58-yard field goal right before halftime to cut the lead to four for the Rebels.

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After a scoreless third quarter, quarterbacks Carson Beck and Trinidad Chambliss put on a show in the fourth. Beck sealed the win for the Hurricanes with a 3-yard touchdown run, giving Miami a 31–27 lead with just 11 seconds remaining.

“That’s the perfect example of a guy—he feels supported, he’s hungry, he’s driven, he’s a great human being,” said Coach Cristobal. “And that’s what we witnessed tonight. Carson Beck, I can’t say enough great things about him.”

Beck finished 23-of-37 for 268 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the Canes’ victory.

The Rebels, finishing their best season in program history, lost their head coach, Lane Kiffin, at the start of the playoffs after he agreed to take the job at LSU. But that didn’t slow them down, as they came just one game short of reaching their first national championship, blowing out Tulane in their first game and taking down favorites Georgia in the Quarterfinals.

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of this group; they never panic, they never flinch,” Ole-Miss coach Pete Golding said. “I will remember how they embraced each other—there was a lot going on the last month. They’re going to be talking about this for a long time.”

Chambliss, who won the Division II title at Ferris State last year, went 23-of-37 for 277 yards and a touchdown.“This team has sacrificed a lot to get to this point,” he said. “This season’s been a bumpy ride, with a lot going on, but we just kept our focus. It’s been truly special.”

Running back Mark Fletcher Jr., who’s been on fire during Miami’s playoff run, carried the load with 22 carries for 133 yards. Freshman Malachi Toney also made a big impact, with five catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. Keelan Marion, who scored the 52-yard touchdown in the second quarter, finished with seven receptions for 114 yards.

The Hurricanes are heading back to the national championship at home, aiming for their first title since 2001, and will await the winner of tonight’s Oregon vs. Indiana game.