The 2026 VRBO Fiesta Bowl features the 12-2 Miami Hurricanes and the 13-1 Ole Miss Rebels. Here is the 2026 VRBO Fiesta Bowl Preview.
Miami won 10 games to make their first College Football Playoff. They defeated four bowl-eligible teams in the regular season: Notre Dame, USF, NC State and Pitt. Both of their losses, to Louisville and SMU, were to teams that made bowl games. They defeated Texas A&M on the road to advance to the Cotton Bowl, then defeated Ohio State.
The Hurricanes score 31.6 points per game, ranking 32nd in the country. They pass for 253.6 yards (ranked 38th) and rush for 152 yards (ranked 76th) per game.
Carson Beck transferred to Miami from Georgia and has played well, but did struggle in the first CFP game against Texas A&M before playing better against OSU. He has passed for 3,313 yards, 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 74.4 percent completion. Three players have over 350 receiving yards for the Hurricanes. Malachi Toney has been a game-changer as a freshman with 94 catches for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns. Keelan Marion and CJ Daniels have also been solid with 626 and 469 receiving yards, respectively.
Three running backs have over 350 rushing yards on the season. Mark Fletcher Jr. has been the starter, putting up 947 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. CharMar Brown ang Girard Pringle Jr. have chipped in with 415 and 375 yards apiece.
Defensively, the Hurricanes give up 13.07 points per game, ranking fourth in the country. They allow 201.1 passing yards (ranked 41st) and 8.0 rushing yards (ranked fifth) per game. Mohamed Toure has the team lead with 69 tackles. Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. make a solid pass-rushing duo with NFL potential, with 10.5 and 8.5 sacks apiece. Jakobe Thomas has made plays in the secondary with four passes defended and five interceptions.
The Rebels won 11 games to qualify for their first CFP. They defeated four bowl-eligible teams this regular season: Tulane, LSU, Washington State and Oklahoma. Their lone loss was to Georgia, a team that made the CFP. Lane Kiffin accepted the LSU job and will not be coaching the team in the CFP, as Pete Golding, former defensive coordinator, is now the head coach. Ole Miss dominated Tulane in the first round of the CFP, then won a classic over Georgia.
Ole Miss scores 37.6 points per game, ranking 10th in the country. They pass for 315.9 yards (ranked third) and rush for 180.3 yards (ranked 37th) per game.
Trinidad Chambliss started the season as the backup after transferring up from D-II-level Ferris State. He took over the starting job and played well, passing for 3,660 yards, 21 touchdowns and three interceptions on 66.4 percent completion. Six pass catchers have over 350 receiving yards on the season. Penn State transfer Harrison Wallace is the leading target with 894 yards and four touchdowns. Deuce Alexander, Cayden Lee, De’Zhaun Stribling and tight end Dae’Quan Wright have also all been great targets.
Kewan Lacy handles the majority of the carries out of the backfield for the Rebels. He has rushed for 1,464 yards and 23 touchdowns on the season. Chambliss has been the team’s second-leading rusher from the quarterback position with 520 yards and eight touchdowns. No other player on the team has more than 30 carries on the season.
The Rebels’ defense concedes 20.4 points per game, tying for 29th in the FBS. They allow 146.1 rushing yards (ranked 66th) and 194 passing yards (ranked 31st) per game. Linebacker TJ Dottery has the team-high with 87 tackles. Princwell Umanmielen pressures the quarterback well and has eight sacks on the year. Wydett Williams Jr. has been impressive with eight passes defended and three interceptions.
Miami played extremely well in the trenches against Ohio State and they can keep that up against Ole Miss. They can pressure Chambliss and should be able to run the ball against the Ole Miss defense to get the win.
Miami Hurricanes 31 Ole Miss Rebels 23
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