Ole Miss’ dramatic Sugar Bowl win over Georgia ended in farcical fashion on New Year’s Day after stadium staff began setting up for a trophy presentation before the game was officially over.
After Lucas Carneiro’s field goal had edged the Rebels ahead with six seconds remaining, the Bulldogs went with a lateral on the kickoff return, only for the ball to roll into the end zone for a safety with one second left to leave them trailing 39-34.
Ole Miss stars thought their victory was confirmed as they raced onto the field in jubilation, forgetting that Georgia still actually had a second to attempt an onside kick.
And when they successfully recovered that onside kick attempt, stadium officials at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans jumped the gun and began moving the stage for Ole Miss’ trophy presentation onto the field.
However, what the staffers failed to realize was that, because Ole Miss didn’t touch the ball, no time had been taken off the clock – meaning referees announced that the final second still needed to be played.
Superdome staffers were quickly forced to drag the stage back off the field before officials restarted the game, but fortunately their blushes were spared when Georgia failed to capitalize on the extra second.
Sugar Bowl officials brought the stage for the trophy presentation onto the field prematurely
Ole Miss players and coaches still had to play a final second despite starting their celebrations
Ole Miss players were then finally able to celebrate winning the Sugar Bowl and advancing to the college football playoff semifinal at the third time of asking.
Trinidad Chambliss passed for 362 yards and two touchdowns, and Carneiro kicked his third field goal of the game to put No. 6 Mississippi in front for good over third-ranked Georgia.
Kicking off on the heels of two lopsided CFP quarterfinals at the Orange and Rose bowls, the Sugar Bowl provided drama until the end.
After seeing a 21-12 halftime lead turn into a 34-24 deficit with 9:02 to play, Georgia (12-2, CFP No. 3 seed) rallied to tie it, first driving for Gunner Stockton’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Zachariah Branch before Peyton Woodring’s short field goal tied it with 55 seconds left in regulation.
Chambliss responded by setting up the winning kick with a 40-yard pass to De’Zhaun Stribling on third down from Mississippi’s own 30-yard line. A few plays later, Carneiro, who’d already broken Sugar Bowl records with field goals of 55 and 56 yards, hit from 47 and sprinted triumphantly toward the Ole Miss sideline as the Rebels jubilantly swarmed around him.
It marks an evening to savor for Ole Miss, but ex-coach Lane Kiffin was not there to witness it in Louisiana after skipping an expected appearance.
Kiffin, who left in controversial fashion last month to join LSU, instead watched the Tigers’ women’s basketball team lose to the Kentucky Wildcats.
