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No. 10 Miami (12-2) vs. No. 6 Ole Miss (13-1), Thursday 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Latest line: Miami is favored by 3 1/2 points
Adam Lichtenstein, Miami Hurricanes Writer: Miami 27, Ole Miss 23
Miami had a pair of playoff upset wins over Texas A&M and Ohio State. Against Ole Miss in the semifinals, Miami is the favorite. UM has earned that respect, holding Texas A&M to three points at home and dispatching the reigning national champions in a game it never trailed. Ole Miss earned its spot with an upset of its own — over SEC foe Georgia — but the Hurricanes’ defensive front is arguably the best in the nation. They can make life extremely difficult for Rebels star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and slow down Ole Miss’ high-powered offense.
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Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel Sports Columnist: Miami 30, Ole Miss 26
Miami is laser-focused on this game while Mississippi’s coaches are travelling back and forth for their next job at LSU. At some point, that has to cause problems inside the team and it’s Miami’s job to force that moment in this game. Miami has shown its superior strength and talent along the offensive and defensive lines in the first two games of the playoffs. No reason UM can’t continue that dominance in the trenches on its way to the championship game.
Keven Lerner, Assistant Sports Editor: Miami 30, Ole Miss 27
Several members of the Ole Miss coaching staff will be following Lane Kiffin to LSU, which certainly has to be a distraction for the Rebels as they prepare for their biggest game in the program’s history. On the field, Ole Miss has an explosive offense that Miami will be hard-pressed to slow down. While the Hurricanes’ defense has been stellar in the playoffs, the Rebels are bound to put up points. Ole Miss, however, has struggled on defense so this may turn into a shootout. Can Miami’s offense score enough? UM’s running game will be hard to stop while it chews up the clock and keeps Trinidad Chambliss off the field.
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