Overview
- Miami defeated Ole Miss 31–27 in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal, scoring the winning touchdown with 18 seconds left.
- Under his LSU deal, Kiffin earned $500,000 tied to Ole Miss reaching the semifinal but missed an additional $250,000 when the Rebels lost.
- The preserved bonus ladder mirrors his former Ole Miss terms and is a single payout based on final advancement rather than cumulative awards.
- Pete Golding, elevated from defensive coordinator and now the permanent head coach, continues leading the Rebels under a reported first-year salary of about $6.8 million.
- Kiffin praised Ole Miss’ effort on X and criticized the no-call on the final Hail Mary, posting that it was pass interference.