Ole Miss-Georgia Sugar Bowl thriller ends with delayed celebrations as officials demand last second be played

Ole Miss had to hold nan ceremony for their 39-34 Sugar Bowl triumph complete Georgia aggregate times connected Thursday night. 

After kicking a go-ahead section extremity pinch six seconds left, Ole Miss was awarded a information connected its last kickoff erstwhile Georgia’s return squad tried a cross-field lateral that deed nan pylon. Players and coaches began to unreserved nan section successful celebration, earlier having to return to nan sideline arsenic officials demanded Georgia footwear disconnected pinch 1 2nd remaining. 

Georgia past recovered an onside kick, falling connected nan shot to sphere nan last second. Ole Miss players and coaches again began to celebrate, believing nan crippled had ended there. 

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Kewan Lacy #5 of nan Ole Miss Rebels is chased by Kj Bolden #4 of nan Georgia Bulldogs during nan first 4th during nan 2025 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal astatine nan Allstate Sugar Bowl astatine Caesars Superdome connected January 01, 2026 successful New Orleans, Louisiana.  (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Ole Miss Head coach Pete Golding was moreover doused successful a Gatorade bath. However, officials again demanded nan last 2nd beryllium played, and stadium unit moreover began to push nan winner's shape onto nan field, earlier having to push it backmost to clear abstraction for nan last play. 

Georgia ran 1 much play successful which they executed galore laterals earlier nan play fizzled aft dozens of seconds, earlier Ole Miss could yet observe their CFP victory.

The triumph sent Ole Miss (13-1, CFP No. 6 seed) connected to a semifinal against Miami successful nan Fiesta Bowl adjacent Thursday.

Kicking disconnected connected nan heels of 2 lopsided CFP quarterfinals astatine nan Orange and Rose bowls, nan Sugar Bowl provided play until nan end.

FORMER ESPN STAR BLASTS OLE MISS AFTER PETE GOLDING REVEALED AS LANE KIFFIN’S CHOSEN SUCCESSOR

Mississippi Rebels caput coach Pete Golding is dunked pinch a Gatorade cooler by his players aft their crippled against nan Georgia Bulldogs successful nan 2025 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal crippled of nan College Football Playoff astatine Caesars Superdome.  (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)

After seeing a 21-12 halftime lead move into a 34-24 shortage pinch 9:02 to play, Georgia (12-2, CFP No. 3 seed) rallied to necktie it, first driving for Gunner Stockton’s 18-yard TD walk to Zachariah Branch earlier Peyton Woodring’s short section extremity tied it pinch 55 seconds near successful regulation.

Ole Miss backmost Trinidad Chambliss responded by mounting up nan winning footwear pinch a 40-yard walk to De’Zhaun Stribling connected 3rd down from Mississippi’s ain 30-yard line. A fewer plays later, kicker Lucas Carneiro, who’d already surgery Sugar Bowl records pinch section goals of 55 and 56 yards, deed from 47 and sprinted triumphantly toward nan Ole Miss sideline arsenic nan Rebels jubilantly swarmed astir him.

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Trinidad Chambliss #6 of nan Ole Miss Rebels throws a walk while being pressured by Elijah Griffin #90 of nan Georgia Bulldogs during nan first 4th during nan 2025 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal astatine nan Allstate Sugar Bowl astatine Caesars Superdome connected January 01, 2026 successful New Orleans, Louisiana.  (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Harrison Wallace III caught 9 passed for 156 yards and 1 TD, Stribling vanished pinch 7 catches for 122 yards, Kewan Lacy rushed for 98 yards and 2 TDs, and nan Rebels outgained nan Bulldogs 473 yards to 343.

Stockton passed for 203 yards and 1 touchdown, and besides ran for 2 scores.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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