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No. 10 Miami Set for CFP Semifinals at Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference season rolls on in the national spotlight Thursday, January 8, as No. 10 Miami meets No. 6 Ole Miss in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, a College Football Playoff semifinal, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, with a national championship berth on the line at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
 
The ACC is 8-4 in postseason play thus far, highlighted by a 6-2 record versus fellow Power 4 conference opponents.
 
Miami is one of 11 ACC teams to have competed in postseason action.
 
 
College Football Playoff Semifinals – Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
#10 Miami vs. #6 Ole Miss | 7:30 p.m. ET
Series: Ole Miss leads series, 2-1-0
Last Meeting: Miami, 20-7 (1951)
TV: ESPN
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 80 / SiriusXM 81 / SiriusXM 84
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 80 / SiriusXM 81 / SiriusXM 84
 
Miami and Ole Miss continue their College Football Playoff runs when the two programs meet in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Thursday, January 8, at 7:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, airing on ESPN. Ole Miss leads the all-time series 2-1, with the two teams’ last meeting in 1951, and both enter the semifinal matchup as two of the top 10 FBS programs in winning percentage over the last two seasons — Ole Miss (.852; 23-4) and Miami (.815; 22-5).
 
Miami has won six straight games since an overtime loss at SMU on November 1 and advanced to the semifinals behind back-to-back dominant defensive performances, defeating No. 7 Texas A&M, 10–3, in the first round and No. 2 Ohio State, 24–14, in the quarterfinals at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
 
The Hurricanes boast the nation’s only defense with at least 45 sacks and 15 interceptions, have allowed an FBS-low 57 first-half points, and rank among the national leaders across nearly every major defensive category, while their offense also sits in the top 30 nationally in numerous efficiency and ball-security metrics.
 
Miami already owns wins over Florida and Texas A&M and is seeking to become just the third non-SEC program in the last 30 seasons to record three wins over the SEC in the same year.
 
Ole Miss enters the Fiesta Bowl on a seven-game winning streak, with its lone loss of the year coming at Georgia on October 18, and reached the semifinals with explosive offensive performances, defeating No. 11 Tulane, 41–10, in the first round and upsetting No. 3 Georgia, 39–34, in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
 
The Rebels rank among the top offenses in the country, sitting second nationally in total offense and first downs, while also ranking in the top 10 in passing offense and scoring, complemented by a defense that ranks in the top 30 nationally in several key efficiency categories.
 

Noting ACC Football
 
ACC Lands Three Teams in CFP Top 25
  • The ACC has three teams ranked in the final College Football Playoff rankings (December 7): Miami (No. 10), Virginia (No. 19) and Georgia Tech (No. 22).
  • The Miami Hurricanes were selected to the 2025 College Football Playoff, receiving an at-large bid to secure the team’s first-ever trip to the CFP.
 
Postseason Success in 2025
  • The ACC has posted 8 wins in the postseason this year, the second-most among all conferences.
    • Big Ten – 9; ACC – 8; American – 5; Big 12 – 4; CUSA – 4; SEC – 4; Sun Belt – 4; MAC – 2; MW – 2; Pac 12 – 1.
    • The 8 wins are the most postseason victories in a single year for the ACC since 9 wins in 2016.
  • The ACC has recorded 6 wins this postseason versus its peer Power 4 conferences, the most of all Power 4 conferences.
    • ACC – 6-2; Big Ten – 5-4; Big 12 – 4-3; SEC – 1-7.
 
Eleven ACC Teams Playing in the Postseason
  • The ACC will have 11 different teams participate in a bowl game or the CFP Playoffs for the third consecutive season. That is the longest streak by any FBS conference all-time. (Stats Perform)
  • This marks the eighth time since 2014-15 that the league has reached double-digit bowl-eligible teams.
  • The 11 bowl teams are the second-most among all conferences: Big Ten – 12; ACC – 11; SEC – 10; Big 12 – 10; Sun Belt – 9; American – 8; Mountain West – 7; CUSA – 7; MAC – 5. 
  • Excluding 2020, the ACC has had multiple teams win a bowl game in every season since 2001. The only other FBS conference to do that in the same time frame is the SEC.
 
 ACC is the Deepest Power 4 Conference
  • The ACC has proven it is the deepest Power 4 conference this season:
    • 9 teams with 8 or more overall wins on the year, tied for the most in all of FBS and the most in a single season in ACC history.
    • 7 teams with 9 or more overall wins on the season, the most in a single season in ACC history.
    • 7 conference games went into overtime, the most by any conference since 2000.
      • The ACC Championship Game was decided in overtime for the first time in the 21-year history of the title game.
    • In conference play, road teams posted a 35-33 record in the ACC.
  • The ACC had the strongest non-conference strength of schedule among all Power 4 conferences:
    • Played 26 non-conference games versus P4 teams and Notre Dame to date, the most of any conference: ACC - 26; SEC – 18; Big 12 - 14; Big Ten - 12.
  • The ACC has recorded 12 wins versus the other three Power 4 conferences overall on the season, tied for the most among all P4 conferences: ACC – 12; Big 12 – 12; SEC – 12; Big Ten – 10.
  • The ACC has won plenty of high-profile games this year:     
    • 6 different ACC teams have defeated an AP Top 10 opponent this season.
    • 9 different ACC teams have defeated a Top 15 opponent this year.
    • 12 different ACC teams have defeated an AP Top 25 opponent this season. 

ACC and ESPN/ACCN Enhanced Instant Replay Transparency
  • During the 2025 season, the ACC provided fans with real-time access to officiating deliberations in 25 games across ESPN, ESPN2, and the ACC Network, featuring the first-of-its-kind ACC Enhanced Instant Replay Transparency.
  • Viewers heard live replay discussions among the referee, the in-stadium instant replay official, and the ACC’s Collaborative Instant Replay Official based in the ACC’s Game Day Operations Center in Charlotte.
  • The initiative represented a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the ACC and ESPN, enhancing transparency and modernizing the fan viewing experience.
  • The ACC was the only conference to offer this level of replay audio access during select games in 2024 and the start of the 2025 season, establishing a new standard for transparency in college football officiating.
 
ACC Football Fridays
  • The ACC owned Friday nights during the 2025 regular season, setting a league record with 12 Friday games featuring ACC teams.
  • 12 of the ACC’s 17 football programs appeared in at least one primetime Friday night matchup, underscoring the league’s national presence to open each weekend.
  • ACC Friday night games delivered marquee matchups, ranked opponents, multiple overtime contests, and nationally televised showcase games throughout the season.