Georgia falls 39-34 to Ole Miss in a bizarre Sugar Bowl ending
Gunner Stockton #14 of the Georgia Bulldogs throws a pass during the third quarter against the Ole Miss Rebels during the 2025 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 01, 2026 in New Orleans, L
NEW ORLEANS - Mississippi beats Georgia 39-34 in the Sugar Bowl to advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
What we know:
In a game defined by late-game heroics and a bizarre special teams finish, No. 6 Mississippi secured a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals with a 39-34 victory over No. 3 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday night.
Lucas Carneiro provided the deciding points, drilling a 47-yard field goal with only 6 seconds remaining. The kick was Carneiro’s third of the night, following record-breaking makes of 55 and 56 yards earlier in the contest.
The victory sends the Rebels (13-1) to a semifinal matchup against Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.
A bizarre ending
Dig deeper:
The closing seconds delivered an unusual twist when Mississippi was awarded a safety on the final kickoff. Georgia's return team attempted a cross-field lateral that struck the pylon, adding two points to the Rebels' lead. Georgia recovered a subsequent onside kick but could not find the end zone on a final play filled with desperate laterals.
The comeback trail
Big picture view:
Mississippi’s winning drive was sparked by quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who finished the night with 362 passing yards and two touchdowns. Facing a third down from his own 30-yard line, Chambliss connected with De'Zhaun Stribling for a 40-yard gain to move into scoring range.
The late surge followed a resilient effort by Georgia (12-2) to reclaim the lead. After trailing 21-12 at halftime, the Bulldogs went on a scoring run to take a 34-24 lead with 9:02 remaining.
Georgia tied the game with 55 seconds left in regulation behind an 18-yard touchdown pass from Gunner Stockton to Zachariah Branch and a short field goal from Peyton Woodring. However, the Bulldogs could not stop Chambliss and Carneiro on the final drive.
Timeline:
Here is how the night played out:
11:53 p.m.
After a bizarre series of calls, and two more plays, Ole Miss was declared the victors.
11:50 p.m.
A safety was ruled on the field, leaving one second on the clock.
11:45 p.m.
Ole Miss makes field goal with 0:06 left on the clock.
11:35 p.m.
UGA tied Ole Miss with a field goal, sending the game into overtime.
11:10 p.m.
UGA closed the gap to four points with 7:07 left in the game.
11:05 p.m.
Ole Miss pulls ahead with a 10-point lead with 9:02 left in the game.
10:54 p.m.
Ole Miss's drive ends with a touchdown, along with a two-point conversion. UGA now trails 26-25 with 11:29 left in the game.
10:40 p.m.
UGA hits a 37-yard field goal attempt, putting Georgia up 24-19 with 0:30 left in the third quarter.
10:30 p.m.
Ole Miss rushes in for a touchdown with UGA now leading 21-19 with 4:51 left in the third quarter.
Gunner Stockton #14 of the Georgia Bulldogs runs for a touchdown in the second quarter of the 2025 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 1, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Steve Lim
9:45 p.m.
UGA leads Ole Miss at halftime 21-12
9:20 p.m.
Ole Miss fumbles, UGA touchdown
UGA takes advantage of an Ole Miss fumble, making a 46-yard touchdown. Georgia leads 21-12 with 2:34 left in the half.
9:15 p.m.
Gunner Stockton rushed for one yard taking the ball into the end zone and putting UGA back on top 14-12 with 4:05 left in the half.
Gunner Stockton #14 of the Georgia Bulldogs dives for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Ole Miss Rebels during the 2025 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 01, 2026 in New O
9:05 p.m.
Ole Miss was able to respond with their own touchdown, but failed a two-point conversion with 10:33 left in the first half.
8:55 p.m.
Stockton makes UGA's first touchdown
Gunner Stockton puts Georgia on the board with a touchdown, putting the Dawgs up 7-6 with 13:37 left in the first half.
8:45 p.m.
Ole Miss made its second field goal of the game, leading 6-0 with 2:13 left in the first.
8:35 p.m.
Ole Miss gets first score
Ole Miss gets on the board first with a field goal with 5:47 left in the first quarter.
8:15 p.m.
First play on offense, Ethan Barbour is on the field for the Dawgs.
A general view outside of the stadium prior to the 2025 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal between the Mississippi Rebels and the Georgia Bulldogs at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 01, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Phot
8:10 p.m.
UGA kicks off
The Sugar Bowl is underway with UGA kicking off and Ole Miss receiving.
7:10 p.m.
Georgia football season
Georgia finished the season 12-1 and earned the No. 3 seed. The Bulldogs handed Ole Miss its only defeat on Oct. 18 in Athens, Georgia. During that contest, the Rebels led after three quarters before Georgia scored 17 unanswered points in the final period to secure a 43-35 win.
Ole Miss playoff journey
The Rebels reached the postseason with an 11-1 regular season record before coach Lane Kiffin departed for LSU on Nov. 30. Pete Golding, the defensive coordinator, took over and led the team to a 41-10 victory over Tulane in the first round of the playoffs. Golding is a native of Hammond, Louisiana, located across Lake Pontchartrain from the Superdome.
Sugar Bowl quarterback battle
Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has led the Ole Miss offense after transferring from Division II Ferris State. Chambliss took over as an injury replacement in September and finished with 3,298 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. Georgia counteracts with Gunner Stockton, who passed for 2,691 yards and 23 touchdowns this year. Stockton made his first career start in last year’s Sugar Bowl while backing up Carson Beck, who now plays for Miami.
SEE ALSO: UGA vs Ole Miss | What you need to know
Georgia All Access: Chase for the Championship
The No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs seek to prove it is possible to beat a top-tier opponent twice as they face the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels in a "win or go home" playoff rematch in the ultimate Sugar Bowl showdown. Following a narrow 43–35 victory in October, Kirby Smart's Dawgs must now defend their title hopes against a Rebels squad hungry for redemption in New Orleans. Join the FOX 5 Sport Team reporting from the Caesars Superdome for Georgia All Access: Chase for the Championship sponsored by Hoffman Financial Group.
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The Source: The details in this article come from the Georgia Bulldogs. FOX Sports and the Associated Press contributed to this report. FOX 5 Sports is reporting from New Orleans. The original story has been updated to reflect that the game did not go into overtime.