Trinidad Chambliss’ quarterfinal performance against Georgia might’ve been the best single-game showing we’ve seen in College Football Playoff history up until this point.

It was shades of Deshaun Watson against Alabama in 2016. Joe Burrow against Oklahoma in 2019. And probably bested CJ Stroud’s output versus Georgia in 2022. Chambliss played like a man possessed, spinning around, heaving darts downfield, and lighting Kirby Smart’s defense on fire all at once. The Rebels won the wildest quarterfinal matchup in the Sugar Bowl, taking out the Dawgs by a 39-34 score.

But doing it against Georgia is one thing. Repeating that kind of performance against a fearsome Miami defensive front is something else altogether. 

In the first round, Miami’s defense did an excellent job of neutralizing a mobile quarterback in Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed. Then, when up against Ohio State, which featured an entirely different type of quarterback and better weapons, the Canes gave up just 14 points and tallied five sacks and seven tackles for loss.

For my money, Miami boasts the best defensive line in college football. That unit has proven so time and time again. And although Ole Miss’s offensive line held up well and allowed no sacks against Georgia, I have a hard time thinking they’ll be as successful against Miami’s Mean Machine. For Ole Miss to win, the offensive line will need to remain steady and Chambliss will need to go scorched earth for a second time in a span of about a week.

The Miami-Ole Miss game should be a delightful clash of styles. Miami wants to ball-control the hell out of games, relying on their defense to clean up shop. Ole Miss wants to turn things into a track meet.

This semifinal, played at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ, kicks off on Thursday night at 7:30 pm ET.

Oregon shut out Texas Tech in the quarterfinals by a 23-0 score. But the performance wasn’t without its warts.

The Ducks had numerous snap miscues, missed a field goal, and at times, looked disjointed on offense. I don’t think it’s a stretch to suggest Oregon left points on the board. It ultimately didn’t matter against the Red Raiders, but against undefeated Indiana? It might make all the difference.

You may recall that the Hoosiers downed the Ducks back in Week 7 by a 30-20 score in Autzen Stadium. It was a close game until late in the fourth quarter when Indiana pulled away. Both teams have grown significantly since that first matchup.

Indiana is now operating at machine-like efficiency. Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza has been surgical in operating the offense. The offensive and defensive lines are winning in the trenches. And the defense has excelled at limiting big plays. The Rose Bowl against Alabama hardly felt competitive, with the Hoosiers putting it on ice early in the third quarter.

Oregon’s road to an upset (and sweet revenge) hinges on cleaning up some of those miscues. The offense doesn’t have to be perfect or score a boatload of points. But it must be more clinical than it was against Texas Tech. And with news that running back Jordon Davison will miss the game after a collarbone injury, and subsequent questions about the Ducks’ backfield depth, it’s fair to wonder if even more pressure will be on quarterback Dante Moore.

Against Indiana, Oregon won’t be afforded the luxury of mistakes. The Ducks won’t always need fireworks, but they will need consistent precision. Every wasted snap, missed kick, or empty drive will feel magnified against an opponent that rarely gives anything back.

This semifinal, played at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, GA, kicks off on Friday night at 7:30 pm ET.

There are two weeks left of Bowl Bingo, our big postseason game. The idea is simple: Pick 6 props from a list of 30 that you think will hit in this week’s two CFP semifinals. We’ll send the winner a prize.

The best news: Bowl Bingo is free to play! Click below to learn more about the game and get all the details.

This week’s game locks on Thursday at 7:30 pm ET!

And then there were four. In this episode, we take a closer look at this week's two CFP semifinal games as Miami and Ole Miss square off in the Fiesta Bowl and Oregon and Indiana play a rematch in the Peach Bowl. What must Miami do to slow down Trinidad Chambliss, and is there any way for Ole Miss to slow down a ferocious Miami pass rush? What must Oregon change to get revenge on Indiana? And does Indiana need to change anything with its game plan to down the Ducks for the second time this season?

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