Miami's Fiesta Bowl Thriller Earns a Spot Among the Greatest College Football Playoff Games Ever

College football's playoff era has produced its share of blowouts, but when the best teams in the sport meet with national glory on the line, the result is sometimes something unforgettable. The most recent reminder came in the Fiesta Bowl, where No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 10 Miami combined for 22 points in the final seven minutes of regulation in a 31-27 Miami victory — a game that, according to CBS Sports, will go down as one of the best postseason games ever played.

That victory gave Miami its first appearance in a national title game in more than 20 years. But where does it rank among all CFP games since the playoff began in 2014? CBS Sports ranked the top 10, and the Fiesta Bowl earned its place in elite company.

The game had everything. A 52-yard scoring strike from Miami quarterback Carson Beck to wide receiver Keelan Marion, made possible by a blown coverage, gave the Hurricanes a 17-10 advantage late in the second quarter. Ole Miss slowly clawed back with three straight Lucas Carneiro field goals, including a 54-yarder that doinked in off the left upright near the end of the third quarter. The closing seven minutes delivered a flurry: Beck found Malachi Toney on a screen pass that Toney turned into a 36-yard touchdown; Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss responded with a 24-yard scoring throw; and Beck capped the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run — his first on the ground since September. Needing a miracle, Ole Miss moved 40 yards in under 12 seconds to get into position for a Hail Mary, only for Chambliss' heave to hit the turf incomplete.

That finish places the Fiesta Bowl in conversation with the games most analysts consider the gold standard of the CFP era. The 2018 Rose Bowl — Georgia 54, Oklahoma 48 in double overtime — is frequently cited as the greatest CFP game ever, for its high-scoring drama, star power, and double-overtime finish.

Close behind in most rankings: the 2016 national championship, when Clemson edged Alabama 35-31, and the 2018 title game, Alabama 26, Georgia 23 in overtime. The 2022 Peach Bowl — Georgia 42, Ohio State 41 — also ranks among the all-time classics.

The 2016 national championship deserves special mention for its fourth quarter alone. Entering the final frame, Clemson held a 24-21 edge over Alabama, but the Crimson Tide answered with a 33-yard field goal, recovered a successful onside kick, and then went ahead on a 51-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jake Coker to tight end O.J. Howard. A 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by running back Kenyan Drake added to the spectacle. Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry pounded out 158 yards and three scores on 36 carries. The two teams combined for 40 points in the fourth quarter alone, with not a single punt in the final 12:54 of action.

The 2023 Rose Bowl between Michigan and Alabama belongs on any short list as well. Down 20-13 with 4:41 remaining, Michigan drove 75 yards in eight plays, capped by a 4-yard touchdown from quarterback J.J. McCarthy to wide receiver Roman Wilson to tie it. Alabama was forced to punt, Michigan muffed the return at its own 1-yard line, recovered, and drained the clock. In overtime, running back Blake Corum scored from 17 yards out, and Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe was stopped on a fourth-and-goal rush at Michigan's 1-yard line. That victory gave Michigan its first national title of the BCS/CFP era.

The 2022 Fiesta Bowl between TCU and Michigan produced 96 combined points — the second-most in CFP history — as the Horned Frogs held on 51-45 despite not scoring in the final 10 minutes of regulation. McCarthy and Wilson connected for a 5-yard touchdown with 3:18 left to cut the deficit to six, but a botched snap on Michigan's final drive ended any comeback hope.

The 2025 Peach Bowl between Texas and Arizona State offered a different kind of drama: a singular individual performance. Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo produced 284 yards of total offense, rushed for two touchdowns, threw another, and converted a two-point run that tied the game at 24 in the fourth quarter and forced double overtime. It still wasn't enough — Texas safety Andrew Mukuba intercepted a pass to end Arizona State's run — but Texas advanced 39-31 in 2OT.

The 2024 Sugar Bowl between Washington and Texas also cracked the top 10. The teams traded blows through a 21-21 halftime tie before Washington went on a 13-0 run spanning the third quarter and early fourth to open a two-possession lead. Texas failed to convert on fourth down on its final possession. In reaching its first official national title game appearance in program history, Washington got a boost from an unlikely source: Texas defensive lineman Byron Murphy II scored a rushing touchdown, something that automatically qualified this game for a top 10 spot.

Meanwhile, the current CFP picture is taking shape. Based on the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll, Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Ole Miss would be the top four seeds, with Indiana, Miami, Ohio State, and Alabama hosting first-round games. The five highest-ranked conference champions — from the Power Four conferences and one from the Group of Six — qualify automatically, with the remaining seven spots filled by the next highest-ranked teams.

Why it matters — The expanded 12-team CFP is producing more high-stakes, competitive games than ever, and understanding which matchups have defined the playoff era helps fans appreciate what's at stake as the current bracket takes shape.

Reported by yahoo.com, cbssports.com, nytimes.com