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

Joel Klatt revealed that Lane Kiffin is leaving the Ole Miss Rebels as they prepare for the CFP to take the LSU Tigers head coaching job. He questioned if Lane Kiffin should be able to coach Ole Miss in the CFP after taking the LSU job.

Ole Miss had to delay the celebration for their 39-34 Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia multiple times on Thursday night. 

After kicking a go-ahead field goal with six seconds left, Ole Miss was awarded a safety on its final kickoff when Georgia’s return team tried a cross-field lateral that hit the pylon. Players and coaches began to rush the field in celebration, before having to return to the sideline as officials demanded Georgia kick off with one second remaining. 

Georgia then recovered an onside kick, falling on the ball to preserve the final second. Ole Miss players and coaches again began to celebrate, believing the game had ended there. 

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

Ole Miss Head coach Pete Golding was even doused in a Gatorade bath. However, officials again demanded the final second be played, and stadium staff even began to push the winner's stage onto the field, before having to push it back to clear space for the final play. 

Georgia ran one more play in which they executed numerous laterals before the play fizzled after dozens of seconds, before Ole Miss could finally celebrate their CFP victory.

The win sent Ole Miss (13-1, CFP No. 6 seed) on to a semifinal