Basking in orange-and-white confetti that fell like snow, senior quarterback Carson Beck took in the moment, standing one game away from reaching college football’s mountain top again – only this time, as the starting quarterback for Miami.
Down by three points with just over three minutes to play, Beck trotted onto the field, staring down a legacy-defining drive.
Almost a year ago to the day, he made the shocking decision to withdraw from the NFL Draft and transfer to Miami. Thursday night’s Vrbo Fiesta Bowl against Mississippi at State Farm Stadium presented Beck with the type of opportunity he had envisioned when he decided to join coach Mario Cristobal in Coral Gables, Florida: a chance at a go-ahead drive to send the Hurricanes to their first national championship game in 24 years.
“(I) kind of looked at the guys on the sideline and said, ‘Man, this is what we worked for. This is what we live for. This is why you play the game of football. This is why you come to the University of Miami is for moments like this; to play in these big games, to have these big moments.’ … I think just looking at the look in everybody’s eyes, I kind of felt what was about to go happen.”
When the time came, Beck met the moment. He dodged Rebels defenders and dashed toward his left, highstepping into the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown – his first since Week 3 – to cap off a 75-yard scoring drive and seal a 31-27 victory for No. 10 Miami (13-2) over No. 6 Ole Miss (13-2).
It’s been a long road back to the top for the sixth-year signal caller.
Beck spent five seasons with Georgia, serving as the backup for the Bulldogs’ national championship team in 2022 and earning the starting role in 2023.
But the former Georgia quarterback suffered a UCL injury in his throwing arm in the 2024 SEC Championship against No. 2 Texas. The setback stripped him of a chance to play in the College Football Playoff. Left lost and searching for a new home after leaving the Bulldogs, he found a landing spot with Cristobal and his staff.
After the win in the College Football Playoff semifinal, he struggled to hold back a wide grin as he reminisced about his first phone call with Cristobal.
“I was sitting in Jacksonville in my house in my room, and I just had a big smile on my face, and he had a big smile on his face,” Beck said. “He said, ‘Let’s get to work.’ I believed in his vision. I believed in what he’s been able to build here and add on to the culture of what Miami is.”
Beck showed his resilience in a back-and-forth final quarter, in which Ole Miss found life in its passing game led by senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. His 24-yard passing touchdown to senior tight end Dae’Quan Wright put the Rebels up 27-24 late.
It marked a stark contrast from the first two games of Miami’s playoff run, when Beck didn’t need to put on the superhero cape for the Hurricanes to find success. He only passed for a combined 241 passing yards against No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 2 Ohio State.
Yet, when his defense began to sputter, a composed Beck peppered the ball out to his playmaking wide receivers, freshman Malachi Toney and senior Keelan Marion, who combined for 195 receiving yards. In a clutch fourth-quarter performance, he delivered back-to-back touchdown drives, galvanizing an offense that came to life against Ole Miss.
“It almost seems like the tougher it gets, the better we played,” Cristobal said. “And it’s a testament to them, to their resilience and their will.”
Beck earned the designation of Fiesta Bowl Offensive Player of the Game, completing 23 of his 37 passes, throwing for 268 passing yards and two touchdowns in addition to the game-winner he took in with his legs to secure the victory for the Hurricanes. He contributed to Miami’s 459 yards of total offense, which also racked up a staggering 191 yards on the ground.
The Hurricanes also possessed the ball for nearly 23 more minutes than the Rebels. A surgical Beck, paired with a dominant run game spearheaded by junior running back Mark Fletcher Jr., who rushed for 133 yards, kept Ole Miss’ dynamic offense off the field.
“We knew (Ole Miss) ran tempo a lot,” said senior defensive back Jakobe Thomas, who won Fiesta Bowl Defensive Player of the Game. “I’m extremely appreciative that the offense was able to do what they did tonight. Obviously, it gave us time to get a win, really get corrections done, allowed us to make a lot of adjustments.”
With a towel draped over his head, Beck couldn’t bear to watch, positioned on one knee, as the final pass from Chambliss dropped to the floor and the clock struck zero.
“Man, what an unbelievable year,” Beck said. “It was never easy. It was never perfect. There were a lot of ups and downs. There was a lot of adversity that not only I faced individually but that we faced as a team. We really banded together and showed that we believe in connection; that we just don’t fake it. This team is really a family.”
Now, the Hurricanes will get the chance to do something they haven’t had the opportunity to do in nearly two months – play at home. Miami will be classified as the road team when it takes on the winner of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl – between No. 1 Indiana and No. 5 Oregon – on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Still, it gives Beck, who has the chance to write one final chapter in his college football journey, the opportunity to do so in front of the Hurricanes faithful.
“This whole team is super excited to have the opportunity to play, not only for a national championship, but play in Hard Rock, where it’s our home stadium,” Beck said. “Man, I’m just so grateful for this opportunity.”
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