Ole Miss got burned by a rough non-call late Thursday in their Sugar Bowl clash against Georgia.
The Rebels had 2nd-and-3 at their own 32 with just over six minutes remaining at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La. Ole Miss went to star running back Kewan Lacy to try to get the first down.
Lacy burst right after receiving the handoff from quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, but didn’t get very far. Georgia defensive lineman Joseph Jonah-Ajonye got himself a fistful of Lacy’s face mask.
How do you possibly miss this facemask? pic.twitter.com/3BDtYdLrU4
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) January 2, 2026
The ESPN broadcast called it a “huge miss” that the referees failed to see what was a clear facemask penalty. Ole Miss should have been awarded 15 yards and an automatic first down. Instead, the Rebels settled for a punt two plays later.
In a game as tight as Thursday’s Sugar Bowl, a blown call like the one above at a critical juncture could have been the difference between which team advances to the College Football Playoff semifinals and which squad goes home.
The Rebels, however, took matters into their own hands. Ole Miss shrugged off the missed call and later scored the game-winning field goal with six seconds left to seal a 37-34 victory.
OLE MISS MAKES THE KICK WITH SIX SECONDS REMAINING 😱 pic.twitter.com/fJC66nZ8Al
— ESPN (@espn) January 2, 2026
Not even a face mask grab was going to stop Ole Miss from advancing to the CFP semis.
