The 2026 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl features two unexpected contenders, No. 10 Miami & No. 6 Ole Miss, with a spot in the national championship game on the line. It’s the first Fiesta Bowl appearance for Ole Miss and the first for Miami since 2003. Additionally, the two teams have never crossed paths in the past, making it a rare matchup in the College Football Playoff. As the game is all set to take place this Thursday night, January 8, from the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, here’s everything you need to know about the clash between Trinidad Chambliss’s team and Carson Beck’s team.

Who is officiating the Ole Miss vs Miami game?

With just two wins from making history, both teams needed an experienced and common officiating crew to keep the game fair moving forward. With that being said, the Big Ten officiating crew, led by Ron Snodgrass, will be officiating the Fiesta Bowl game between the SEC’s Ole Miss and the ACC’s Miami.

Ron brings more than 30 years of experience officiating football and has been the veteran referee of the Big Ten crew. Ron officiated the Big Ten Championship game between Indiana and Ohio State, which had some controversy with questionable calls. However, it was very rare, as Ron Snodgrass is one of the most respected officials in the country.

Who are the announcers for Ole Miss vs Miami

Chris Fowler will be the voice of the game, doing the play-by-play commentary for the Ole Miss vs. Miami matchup. He will be joined by Kirk Herbstreit, who’ll be the game analyst for this rare matchup. Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge will be joining them on the call from the sidelines of the State Farm Stadium, with timely updates from the sidelines.

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ESPN’s MegaCast returns this year with Field Pass with the Pat McAfee Show on ESPN2 with the production from State Farm Stadium. The show will feature Pat McAfee, AJ Hawk, Darius Butler, Connor Campbell, Ty Schmit, and Tone Digs.

ACC Network will also be deploying the Field Pass model in Glendale, live from the sidelines. Taylor Tannenbaum, Eric Mac Lain, Eddie Royal, and Jimbo Fisher will be providing a conference-centric storytelling from the sidelines.

The Ole Miss vs Miami’s CFP matchup will also be aired in audio format through the radio, presented by Marc Kestecher, Kelly Stouffer, Ian Fitzsimmons, and Kris Budden.

Who are the referees for the Ole Miss vs Miami game? 

The Big Ten officiating crew will be officiating the Ole Miss vs Miami, Fiesta Bowl game. Ron Snodgrass will be the game referee, who’ll be responsible for the general supervision of the game and has the final authority on all rulings. Keith Vaverchcaj will be the umpire who’ll be observing the blocks by the OL and DL and calling illegal blocks. 

Ric Hinkamper and Sergio DeHowes will be the line judges, looking for the offside at the line of scrimmage. Justin Nelson will be the field judge, and Steve Thielen will be the side judge, who’ll be making the decisions near the sideline, judging the actions of RBs, WRs, and defenders.

Josh Dascher will act as a back judge in the middle of the field, and Jason Gant will be the acting referee. Additionally, David Witvoet and Matt Conrad will be taking care of replays and will have a close look at holding or overturning the decision.

Who is the sideline reporter for the Ole Miss vs Miami game?

ESPN’s renowned sideline reporters, Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge, will be joining the broadcasting crew from the sidelines. Rowe brings 30 years of experience to the table, having been a full-time sideline reporter. Laura Rutledge, a beauty pageant winner, will be doing her sideline duties.

Which network is broadcasting the Ole Miss vs Miami game?

Ole Miss vs. Miami will be broadcast nationally on ESPN in the Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal. Supplemental game broadcasts will be featured on ESPN2 with the field pass with Pat McAfee, ESPNU SkyCam, ESPNews command center, SEC Network with the SkyCast camera angle with the Ole Miss radio broadcast, and ACC Network field pass with the ACC Huddle crew. The game will kick off on January 8 at 6.30 pm CT, live from the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.