The College Football Playoff continues Thursday in Glendale, where Mississippi and Miami meet in the VRBO Fiesta Bowl for the right to play for a national title next week.
Mario Cristobal is head coach of the 10th ranked Miami Hurricanes, who got here with a defense-dominated win over Ohio State last week.
"It’s not really a bowl game, it’s a playoff game, right? We started the season with a hundred-plus teams and now there’s four," Cristobal said.
Ole Miss is ranked 6th in the nation and is led by interim head coach Pete Golding, who took over for Lane Kiffin after he bolted for LSU before the playoff began. On a 7-game winning streak, Golding says Kiffin’s sudden departure hasn’t had a negative impact.
"I haven’t looked at anything outside. We’ve got a really good group of guys and men in that building that want to be there, that want to provide a great environment for our players and our players want to win. I haven’t gotten caught up in all the other stuff. It’s just whatever the moment is. If it's game preparation, let’s get ready to play the game," Golding said.
Miami is listed as a 3-and-a-half point favorite.
Fiesta Bowl traffic
The Fiesta Bowl kicks off at 5:30 p.m. at State Farm Stadium, so watch for traffic in the West Valley on Thursday.
The Arizona Department of Transportation says the afternoon commute will be heavier on westbound Interstate 10 in Phoenix as well as the Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway).
Phoenix Zoo rhino predicts Fiesta Bowl winner
Chutti, the Phoenix Zoo's greater one-horned rhino, chose Ole Miss as the winner at a zoo event.
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