As the Ole Miss football team stunned the Georgia Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff (CFP) quarterfinals on Thursday night, 39-34, there were many contributions in the comeback, especially from kicker Lucas Carneiro. While the Ole Miss football kicker made history in the Sugar Bowl, he has made more history in the wider landscape of college football.
Carneiro would make three field goals in the contest, all having huge importance, with the first two being from 55 and 56 yards, respectively, which are the second and third largest in college football history.
The third was from 47 yards and was the go-ahead score needed to take the final lead, but that also made Carneiro the only kicker in the last 30 seasons to make three field goals from 45 yards or more in a bowl or playoff game, per OptaSTATS.
Apparently, Carneiro had practiced from that same spot in the turf before, but had missed, with Rebels head coach Pete Golding revealing he “got his mulligans out” while praising the kicker.
“These guys will tell you, we had our Fast Friday field goal script,” Golding said, according to The Mississippi Clarion Ledger. “It didn't look like that, so we made him do it again. Then we made him do it again. He got his mulligans out.”
“I think a lot of people in the country think Lucas is the best kicker in the country,” Golding continued. “A lot of people want Lucas, so I've been meeting with Lucas a lot lately. We've had a lot of good meetings here.”
OLE MISS MAKES THE KICK WITH SIX SECONDS REMAINING 😱 pic.twitter.com/fJC66nZ8Al
— ESPN (@espn) January 2, 2026
Ole Miss football's Trinidad Chambliss on Lucas Carneiro's walkthrough
With the Ole Miss football team epically winning the Sugar Bowl, Carneiro was one key piece in the victory, expressing how he had learned to calm himself in high-intensity situations. Another crucial player in the win was quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who threw for 362 yards and two touchdowns, would speak about the walk-through that Carneiro had.
“The day before the game, it's like a walkthrough,” Chambliss said. “And he went out there and missed two field goals, and that's very uncharacteristic of him. So for him to hit the game-winning field goal, there's no doubt in our minds that he won't be able to make that.”
The Rebels are on the quest for a national championship, but to get there, they have to get through the University of Miami next Thursday night in the CFP semifinals.
