These wild Miami stats should have Indiana on high alert for the title game

Miami is one win from a national title, and the numbers from Thursday night's 31-27 College Football Playoff semifinal win over Ole Miss show exactly how the Hurricanes controlled the game despite the final score. This game was a Miami time-of-possession clinic that ended with Carson Beck's 3-yard scramble for the go-ahead touchdown with 18 seconds left.

Miami is the only FBS or NFL team in the last 20 years to hit all five benchmarks in the same game: 40:00+ possession, 400+ yards of offense, 10+ third-down conversions, multiple fourth-down conversions, and four drives of 13+ plays.

Let's start with the big one: 41:22 of possession. Miami held the ball for more than two-thirds of the game and ran 88 plays, compared to Ole Miss' 60. 

The Hurricanes went 11 of 19 on third down, compared to 2 of 10 for Ole Miss. Miami also went 2 of 2 on fourth down, while Ole Miss never attempted one. Those conversion numbers kept drives alive long enough for Miami to lean on Ole Miss. And also prevent the Rebels from having the ball.

Miami had four drives that lasted 13 plays or more:

• 13 plays, 44 yards (field goal)
• 15 plays, 75 yards (touchdown)
• 13 plays, 42 yards (ended on an interception)
• 15 plays, 75 yards (game-winning touchdown drive) 

Even if one of those drives didn't end in points, Miami's offense was able to stay on schedule and keep the Rebels on the sideline. In fact, the drive that ended in an interception drained another 7:37 off the clock, despite the turnover.

Miami also finished with 459 total yards. That's not bad for an offense that many questioned after the first two games in the College Football Playoff.

The wild part is that Miami needed every bit of it to keep Ole Miss from moving on. The Rebels still threatened late, but the Hurricanes finished strong. Miami now faces Indiana in the national championship game on Jan. 19.