The Ole Miss Rebels have stirred up quite the conversation by bringing back Trinidad Chambliss for the 2026 season. This move follows a decision by a University of Mississippi judge to grant Chambliss a retroactive redshirt for a year he wasn't active with the Division II Ferris State Bulldogs. It's a decision that's got the college football world buzzing.
Word on the street, according to USA Today's Matt Hayes, is that several SEC schools, including the Auburn Tigers, might actually back Ole Miss. If the NCAA were to push back against the Rebels, these schools could potentially protest in solidarity.
The bigger picture here? There's talk of the SEC breaking away from the rest of college football and staging its own playoff on ESPN.
Imagine a six-team playoff with first-round byes for the top seeds.
Now, you might think the SEC presidents would step in and declare Chambliss ineligible, leading to Ole Miss forfeiting any games he plays. But here's the twist: the majority of the SEC might actually rally behind Ole Miss.
Why? Because they're eyeing a bigger prize-a league of their own.
No more squabbles with the Big Ten over a massive 24-team playoff. No more dealing with the NCAA's unpredictable rule enforcement. Just the SEC, with its own rulebook and a lucrative playoff deal with ESPN.
But hold your horses, Greg Sankey. The timing for an SEC split couldn't be worse. After three consecutive championships for the Big Ten, with not a single SEC team in the title game, now might not be the moment for an independent conference.
If the SEC were to break away, it might seem like they’re retreating, ignoring the broader college football landscape. In a time when there's already enough division, this move could widen the gap.
Despite some rumblings about canceling games against teams like Ohio State, there's still a strong appetite for those epic cross-conference matchups. The allure of early-season clashes between powerhouse programs is just too enticing, both for fans and the College Football Playoff.
So, while the idea of an independent SEC is intriguing, it's more of a long shot right now. The financial and competitive benefits of staying interconnected with the broader college football world are just too significant to ignore.