Trinidad Chambliss and the Changing Face of Ole Miss Football: One Game, One Future, One Big Decision
NEW ORLEANS - The Sugar Bowl might be the stage, but for Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, it’s also the crossroads. As the Rebels prepare for a high-stakes College Football Playoff quarterfinal rematch with Georgia on New Year’s Day, Chambliss isn’t just playing for a shot at a national title - he’s playing with his future hanging in the balance.
This is the new Ole Miss, post-Lane Kiffin. The Rebels are still showing up to meetings on time, still grinding through practices like clockwork.
But the little things - like the sideline basketball hoop players used to dunk on after turnovers - are gone. It’s symbolic of the shift under new head coach Pete Golding.
And while the Rebels haven’t completely turned the page yet, the writing is already on the wall.
Six Ole Miss coaches, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., are set to join Kiffin’s staff at LSU once the season wraps. That transition, along with a roster full of players weighing their next move, has created a unique atmosphere: part playoff push, part farewell tour.
Chambliss is right in the middle of it all.
From Ferris State to the Sugar Bowl Spotlight
Chambliss' road to this moment has been anything but traditional. Coming from Division II Ferris State, he’s no stranger to adversity - and the current coaching carousel only adds another twist to his already winding journey.
“It’s a little different,” Chambliss said, reflecting on the whirlwind of changes since Kiffin’s departure. When asked if he’s been in contact with his former head coach, the answer was simple: “No, I don’t. I don’t think that’s even allowed right now.”
That separation extends beyond him. Chambliss also said he doesn’t know if his family or any representatives have spoken with Kiffin.
And with the transfer portal set to open on January 2, the timing of everything feels especially delicate. Chambliss is still waiting on a ruling from the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility - a decision that could determine whether he returns to Ole Miss, looks elsewhere, or moves on from college football entirely.
The Waiver That Could Change Everything
Chambliss’ eligibility case centers on his 2022 season at Ferris State, when he sat out due to respiratory issues. He had already redshirted in 2021, so the medical redshirt in ’22 would be critical in extending his college career. He’s retained attorney Tom Mars, who submitted documentation to the NCAA on December 22, arguing for that extra year.
The outcome is still pending.
That 2022 season was a turning point for Chambliss in more ways than one. Sitting on the sidelines while Ferris State won back-to-back national titles left him questioning his place in the program - and in the sport.
“I wanted to play basketball in college,” Chambliss admitted. “I wasn’t a big, strong, tall guy… my football IQ wasn’t that good at the time.”
After flirting with the idea of transferring to a Division III school to pursue basketball, Chambliss instead doubled down. He hit the weight room, studied film relentlessly, and turned himself into a quarterback worthy of All-American honors in 2023. That season, he led Ferris State to a national championship and put himself on the radar of programs far beyond Division II.
The Portal Push and the Oxford Pitch
When Chambliss entered the transfer portal in spring 2024, it didn’t take long for interest to pour in. Temple pushed hard. Western Kentucky, Marshall, App State, BYU, Utah, and even Ohio State reached out.
But Ole Miss got him on campus first - and once he was in Oxford, they weren’t letting him leave.
“Tennessee, Florida State, Arkansas - they were all calling while I was still on my visit,” Chambliss said. “But it was too late.”
Quarterbacks coach Joe Judge remembers the visit well. This wasn’t just a casual walk-through of the facilities. Chambliss and his father came prepared, legal pads in hand, with a typed list of questions and a checklist of what they were looking for in a program.
“They were there for, ‘We’re taking the next step in a career choice,’” Judge said. “They wanted to make sure everything fit.”
From Unknown to Undeniable
When Chambliss arrived at Ole Miss, he wasn’t handed the keys to the offense. In fact, he wasn’t even sure what his role would be. With former starter Austin Simmons still on the roster, Chambliss figured he might be a situational quarterback, brought in for short-yardage or read-option packages.
“We didn’t know what he’d turn out to be,” one Ole Miss source admitted. “We thought he was good - but this good? That was a surprise.”
Now, he’s 60 minutes away from doing something rare in college football: winning a rematch against a team that already beat you once. That October loss to Georgia still stings, but this is a chance to flip the script - and extend a season that’s already been defined by resilience and reinvention.
The Moment Before the Moment
For Chambliss, the Sugar Bowl is more than just a playoff game. It’s a showcase of how far he’s come - from medical redshirts and transfer doubts to leading a Power Five team on college football’s biggest stage. It’s also a final audition, of sorts, before decisions are made: about his eligibility, his future, and whether this improbable ride continues in Oxford or somewhere else.
He describes his style as a “facilitating point guard,” distributing the ball and letting his playmakers shine. That mindset has served him well in the Ole Miss offense, and it’s one reason why this team - even in transition - has stayed competitive and connected.
The future of Ole Miss football is still being written. Coaches are leaving, players are weighing options, and the NCAA has yet to make its call. But for one more game, at least, Chambliss and the Rebels are still together - chasing a win, chasing a dream, and maybe, just maybe, holding off the inevitable for one more week.