Fall camp is almost here for Ole Miss, and with it comes a season opener that should tell the country plenty about the Rebels. They’ll open the 2026 season against Louisville, a power conference matchup that gives first-year head coach Pete Golding a chance to make an early impression.
It also gives Trinidad Chambliss another stage to build on what he did last season. The Ole Miss quarterback is set to enter 2026 as a Heisman Trophy hopeful, and after his breakout run in 2025, he’s going to draw every bit of attention that comes with that kind of label.
College football media personality Brooks Austin didn’t leave much room for debate when he talked about Chambliss’ 2025 season.
"There's no doubt in my mind (Chambliss) is the best quarterback returning in college football," said Austin.
Austin also pointed to what makes Chambliss such a difficult problem for defenses beyond his arm. He’s a runner who changes the math of the game, and the numbers back that up.
In 2025, Chambliss carried the ball 133 times for 527 yards and eight rushing touchdowns. His ability to escape pressure helped Ole Miss create offense in ways that left opponents scrambling.
Without Chambliss back in the fold, this offense would have looked a lot shakier at quarterback. Instead, Ole Miss enters the season with real expectations and a path back toward the College Football Playoff.
And Chambliss won’t be carrying the load alone. He’ll once again share the spotlight with running back Kewan Lacy, another Heisman hopeful. That gives Ole Miss a backfield duo that could be as dangerous as any in the country.
Chambliss may be the top quarterback in the sport, and Lacy could be the top running back. Together, they were the duo that announced themselves to the country in 2025.
That leaves opposing defenses with a brutal choice. Try to slow one star and risk getting carved up by the other, or sell out and hope it doesn’t backfire. For Ole Miss, those are the kind of problems every team wants.
If there’s anything to worry about with the Rebels’ offense, it’s the good kind. Chambliss and Lacy have put Ole Miss in a strong spot, and now it’s on them to keep it there.
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Ole Miss Still Has A Shot At A Stunning 5-Star Win
Five-star running back David Gabriel Georges has trimmed his recruitment to three schools, and Ole Miss is still hanging around in a race that has mostly been framed around Tennessee and Ohio State. For the Rebels, the appeal is less about being the presumed favorite and more about the relationships that have kept them in the conversation, giving Lane Kiffins staff at least a foothold as the decision nears.
Georges is set to announce his commitment on July 22, and while recruiting insiders still see Ole Miss as the outsider in this one, the Rebels have done enough to avoid being dismissed entirely. With former teammates and the coaching staff helping keep the door open, Ole Miss will get one more shot to see whether it can pull off a surprising win on the trail. [Read more 🡒]
One September Night Could Change Everything For Ole Miss Recruiting
Ole Miss has already built real momentum on the recruiting trail for its 2027 class, stacking up a program-best 15 verbal commitments by July and giving the staff an early foundation to sell. The Rebels have spent the summer turning that head start into something bigger, and the next major chance to do it comes in Oxford on Sept. 19, when LSU visits in a game that should put the campus and the program under a brighter spotlight than usual.
College GameDay is expected to be part of the scene, and the atmosphere figures to matter as much as the result on the field for a program trying to keep its recruiting surge rolling. A strong showing against LSU would give Ole Miss a fresh talking point with prospects who will be watching closely, and it could help the Rebels turn one big night into something more lasting as the fall unfolds. [Read more 🡒]