Ole Miss is heading into 2026 with a backfield pairing that could give SEC defenses fits every week.
The Rebels are coming off one of the best seasons in school history, and they managed to keep a big chunk of the roster that made that run possible. That alone gives Pete Golding a strong starting point in his first season as head coach, even with Lane Kiffin gone to LSU and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. and several other staff members following him.
Golding has also put a clear emphasis on the other side of the ball. Ole Miss has strengthened its defense through the transfer portal, with linebacker additions Keaton Thomas from Baylor and Luke Ferrelli from Clemson standing out among the newcomers. Improving that unit was one of Golding’s main priorities as the Rebels try to match what they did in 2025.
The biggest reason for optimism, though, might be what Ole Miss has back on offense.
Trinidad Chambliss will return for another season after a Mississippi judge granted him additional eligibility. That decision settled an important question for the Rebels, and it keeps one of college football’s most productive quarterbacks in Oxford.
Chambliss was excellent in his first season with Ole Miss in 2025, throwing for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He also added more than 500 rushing yards and eight scores on the ground, giving the Rebels a quarterback who can hurt defenses in more than one way.
That dual-threat ability was on full display in the playoff opener against Tulane, when Chambliss ran for two touchdowns in a 41-10 win.
He won’t be carrying the load alone. Ole Miss also brings back Kewan Lacy, who decided to stay in Oxford after many expected LSU to land him once Kiffin left.
Lacy put together a massive 2025 season of his own, rushing for 1,567 yards and 24 touchdowns. Both numbers were program records for an Ole Miss running back.
With Chambliss and Lacy back together, Ole Miss has the kind of ground game that can change the shape of a game fast. That combination gives the Rebels a chance to create a weekly mismatch that very few SEC teams will be built to stop.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Is Finally Pushing Back In A Bitter LSU Dispute
Ole Miss is still waiting on buyout payments tied to two former players who signed revenue-sharing contracts before leaving for LSU, a situation that has lingered for roughly six months and now has athletic director Keith Carter talking openly about the next step. In this case, the usual expectation is that the new school covers those fees, but that has not happened yet, leaving the Rebels to decide how long to keep waiting on the other side to make it right.
Carter said the school is considering legal action to collect the money rather than simply letting the issue sit, a sign the dispute has moved beyond routine paperwork and into something more contentious. Off the field, Ole Miss has already locked in a football field sponsorship for the coming season and should announce it soon, though a jersey patch deal is still not finalized as the Rebels keep working through their business side heading into the fall. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Just Got A Tense New Twist In Five-Star RB Race
Five-star running back David Gabriel Georges is still working through one of the most closely watched recruiting decisions on the board, with his announcement set for July 22 and Ole Miss still in the mix alongside Tennessee and Ohio State. The Rebels have stayed involved in a race that has drawn plenty of attention because of the level of talent involved and the possibility that this recruitment could end up setting a new market for elite backs.
What makes the situation even more intriguing is that the public messaging around Georges has not lined up cleanly. His uncle had previously suggested a private decision was already in place, but Georges pushed back on that idea, leaving the sense that this one is still very much alive as the clock ticks toward his announcement. For Ole Miss, that kind of uncertainty at least keeps the door open in a race where every signal seems to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss May Have Found A Portal Defender NFL Scouts Love
Ole Miss added another intriguing piece through the portal for the 2026 season in Keaton Thomas, a versatile defender whose profile has already started to draw NFL attention. Thomas arrives with production at Baylor and West Virginia, along with the kind of physical traits and college rsum that scouts tend to circle when they are looking for a player who might still be climbing.
The Rebels could be a useful stage for that rise. Pete Goldings aggressive scheme should give Thomas chances to make plays, and the jump to SEC competition brings the sort of weekly test that can sharpen a draft case fast. If he settles in next to Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss may have a defender who can thrive without always drawing the full weight of an opponents game plan, which is exactly the kind of setup that can change how a player is viewed nationally. [Read more 🡒]