A year ago, Trinidad Chambliss was a backup. Now ESPN has him atop the quarterback mountain in college football entering 2026.
That rise has been as fast as it gets. Chambliss was stuck behind Austin Simmons this time last season, and through Ole Miss’s first two games he barely saw the field, throwing just six passes total. Then Simmons went down with an injury in Week 3, Chambliss stepped in, and the Rebels’ offense took off.
By the end of the season, Chambliss had thrown for 3,937 yards with 22 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He added 527 rushing yards and eight more scores, helping lead Ole Miss to the College Football Playoff.
ESPN’s choice came after an offseason in which Chambliss was fighting for his eligibility, and the network pointed to how well he handled pressure and high-leverage moments in 2025. His quarterback rating was higher in the fourth quarter than in any other quarter, and he never threw an interception on third down or while trailing.
The recognition went even further than the quarterback list. ESPN ranked Chambliss as the fifth-best player in college football overall, with only four quarterbacks landing in the top 10. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was the No. 1 player, Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore came in at No. 2, and Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons and Miami’s Malachi Toney completed the top five.
Arch Manning, who entered last preseason as the Heisman Trophy favorite, checked in at No. 13 overall and was the next SEC quarterback behind Chambliss.
Ole Miss is set to open the season No. 9 in the preseason AP poll, putting the Rebels in rare company. The program opened 2024 ranked No. 6, but it has not been No. 1 in a preseason poll since 1964.
The school is already pushing a Heisman angle around Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy, who ESPN ranked as the No. 6 player and the top running back in college football for 2026.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Freshmen Are Pushing For Roles Fans Cant Ignore
As fall camp winds down and Ole Miss turns its focus to Louisville, the familiar names are still at the center of the conversation. Trinidad Chambliss, Kewan Lacy, Will Echoles and Suntarine Perkins give the Rebels a veteran backbone, but this camp has also been about the younger players who are forcing their way into the picture and giving the staff something to think about before the opener.
Caleb Cunningham, Dorian Barney and Landon Barnes have been among the freshmen drawing attention, and the buzz around that group has only grown as camp has gone on. Pete Golding and Bryan Brown have sounded encouraged by what they have seen, which matters because this is the time of year when jobs are still being sorted out and every practice rep can shape the rotation once the games start. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Landed A Veteran 7-Footer With One Huge Uncertainty
Ole Miss added size and experience to its future frontcourt with the commitment of Micah Handlogten, the former Florida center who plans to suit up for the Rebels in the 2026-27 season. Handlogten brings a veteran presence after spending three years at Florida and one at Marshall, giving Ole Miss a proven big man with a track record from the SEC and beyond.
His arrival, though, comes with one significant layer still to be sorted out: Handlogten is seeking a fifth year of eligibility, and that request is under review. He also took part in NBA Summer League without reportedly signing a professional contract, a detail that could matter as Ole Miss waits to learn whether the 7-footer will be cleared to join the roster when the time comes. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Just Entered A Historic Debate Fans Will Love
Indianas breakthrough national title in the 2025-26 season added a fresh twist to a long-running college football conversation, because it was the first first-time champion since Florida did it back in 1996. That kind of milestone always sends people back to the drawing board, and ESPN analyst Bill Connelly did exactly that with a look at the programs most likely to break through next. His list put Oregon, Ole Miss and Missouri in the spotlight, with coaching and recruiting considered central to why those teams have climbed into the discussion.
For Ole Miss, the appeal is obvious: this is the sort of program that can keep showing up in these debates if it continues pairing roster-building with steady coaching momentum. Being mentioned alongside Oregon and Missouri does not mean the Rebels are about to punch through tomorrow, but it does mean they have reached the stage where national observers see a plausible path. Fans around Oxford will like the company, and they will like the fact that the conversation is no longer about whether Ole Miss can contend, but when that next step might finally arrive. [Read more 🡒]