Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has not decided his 2026 season if the NCAA accepts waiver for another year of eligibility. Ahead of Thursday’s showdown against Georgia in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, Chambliss answered questions about his future and whether Lane Kiffin was involved.
Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU after the conclusion of the regular season. He signed Chambliss as a post-spring addition from the transfer portal out of Division II Ferris State. Chambliss said he hasn’t spoken to Kiffin since he left.
“I don’t think it’s allowed right now,” Chambliss said.
He’s right – technically. College football’s one-stop transfer portal opens Jan. 2 and any interaction between the parties would be considered a tampering violation.
Garrett Nussmeier is headed to the NFL this year and LSU’s quarterback situation is virtually unknown for 2026.
The portal’s top quarterback options include Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby, North Texas’ Drew Mestemaker and former Arizona State star Sam Leavitt, according to 247Sports.
Chambliss has totaled 3,804 yards of offense and 27 touchdowns heading into this week’s CFP quarterfinals. In his playoff debut against Tulane, Chambliss completed 23 of 29 passes for 282 yards and a touchdown. He also scored twice on the ground.
“I should think about what’s the best situation for me,” Chambliss said of his pending portal decision before that 31-point win over the Green Wave. “What I feel most comfortable with. Who I trust the most and I’m going to really feel out all the possibilities, really. There’s a lot of things that come into play in that.”
Several Ole Miss assistants followed Kiffin to LSUincluding offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. Kiffin had Weis and a few others go back and forth between LSU and Ole Miss to help the Rebels’ playoff run.
Eligibility saga
Chambliss filed a waiver with the NCAA earlier this season for an additional year of eligibility and is awaiting a response. Chambliss hired attorney Tom Mars to expedite the process.
“It would be great for me to have another year,” Chambliss said in November after the Rebels’ win over Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl. “Another year on offense, having the spring and developing more at that level. That would definitely be huge.”
The future eligibility situation regarding Chambliss is complicated. As a Division II transfer, Chambliss played four seasons at Ferris State. He argued that he should receive a retroactive redshirt for 2022 since he only played in two games that year. Division I redshirt rules differ from its previous classification.
Chambliss initially redshirted at Ferris State in 2021 and was a backup the next two seasons before becoming a star in 2024, leading to his arrival at Ole Miss. Under standard NCAA rules, a student-athlete has five academic years to complete up to four seasons of competition. In Division II, however, a redshirt rule was only established this year, leaving Chambliss without another year of eligibility after 2025.
Time is crucial for Chambliss, if he enters the portal and is pursued by other high-profile programs, like LSU. If the NCAA’s decision isn’t handed down in time, the Rebels, Tigers and anyone else interested in Chambliss should look elsewhere in the portal for their QB1 with his eligibility pending.
