It isn’t every week that you face a two-time national championship winning quarterback, but that is the case this Saturday, as the Oklahoma Sooners square-off against Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss.
Chambliss came to Oxford this season from Ferris State, where he led the Bulldogs to two Division II national championships in a three-year stretch (2022, 2024). In 2024, Chambliss was also named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year.
After losing the starting quarterback competition to Austin Simmons—following Jaxson Dart’s departure as a first-round pick by the New York Giants—Chambliss seized his opportunity. When Simmons suffered an ankle injury in Week 3 against Arkansas, Chambliss took over and hasn’t relinquished the role.
Simmons is available to play this week, however with Chambliss’ impressive play in his starts, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has decided to move forward with him as the starting quarterback. Chambliss’ stellar play has thrust him into the Heisman conversation, a testament to his seamless transition to SEC football.
“We’re in a great place,” Kiffin previously said. “I mean, we have two great quarterbacks. We have two quarterbacks that are better than a lot of people’s No. 1. It’s awesome to be in this position.”
In seven games (five starts), Chambliss has showcased his dual-threat prowess, throwing for 1,549 yards, eight touchdowns, and just one interception (62.7% completion rate) while rushing for 323 yards and five scores.
Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables had high praise for Chambliss saying, “The quarterback (Chambliss) is just fabulous, man. He’s a winner. Being a former national champion, had over 4,000 yards, and 51 touchdowns in one season. Most guys go through their whole career, and don’t hit those numbers.”
He added, “Five-straight games of over 250 yards a game passing, first Ole Miss quarterback that’s done that since Eli Manning. He’s thrown for just under 1,600 yards, eight touchdowns, and just one interception on the year. He’s rushed for 323 yards, so about 50 yards per game. Just enough to kinda piss you off.”
ESPN College Football analyst Greg McElroy will be on the call of Saturday’s matchup. On his Always College Football podcast, McElroy described what it would take for Sooners to slow down Chambliss, “Can Trinidad Chambliss maintain his poise when facing the level of sustained pressure that he’s probably going to face in this game? His performance in the fourth quarter against Georgia last week was not what you want. It was kind of a cautionary tale and a possible blueprint for Oklahoma to potentially apply.”
No. 8 Ole Miss (6-1) battles No. 13 Oklahoma (6-1) in a pivotal SEC showdown Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on ABC, with Chambliss’ poise under pressure potentially deciding the outcome.