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Does Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss have eligibility left? What to know
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- Does Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss have eligibility left? What to know
Three hundred and sixty-four days ago, Trinidad Chambliss was a relatively anonymous Division II quarterback leading his school, Ferris State , to a national championship victory against Valdosta State , accounting for five total touchdowns in a 49-14 rout in front of 3,228 fans at a high school football stadium in Texas .
Now, he'll be competing for a national championship in front of millions of viewers nationally on the biggest stage the sport has to offer.
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REQUIRED READING: How Austin Simmons has handled injury, benching, rise of Trinidad Chambliss as Ole Miss QB
There have been few, if any, bigger breakout stars during the 2025 college football season than Chambliss, the former zero-star quarterback recruit who helped lead Mississippi football to a record-setting regular season and a College Football Playoff berth while finishing in the top 10 of Heisman Trophy voting.
On Saturday, Dec. 20, he'll lead the Rebels and newly minted head coach Pete Golding against Tulane in a first-round playoff game in front of a home crowd at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi , with a quarterfinal date against No. 3 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day on the line.
Chambliss has been a sensation in his first season at Ole Miss since taking over as the team's starter three games into the season. He has helped pace a top-10 scoring offense with 3,486 total yards and 24 touchdowns. Fans and the local community have embraced his rise, regularly showing up to games with the flag of Trinidad and Tobago, a small island nation in the Caribbean.
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His time in college football may not end with the Rebels' playoff run, either. Here's a look at what options Chambliss has ahead of him and what his future in college football may have in store:
Does Trinidad Chambliss have any remaining eligibility?
Though Chambliss is a senior who's now in his fifth season of college football — four at Ferris State and one at Ole Miss — his college career isn't necessarily over.
In November, Chambliss applied for an NCAA waiver for an additional year of eligibility, which would allow him to play during the 2026 season.
Chambliss' case for a waiver centers around the 2022 season at Ferris State, when he played in only two games. It wasn't until this year, though, that Division II adopted similar redshirt rules to the FBS, which allows players to compete in up to four games before they lose the ability to redshirt. Effectively, Chambliss is asking the NCAA for a retroactive redshirt.
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"That would be great for me to get another year," Chambliss said after Ole Miss' Nov. 28 rivalry win at Mississippi State . "Another year in the offense, having the spring and just developing more on this level. That would definitely be huge."
Chambliss said on Dec. 15 that he thinks he'll get an answer from the NCAA on his waiver request this week.
Will Trinidad Chambliss transfer to LSU ?
Should Chambliss' waiver request get approved, the question then becomes whether he'll remain at Ole Miss.
The Rebels have become one of the SEC's best programs over the past several years and have devoted considerable resources to their name, image and likeness (NIL) efforts. The future of Chambliss and several of his teammates, though, was thrown into doubt when coach Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for SEC rival LSU in late November, two days after the Rebels wrapped up their regular season.
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Kiffin was one of a handful of FBS coaches to recruit Chambliss coming out of Ferris State, with the Division II star likely headed to Temple before Ole Miss entered the picture. He thrived in Kiffin's quarterback-friendly offense and would have built-in familiarity with not only Kiffin, but also Ole Miss offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Charlie Weis Jr.
Weis is with the Rebels in the playoff, but is making the move with Kiffin to LSU.
Kiffin hasn't been shy about teasing out the possibility of Chambliss following him to Baton Rouge. On Dec. 1, one day after being hired by LSU, Kiffin posted a picture of a book passage on social media , along with a #GodsPlan hashtag and emojis of a tiger (LSU's mascot) and the Trinidad and Tobago flag.
It's a decision Chambliss will have to weigh, along with the possibility of testing the NFL draft waters.
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"I'd have to consider what the best situation is for me," Chambliss said on Dec. 15 . "What I feel most comfortable with. Who I trust the most. Just get a feel for every possibility really. There's a lot that goes into that."
Trinidad Chambliss age
Born on Aug. 24, 2002, Chambliss is 23 years old.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Trinidad Chambliss stay at Ole Miss or leave for LSU after season?
