Football

SEC rankings show how far Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss has climbed

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss climbs SEC rankings after unexpected rise from backup to leading the Rebels during a playoff run.

Published

6 months ago

March 5, 2026

Andy Hodges

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss after win over Tulane Green Wave

Quarterback rankings across the SEC arrive every offseason with plenty of certainty and just as much guesswork.

They look official. They spark arguments. And by the middle of the season, many of them look completely different. Still, they’re useful for measuring where players stand entering the year.

A recent SEC quarterback ranking from CBS Sports placed Texas quarterback Arch Manning at the top of the list entering the 2026 season. That part wasn’t exactly surprising. Manning finished the final six weeks of a recent season accounting for 16 touchdowns while committing only two turnovers.

Those numbers — along with the Manning name — tend to carry weight in preseason conversations.

But the more interesting story might sit a little further down the list. It won’t take long to find it.

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss ranks right behind Manning.

Just a year earlier, Chambliss wasn’t even the clear starter for the Rebels entering the season. Now he appears near the top of the SEC quarterback rankings.

That’s quite a jump for a quarterback whose path to the conference didn’t exactly follow the usual route.

Of course, college football occasionally produces stories like that. Sometimes quarterbacks arrive with enormous hype and recruiting rankings. Other times they quietly work their way into the lineup and end up changing expectations.

Chambliss fits into that second category.

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss looking to pass against the Florida Gators at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. | Ole Miss Athletics

From Division II to SEC Spotlight

Chambliss’ journey to Ole Miss began far from the SEC’s bright lights.

Before arriving in Oxford, he was playing football at Division II Ferris State.

That’s not the typical starting point for quarterbacks who eventually become part of the SEC’s preseason rankings.

But Chambliss transferred to Ole Miss and joined the Rebels’ quarterback room with an opportunity to compete for playing time.

Even then, expectations were modest.

Entering last season, Chambliss was not the clear-cut starter for the Rebels. Ole Miss had several options at quarterback, and there was little indication that Chambliss would soon become one of the conference’s most talked-about players.

Then the season unfolded.

As the schedule progressed, Chambliss gradually took control of the offense. His ability to make plays with both his arm and his legs helped the Rebels move the ball consistently.

By the time Ole Miss reached the most important games of the season, Chambliss was firmly established as the quarterback leading the team.

The Rebels eventually pushed their way into the College Football Playoff, turning Chambliss’ unexpected rise into one of the more unusual quarterback stories in the SEC.

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss before game with the South Carolina Gamecocks at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. | Ole Miss Athletics

Playoff Success Changes Perception

Quarterbacks tend to gain attention quickly when their teams start winning big games.

Chambliss experienced that shift first-hand.

His performance during the Rebels’ playoff run elevated his profile across the conference. A quarterback who began the year competing for playing time suddenly became a key figure in one of the SEC’s most successful seasons.

Chambliss showed the ability to extend plays, escape pressure and keep drives alive.

That dual-threat ability makes life difficult for defensive coordinators.

It also helped Ole Miss build an offense capable of adapting to different situations.

By the end of the season, Chambliss’ role in the Rebels’ success was clear.

Now he enters 2026 positioned near the top of the SEC quarterback rankings.

Not bad for someone who didn’t even begin the previous year as the Rebels’ undisputed starter.

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss scrambles for yardage against the Oklahoma Sooners. | Ole Miss Athletics

Manning Headlines Conference List

Of course, the SEC quarterback conversation still begins with Manning.

Texas’ quarterback sits at No. 1 entering the season after his efficient stretch late in the year. Accounting for 16 touchdowns while committing just two turnovers tends to earn a quarterback plenty of attention.

Manning also operates in an offense loaded with talented receivers.

That combination of talent and production makes him an obvious choice for the top position in preseason rankings.

And yes, the SEC once again finds itself discussing a Manning leading the quarterback field.

Some traditions in college football seem to return every few years.

Georgia’s Stockton adds experience

Another quarterback near the top of the SEC rankings is Georgia’s Gunner Stockton.

Stockton brings something many quarterbacks entering the season do not. He has already appeared in the SEC Championship Game for starters.

That type of experience often influences preseason rankings.

According to TruMedia data cited in the CBS Sports evaluation, Stockton has also been highly effective on deep passes of 15 yards or more downfield.

Georgia’s offense frequently relies on stretching the field, and Stockton has shown the ability to execute those plays.

The Bulldogs will likely introduce new receivers into larger roles this season, meaning Stockton will need to develop chemistry with that group.

Still, his experience places him among the conference’s most established quarterbacks entering 2026.

Transfer Portal Re-shaping SEC Quarterback Rooms

Another reason the SEC quarterback rankings change frequently is the transfer portal.

Quarterbacks move between programs far more often than they once did.

Several starting quarterback positions across the conference are now filled by players who began their careers at other schools.

Chambliss is a perfect example.

His path from Ferris State to Ole Miss illustrates how the transfer portal can reshape the quarterback position.

Programs increasingly rely on transfers to add experience quickly.

For coaches, that means quarterback depth charts can look very different from one season to the next.

Preseason Rankings Rarely Last

Of course, preseason rankings come with a major disclaimer.

They are projections made months before the games begin.

Players ranked lower often climb the list once the season unfolds.

Others ranked near the top sometimes fall back when defenses adjust.

The SEC schedule tends to reveal which quarterbacks truly thrive under pressure.

By November, the rankings released in the offseason often look outdated.

Rebels Hoping Chambliss Keeps Climbing

For Ole Miss, the focus entering the 2026 season is building on the momentum from the previous year.

Chambliss will be central to that effort.

His ability to create plays through the air and on the ground gives the Rebels flexibility on offense.

And after guiding Ole Miss during a playoff run, he now enters the season with far more recognition than he had a year ago.

Which makes his rise one of the more interesting developments in the conference.

Not long ago, Chambliss was simply trying to earn the starting quarterback job.

Now he’s sitting near the top of SEC preseason rankings and sharing the conversation with players like Arch Manning.

College football has always produced unexpected stories.

Chambliss’ journey from Division II quarterback to one of the SEC’s most discussed players may be one of the more unusual ones in recent seasons.

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Football

Trinidad Chambliss Is Back — And Ole Miss Got Lucky

Rebels quarterback survived an NCAA eligibility fight, weighed a move to LSU and came back to Oxford anyway. Ole Miss fans couldn’t be more relieved.

Published

4 months ago

May 7, 2026

Andy Hodges

Nobody wanted the drama. Not the fans. Not the coaching staff. And certainly not Trinidad Chambliss.

But the drama came anyway, stuck around longer than anyone liked and then — mercifully — resolved itself in the best possible way.

Chambliss is back in Oxford. The Rebels have their quarterback.

And a fan base that fell completely in love with a backup-turned-record-setter gets to watch him play another season.

Go ahead and exhale.

The NCAA spent the offseason trying to block Chambliss from suiting up again, pursuing an interlocutory appeal of a February injunction handed down by Judge Robert Whitwell in Mississippi state court.

The goal was to fast-track a ruling before Ole Miss’ season opener and cut the whole thing short before it started.

The court declined in March. The Rebs never missed a step.

Chambliss walked into spring practice, took his snaps and kept building on what’s already one of the most remarkable single-season stories in program history.

Nobody threw a parade. They just got back to work. Which is exactly what everyone in Oxford wanted from the beginning.

Backup Who Became Record-Setter

It’s worth remembering that Chambliss wasn’t even the starter when last season began. He was the backup. Then he became something else entirely.

He threw for 3,937 yards and 22 touchdowns. He accounted for 4,464 total yards — third-most in a single Ole Miss season ever. The offense he ran became the first in school history to crack 7,000 total yards, finishing at 7,345. The Rebels won a program-record 13 games.

Fans didn’t just cheer for him. They adopted him. That’s the only word for it.

The backup who stepped in and delivered one of the greatest quarterback seasons in school history has a way of doing that to a fan base.

So when the NCAA eligibility fight started grinding through the courts this winter, the anxiety in Oxford was real.

Losing Chambliss wasn’t just losing a quarterback. It was losing the guy.

‘I’m Just Glad It All Worked Out’

Chambliss didn’t hide how hard the winter was. In a sit-down interview with WOOD TV8, a local affiliate in Grand Rapids, Mich. — where he’s originally from — he was straightforward about what those months felt like.

“Just very stressful because I didn’t really know what was going to happen,” he said. “I didn’t know where I was going to be next year, whether it would be the NFL or be in college football.

“Just trusting my family, my attorney and also trusting the Lord, too. Praying a lot and not really worrying too much. It’s out of my control. Let the chips fall where they may at the end.”

The chips fell right.

When the March ruling came down, Chambliss described something every Ole Miss fan felt right along with him.

“Man, it was a weight lifted off my shoulders,” he said. “I could finally relax and focus on Ole Miss spring ball, focus on where our team needs to go in the right direction for next year.

“Not have to deal with all that news and seeing articles with my name pop up with the NCAA. So, it was definitely great to see. I’m just glad that it all worked out.”

So is every single person in Oxford.

He Could’ve Left But Didn’t Want To

Here’s what makes the reunion feel even better. Chambliss had options.

The Transfer Portal was open. He told On3’s Chris Low this week that following Lane Kiffin to LSU was a genuine consideration.

He didn’t go. And listening to him explain why he chose Ole Miss in the first place makes it pretty clear this was always where he wanted to be.

“The communication up front when I first got there on my visit,” Chambliss said. “Them telling me that they think that I could be an impact player there. The opportunities that they would allow me to have.

“Just the people in Oxford, in the facility at Ole Miss. It just felt like home and it felt like a comfort zone for me.”

Navigating the Stardom

The eligibility fight wasn’t the only adjustment.

Chambliss had to figure out what it meant to suddenly be one of the most talked-about quarterbacks in the country.

The commercials came. The notoriety came. The Heisman chatter came.

He’s one of two way-too-early Heisman Trophy candidates and All-Americans for the Rebs heading into 2026.

Running back Kewan Lacy is the other, and Lacy said he turned down more money to stay in Oxford. Two building blocks who could’ve left — and didn’t.

Chambliss handled the spotlight the way you’d hope.

“It’s definitely a lot to digest,” he said. “A lot to take on. It was moving pretty fast. But it was really cool, though. With my parents’ help, it was smooth sailing and I think we did the best that we could given the circumstances.”

He didn’t let it change his approach.

“You just got to stay me and focus on the main goal,” he said. “That was being a good person and being good at football.”

That’s the guy Ole Miss fans fell for. Same guy. Still here.

The Season Ahead

The Rebels open the 2026-27 season against Louisville. The two programs meet in Nashville on September 6 at 6:30 p.m. and Ole Miss heads into that game with its most important pieces intact.

Nobody wanted the winter they got. The legal fight was stressful for Chambliss, exhausting for the program and nerve-wracking for a fan base that spent months wondering if the guy they loved was going to be wearing a different jersey.

He’s not. He’s back in Oxford, exactly where he wants to be, running an offense that rewrote the school record book and chasing something even bigger in 2026.

The drama’s over. The season’s coming.

For once, everybody’s happy about the same thing.

Football

Ole Miss Still in Mix as Alvin Mosley Sets June Commitment

Published

4 months ago

May 7, 2026

Taylor Hodges

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, left, with Crawford wide receiver Alvin Mosley. | Alvin Mosley/X

Ole Miss has had its name attached to several five- and four-star wide receivers in this recruiting cycle.

Talented wideouts like Miguel Whitley, Elias Pearl, Cade Cooper, Sheldon Isaac and even the class’s top-rated receiver, Easton Royal.

Pete Golding and the Rebels, like a basketball shooter, are taking a lot of shots with the hopes of making a few baskets. However, the recruiting process moves a lot slower in real life than it does in EA CFB 26, so the Rebels not having any wide receivers currently committed isn’t a cause for concern.

A lot of official visits are still to come, including this upcoming weekend. After that will come the commitments. When that happens sometimes gets announced ahead of time, and we just got an announcement date scheduled.

Four-star wide receiver Alvin Mosley, according to Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman, announced he is down to four schools and will make his commitment on June 27. The four schools still in contention are Texas, Arkansas, Houston and, of course, Ole Miss.

The Almeta Crawford (Texas) receiver is set to take his official visit to Ole Miss June 5-7 and spoke to Spiegelman about his relationship with Rebels wide receivers coach L’Damian Washington.

“Me and Coach Washington have a great relationship and he has been to Houston a few times to visit my family,” Mosley said. “Also, I’m excited about the opportunity to play early and the right fit for big wide receivers like me.”

Mosley has already taken visits to Austin and Houston, which has been a mainstay in the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder’s recruitment.

“They’re making me feel good and that I’m their No. 1 priority,” he said of Houston. “They’re doing a lot of things right, keeping up with me and with basketball … and with everything I do, they’re keeping up with.”

Mosley also spoke highly of Arkansas.

“Me and Coach (Larry) Smith been in talks for a while,” Mosley said. “I like the direction they are trying to go … to get back in the running. It’s been a strong push throughout my recruitment, and the coach has been out a few times for my spring practice. Also, they are looking for a big-time guy to come in and have the opportunity to play early. I like the underdog story that Arkansas is living in. With the way this recruitment is going, they have their eyes on changing the program around.”

The Rebels have cast a wide net at wideout, and Mosley is one of the names that has stayed near the top from the start. His June 27 announcement won’t define the class, but it will give Ole Miss an early read on how its summer strategy is working.

Football

Ole Miss Adds Quarterback Who Grew Up Dreaming of Oxford

Published

4 months ago

May 7, 2026

Taylor Hodges

Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy quarterback Crews Jenkins with Ole Miss offensive coordinator John David Baker. | Crews Jenkins/X

Ole Miss didn’t exactly shock the recruiting world on Wednesday, but it did lock down a quarterback who has been circling Oxford his entire life.

Brentwood Academy’s Crews Jenkins made it official, announcing his commitment to the Rebels and giving Pete Golding

another in‑state‑adjacent win in the 2027 class.

🦈🦈 https://t.co/odvOcrcYem

— Crews Jenkins 2027 QB (@CrewsJenkins3) May 6, 2026

This one always felt like it was headed here. Jenkins grew up in an Ole Miss family, spent his childhood in Vaught‑Hemingway, and made it clear early in his recruitment that the Rebels were the program he connected with the most. Other schools tried to make it interesting, but they were fighting uphill the whole way.

“This was a childhood dream. I have been going to games since I was as young as I can remember. I grew up a fan,” Jenkins told 247Sports’ Tom Loy. “They recruited me the hardest. They are a big school that chose to actually give me an opportunity for the next level. I think Coach Judge and Coach ‘JDB’ do a really good job of developing quarterbacks and turning them into really good players.”

Jenkins has the résumé to back up the attention. He stepped into the Brentwood Academy job last fall and completed 70 percent of his passes for 1,800 yards and 22 touchdowns while leading his team to the state title game. At 5-11 and 180 pounds, he’s not the prototype, but he’s accurate, competitive, and has been on a steady rise since the spring of 2025.

Golding treated him like a priority from the start. He didn’t assume Jenkins’ childhood fandom would do the work for him, and Jenkins noticed.

“He’s a players’ coach. He’s there for you,” Jenkins said. “Whether it has anything to do with football or not, he is still going to be there by your side and in your corner.”

Jenkins picked Ole Miss over FAU, Memphis, South Florida, Charlotte, Southern Miss, Toledo, and others. Vanderbilt and Kentucky kicked the tires, but the Rebels were always the team to beat.

Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy class of 2027 QB @CrewsJenkins3 had a really good two days in New Orleans at the @Elite11 and @TheOpening.

Just ask @devingardnerXCI 👀 @jtheaps9 and @QBCoachMcEvoy. They'll tell you the same.

🔗 https://t.co/PJkQsMuEBE @247Sports pic.twitter.com/FgDJAsnSQw

— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) March 26, 2026

And no, Keegan Croucher’s presence in the class didn’t change anything. Jenkins knew Ole Miss was taking two quarterbacks, and he still wanted in. He’ll join a room that includes Deuce Knight and Walker Howard, and he’ll enroll early after his senior season. The fun twist is that Jenkins and Croucher will face each other to open the 2026 season, a matchup that now doubles as a future‑teammates game.

For Ole Miss, this is the kind of commitment that feels less like a surprise and more like a box checked. For Jenkins, it’s the end of a long wait. He’s headed to the place he always wanted to be.