Life is good in Oxford on island time – that is, if the NCAA is willing to throw Ole Miss a bone. The good news is that Trinidad Chambliss has agreed to stay put with the Rebels for another season. The not-so-good news is his waiver for a sixth year of eligibility has yet to be approved.
Amid rumors that Chambliss might follow former head coach Lane Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. to LSU, the Ole Miss field general seemingly shut down speculation as he continues a historic postseason run in the College Football Playoff. Chambliss most recently completed 30 of 46 passes for 362 yards and two touchdowns in a 39-34 victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
Newly minted Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding deviated from his usual shark posting on social media and sent out a different emoji, one that fans of the Rebels have become quite accustomed to seeing. On Monday at 1:35 a.m., Golding posted the Trinidad and Tobago flag, signaling something was in the works with Chambliss. A source later told SuperTalk Mississippi News that Chambliss would be back in Oxford for the 2026 season, pending approval of his waiver.
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— Pete Golding (@CoachGolding) January 5, 2026
Chambliss, a Division II Ferris State transfer, is seeking a medical redshirt for the 2022 season due to ongoing respiratory issues that reportedly resulted in him having to have his tonsils removed, preventing him from being able compete that year. The star signal-caller had taken a traditional redshirt the year prior.
While the initial request for an additional season, one similar to the waiver petition outgoing Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia had approved going into the 2025-26 campaign, was filed by Ole Miss on Chambliss’ behalf in November, the NCAA reported back to the university in December that it needed further information before making a decision. To help Chambliss’ case, prominent attorney Tom Mars was retained.
Mars, in late December, sent a letter to Ole Miss outlining that Chambliss could suffer irreparable financial damages if he could not play another year at the collegiate level, citing multi-million-dollar potential name, image, and likeness deals the quarterback would be set to leverage as one of the top returning players at his position. But, as of Monday, no decision had been made by the NCAA Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement, and no deadline for that decision is in sight.
On a positive note for Ole Miss, the Rebels had a big weekend in the transfer portal, which opened on Jan. 2. Golding and company acquired commitments from a myriad of defensive players, including defensive back Sharif Denson (Florida), linebacker Keaton Thomas (Baylor), defensive end Jonathan Maldonado (Nevada), and defensive back Jay Crawford (Auburn).
Adding to the momentum, there is a growing optimism in the Manning Center that star running back Kewan Lacy will forego a shot at entering the portal and announce his return to Ole Miss for the 2026 season. In the meantime, the Rebels will continue their pursuit of a national championship in the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday versus Miami. The winner will advance to the title game.