Ole Miss senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is planning to re-sign with the Rebels for the 2026 season, a deal contingent on the NCAA accepting his eligibility waiver for a sixth year, Yahoo Sports reports. Chambliss threw for a season-high 362 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the Rebels’ College Football Playoff quarterfinal win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Chambliss is 11-1 as a starter this season, assuming the role in September after unseating Austin Simmons, who has entered the transfer portal and is expected to land at Missouri. Chambliss has thrown for 3,660 yards, 21 touchdowns and three interceptions to go along with 520 yards rushing and eight scores.

The straw who stirs the drink for Ole Miss offensively, Chambliss is one of the first key signings for new coach Pete Golding, who’s putting together his 2026 roster while preparing for the Rebels’ playoff semifinal showdown against Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.

Ahead of the Rebels’ Sugar Bowl win, Chambliss was asked about Lane Kiffin and said he had not had any contact with his former coach. Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU after the conclusion of the regular season and is sorting out plans for his own quarterback room for 2026.

LSU recently hosted top transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby from Cincinnati on a visit in Baton Rouge. Sorsby reportedly signed with Texas Tech on Sunday.

NCAA’s Chambliss decision pending

The original waiver request from Chambliss was filed in November and he said last week his representation was “working on it” with the NCAA. Trial lawyer Tom Mars is representing Chambliss and sent a seven-page letter from Ole Miss to the NCAA on his behalf citing “irreparable harm” if his client is not granted a sixth-year of eligibility.

Former Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields helped put Mars at the forefront of NCAA transfer reform after transferring from Georgia in 2019.

The request from Chambliss is similar to Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia’s case with the NCAA this time last year after he was granted a temporary injunction that allowed him to play another season in 2025.

The future eligibility situation involving Chambliss is complicated. As a Division II transfer, Chambliss played four seasons at Ferris State. Chambliss argues that he should receive a retroactive redshirt for 2022 since he only played in two games that year. Division I redshirt rules differ from his previous classification.

Chambliss initially redshirted at Ferris State in 2021 and was a backup the next two seasons before emerging as 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 wasn’t established until this year, leaving Chambliss without another year of eligibility post-2025.

Given the transfer portal’s opening on Jan. 2, the NCAA’s timing on a decision was a crucial factor for Chambliss, who had previously said before the playoff began that he was undecided on next season and was focused on winning for the Rebels.