Trinidad Chambliss started last season at Division II Ferris State and started this season on the bench, but he is at the center of the college football world after a Sugar Bowl win over Georgia.
Faced with a two-possession deficit in the second half, largely the result of his own team's mistakes, Chambliss caught fire down the stretch on Thursday night and led Ole Miss to the College Football Playoff semifinals with a 39-34 upset victory.
Chambliss impressed with his legs and his arm in the second half, extending plays and leading a pair of high-tempo touchdown drives in the fourth quarter to take control of a game the Rebels weren't supposed to win. When Ole Miss lost that control, Chambliss made the throw that set up a game-winning field goal.
Here's a closer look at Chambliss' performance against Georgia and his top moments from the win.
MORE: How missed facemask penalty nearly changed Sugar Bowl outcome
Trinidad Chambliss stats today
- Comp. Rate: 65.2% (30/46)
- Pass yards: 362
- Pass TD: 2
- INT: 0
- Rush att.: 4
- Rush yards: 14
- Rush TD: 0
Chambliss finished 30-of-46 for 362 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Georgia, adding 14 rushing yards in the biggest win in Ole Miss history.
Chambliss broke a record for consecutive completions in the Sugar Bowl, previously held by Tim Tebow and Michael Penix Jr., and he didn't blink after falling behind by multiple possessions even as mistakes around him threatened to bury the Rebels.
The win marked a new season-high in passing yards for Chambliss, narrowly surpassing a 359-yard performance against Mississippi State in the regular season finale, and it marked his fifth game with multiple touchdown passes and no interceptions.
Here's a look at some of the biggest plays Chambliss made, including a wild escape job for a first down and a critical completion that set up a game-winning field goal.
MORE: How Trinidad Chambliss went from D2 afterthought to SEC star
Trinidad Chambliss highlights vs. Georgia
Somehow, Chambliss kept this play alive and got the ball to Kewan Lacy for a first down despite being chased back to his own one-yard line.
Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy keep the drive alive, and Ole Miss takes a three-point lead in Q4 🤯
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) January 2, 2026
🎥 @espn pic.twitter.com/0UXcQqnFPN
Chambliss found Harrison Wallace III on the run for this huge gain:
trinidad chambliss to harrison wallace; ole miss vs georgia pic.twitter.com/LcPUwESpEX
— ◇ (@F0RGIAT0) January 2, 2026
Chambliss knew exactly when to get rid of the ball on this play:
CHAMBLISS OUT HERE PLAYING MADDEN OH MY GOD🤯
— JUGGABETS (@mykezaa) January 2, 2026
pic.twitter.com/IZB3hWaasw
Chambliss threw a dart to De'Zhaun Stribling for 40 yards and the chance to win the game on a field goal on Ole Miss' final drive.
CHAMBLISS TO STRIBLING
— Grant (@grantsglimpse) January 2, 2026
POTENTIALLY THE DAGGER pic.twitter.com/4vAwRizyzZ
How old is Trinidad Chambliss?
Chambliss turned 23 in August, days before the start of the season.
A former star at Division II Ferris State, Chambliss opened the 2025 season as a backup to starter Austin Simmons but took over after an injury to Simmons and made it impossible for Lane Kiffin to give the job back to the Week 1 starter.
Now, Chambliss is anticipating an NCAA decision on his eligibility after he filed a waiver to play in 2026. Whether he would stay in Oxford or test the transfer portal waters isn't clear, but the NFL Draft could also be an option as he builds his value in the College Football Playoff.
MORE: Explaining Trinidad Chambliss' upcoming waiver decision
Trinidad Chambliss high school
Chambliss attended Forest Hills Northern in Grand Rapids, Michigan, before committing to nearby Ferris State.
After winning two titles at the Division II level, Chambliss transferred to Ole Miss and opened this season as a backup after Austin Simmons was named the Week 1 starter by Lane Kiffin.
MORE: How Trinidad Chambliss went from D2 afterthought to SEC star
Trinidad Chambliss NFL Draft outlook
The decision for Chambliss, if his waiver is approved, was believed to be between staying at Ole Miss and transferring to LSU or elsewhere. Now, the NFL could be in play given his impressive College Football Playoff run.
ESPN's Mel Kiper ranked Chambliss as his No. 6 quarterback in the 2026 class in mid-December, which might slot him as a mid-round pick in a fairly thin class for the position, but the lack of blue-chip prospects in the class could be why it makes the most sense for the Ole Miss star to turn professional now.
Once the Rebels' run is over, Chambliss could see his stock elevated closer to the top quarterback prospects in the draft than anyone could have imagined.