Ole Miss’ 41-10 win against Tulane didn’t just open doors for quarterfinals but also highlighted Trinidad Chambliss’ impact on the team. Coming from Division II college football to quietly become the heartbeat of Ole Miss’ offense, he did it all. And now his teammate, too, is backing up the surrounding buzz.

“I did have a feeling,” Ole Miss linebacker TJ Dottery said to the media after Tulane’s win. “And I saw the talent, and, of course, he has phenomenal talent, but I want to speak on the person he is. And, like, from the time he got here, and he wasn’t the starting quarterback, he’s been the same person since. Even during the summer, when everybody was talking about Austin Simmons, nobody knew who Trinidad was. He’s been the same person since, and since he’s gotten a start and become who he is today, he’s the same person. He deserves the spotlight.”

Trinidad Chambliss’ rise at Ole Miss is nothing less than an action movie unfolding. He started at Ferris State, a Division II program, where he helped the Bulldogs win the D-II national championship. Chambliss was a second-team All-American in 2024 and threw for 2,925 yards with 26 touchdowns. He even rushed for 1,019 yards with 25 touchdowns.

After a dominant D-II career, Chambliss entered the portal, waiting for his chance to shine behind Austin Simmons, and after an injury ended his season, he took over the reins against Arkansas and led Ole Miss to its first-ever playoffs. Despite facing tough teams and a pressured atmosphere, the 23-year-old never flinched. He threw for 3,016 yards with 18 touchdowns and three interceptions as he rushed for 470 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season.

He was named as a second-team All-SEC pick, while he finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy vote. All this made him an overnight star as fans waved flags of him after the win against Tulane, where he completed 23 of 29 for 282 yards and one touchdown. But for Chambliss, it’s his hard work combined with the team’s and staff’s efforts that helped him with a smooth transition from Ferris State to Ole Miss.

“I feel like without the offensive staff and me adjusting to the speed and the game and the IQ of everything, props to them,” Trinidad said. “They got me on my game. I learned a lot more about football than I ever have in the six months that I’ve been here. Yeah, I mean, it was just about how I adjusted to the SEC and Division I.”

But this move wasn’t exactly easy for him. The quarterback previously resisted all early offers from bigger programs. But then in March, he decided to explore opportunities for himself and his family. Moving to a bigger program could enhance his NFL prospects and provide a significant NIL payout.

Chambliss’ clutch play and dynamic dual-threat performance helped Ole Miss sustain an 11-1 regular season with just one loss against Georgia. He has played five games with 300 passing yards and 50 rushing yards, which is the second most by any SEC quarterback since 1994, behind six by LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels during his 2023 Heisman season. No wonder Dottery is rooting high for him. Now, his real test arrives against the Bulldogs, and they are already facing a major setback.

Trinidad Chambliss loses a key asset

Trinidad Chambliss has carried the spotlight for Ole Miss’s offense this season, but running back Kewan Lacy also added to their success. The Missouri transfer entered the playoffs with 20 touchdowns and more than 1,400 scrimmage yards.

During Ole Miss’s remarkable win over Tulane, both Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy were ready to make an impact, but injury struck. Lacy suffered an upper-body injury after a tackle late in the second quarter and was also seen to get up holding his arm as he walked to the sidelines.

Losing Lacy before facing Georgia in the quarterfinals game is a major blow for the team, as he is the leading rusher of Ole Miss. In 12 games, he rushed for 1,279 yards, averaging 5.0 yards per game, caught 25 passes for 154 yards, and scored 20 touchdowns.

Now, after the game, head coach Pete Golding did address the situation, giving an update on him. But it just intensified the situation.

“Lacy bruised his shoulder, and we’ll evaluate it moving forward,” Golding said.

So, with that, let’s wait and see if Lacy makes a comeback against Georgia or not!