How do you know you’re a legit, top-class gunslinger? When the boogeyman of college football, aka the Georgia Bulldogs, is losing sleep over you, that’s when you know you’re him. That’s exactly what’s happening in Athens right now as Kirby Smart’s prepping for Ole Miss Rebels for the Sugar Bowl.

On December 23, College football’s super insider Dave Pollack hopped onto Colin Cowherd’s namesake podcast and spilled what Kirby Smart’s staff revealed Bulldogs’ biggest fear in this entire playoff competition: Ole Miss Rebels and former D2 QB Trinidad Chambliss.

“I think Chambliss is really good. I’m telling you…I talked to a Georgia staffer the other day that said that’s the best quarterback we’ll face in this tournament, no matter who we play. Yep, they would have to play like Ohio State. They’d have to play the big boys.”

“They said, ‘When you combine what he can do with his legs and the throws he can make on and off schedule. We will not face a better one. And he’s got another month and a half’s worth of maturation that he didn’t have when we first played him.”’

Not going to lie, coming from the Georgia camp, that has to be one of the peak compliments you’ll remember for your life.

You need to agree that Trinidad has to be the best thing to happen to Ole Miss this season. Initially, came in as a benchwarmer, but once Austin Simmons got injured in Week 3, Trinidad took over that offense and certified himself as the best dual-threat QB in the nation.

Most analysts believe he’s the main reason Ole Miss is in the playoffs in the first place, and that’s a fair take. What makes him so fascinating is how complete his game is. He throws the ball as well as any gunslinger in the country and runs it like a true running back.

The former Ferris State standout recorded seven 300-plus-yard passing games, which may be the most in the country. He threw for 3,298 yards and 19 touchdowns with just three interceptions. On top of that, he added 506 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns. So yes, the Georgia staff knows exactly what they’re talking about.

Plus, nobody gave more headache and run for their money to Georgia than Ole Miss and Chambliss. During their regular season, the Rebels were this close (45-38) to beat Georgia. He ended that loss with 263 passing yards and one touchdown through the air. On the ground, he rushed for two touchdowns and converted a huge fourth down.

Chambliss had a super-hot start, leading his team to touchdowns on their first five drives. He himself scored 3 total touchdowns against them, including 4th down conversion. Everything was rolling until the Bulldogs reminded everyone who they are, decide to change the game late in the fourth quarter. During that stretch, Chambliss completed just one of his final 10 passes.

Still, Chambliss and the Rebels see that game as a learning experience. Now they’re waiting for a shot at redemption in the New Year’s Sugar Bowl. Even with Lane Kiffin out the door, Kirby Smart knows it doesn’t change much at all.

Kirby Smart isn’t much affected by Lane Kiffin’s departure

Lane Kiffin accepted the LSU head coaching job after the regular season and stepped just right away before the playoffs. Even so, most of Ole Miss’ coaching staff remains in Oxford to finish the season, including defensive coordinator Pete Golding, who is serving as interim head coach, and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.

While Kiffin was closely involved in Ole Miss’ offensive planning, Weis Jr. has been the primary play-caller on game days. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart made it clear he does not expect major changes just because Kiffin is gone.

“The offensive coordinator and the staff are still all there,” Smart said. “They’re not going to make an overhaul or make hard changes. They’ve got something that works well…They’re playing at a really high level offensively.”

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Smart also brings confidence into the matchup because of his sound track record in rematches. As a head coach, Kirby Smart has never lost a rematch. Most recently, Georgia bounced back from a regular-season loss to Alabama with a dominant 28–7 win in the SEC Championship Game,earning a first-round playoff bye.

That bye week came at the perfect time for Georgia. The Bulldogs were dealing with injuries late in the season, but the extra rest has helped them reset. Georgia is hopeful to have several key players back by the time New Year’s Day arrives, which could make a big difference against an Ole Miss team still adjusting to life without Lane Kiffin on the sideline.