Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was granted a temporary injunction that will allow him to play college football in 2026. Chambliss received the ruling after suing the NCAA in Lafayette County Chancery Court in Mississippi, where a hearing was held on Thursday.
Chambliss petitioned the NCAA for a medical waiver that would have granted him another year of eligibility tied to a respiratory condition he experienced in 2022. Ultimately, the NCAA denied it on multiple occasions, leading Chambliss to take his case to court.
According to Chambliss’ team, he missed the 2022 season because of complications from tonsillitis and chronic fatigue. He had a typical redshirt campaign in 2021 before playing in each of the last three seasons. From 2021-24, he was a player at Division II Ferris State.
After transferring to Ole Miss, Chambliss won the starting quarterback job in 2025 and led the Rebels to the national semifinals.
What it means for Ole Miss
Chambliss was one of the best stories of the 2025 season. The Grand Rapids, Michigan, native came to Ole Miss as a backup, but ultimately broke through and won the starting job after incumbent signal caller Austin Simmons suffered an injury.
In a sensational campaign, Chambliss completed 66.1% of his passes for 3,937 yards, rushed for 527 yards and scored 30 total touchdowns to only three interceptions. He helped lead Ole Miss to the program’s first ever College Football Playoff appearance, where they defeated 11-seed Tulane and 3-seed Georgia before succumbing to national runner-up Miami in the national semifinal. Chambliss finished No. 8 in Heisman Trophy voting.
Chambliss ranks as arguably the top returning quarterback in college football and almost certainly tops in the SEC. His return helps supercharge the Rebels under first-year coach Pete Golding and makes them a serious SEC title contender.
If Chambliss was denied, Auburn transfer Deuce Knight was expected to be the starting quarterback. The Lucedale, Mississippi, native was the No. 6 quarterback in the Class of 2025 and projects as a future starter for the Rebels when Chambliss’s career is done.
What’s next
Chambliss receiving another year of eligibility does not mean that he “won” his case. Instead, it means that he will be granted eligibility to play in the NCAA until his case is heard, which will likely happen after the season. At a further date, his lawyers will again have to argue the actual merits of the case before the court.
A similar situation occurred in 2025 with Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia. He sued the NCAA to claim that years at a junior college should not count against eligibility at an FBS school. A temporary injunction allowed him to play the 2025 season before the case was actually heard. Pavia’s attorneys had a hearing regarding the case earlier this week, even though Pavia has declared for the NFL Draft.
