Ole Miss Football Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss Denied Waiver for 2026 Season

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss filed a waiver petition in November in search of a sixth season of eligibility after transferring in from Division II Ferris State ahead of a historic year in Oxford.

Following the Rebels’ stellar 13-2 season and appearance in the College Football Playoff Semifinals, the ruling on Chambliss’ eligibility has finally been handed down from the NCAA.

The All-SEC signal-caller has been denied his request for the 2026 season, according to multiple reports.

He orchestrated a dynamic Ole Miss offense after logging 3,937 passing yards, 22 touchdowns to just three interceptions and another 527 yards and eight scores on the ground with his heroics catapulting the program to the College Football Playoff semifinals.

"When he first got here, you didn’t even hear him. You just saw him," Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding said on Thursday. "You saw him with his head down, working his a** off.

Tom Mars tells ESPN Ole Miss will file an appeal to the NCAA.

Mars: “However, there’s now an opportunity to move this case to a level playing field where Trinidad’s rights will be determined by the Mississippi judiciary instead of some bureaucrats in Indianapolis who couldn’t… https://t.co/6FaWYyJZX9
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 9, 2026

"Then you start seeing people start gravitating to him, and they wanted to be around him, because he works his butt off and he’s a good teammate. He celebrated with Austin [Simmons] at scrimmages when he would throw good balls. You wanted to be around him because of who he was."

Chambliss inked a deal with the Ole Miss Rebels that would have him return to Oxford for the 2026 season, but his status for next fall has now been revealed following the waiver request.

After the College Football Playoff loss to Miami, Chambliss weighed in on what his future may hold:

“God has been so good to me and this team,” said Chambliss, who passed for 277 yards and a touchdown. “It’s been a great ride. I wouldn’t want to do it with any other people, whether it’s coaches, players, people in the offices. It’s just been a great ride.

“And, hopefully, I get to do it again next year.”

Now, the decision is in. Chambliss has been denied his waiver request for the 2026 season and will head to the NFL Draft - unless Ole Miss elects to appeal the decision.

The NCAA's Statement:

“In November, Ole Miss filed a waiver request for football student-athlete Trinidad Chambliss, seeking to extend his five-year Division I eligibility clock, citing an incapacitating illness or injury. Approval requires schools to submit medical documentation provided by a treating physician at the time of a student’s incapacitating injury or illness, which was not provided.

"The documents provided by Ole Miss and the student’s prior school include a physician’s note from a December 2022 visit, which stated the student-athlete was “doing very well” since he was seen in August 2022.”

“Additionally, the student-athlete’s prior school indicated it had no documentation on medical treatment, injury reports or medical conditions involving the student-athlete during that time frame and cited “developmental needs and our team’s competitive circumstances” as its reason the student-athlete did not play in the 2022-23 season.

"The waiver request was denied. This decision aligns with consistent application of NCAA rules. So far this academic year, the NCAA has received 784 clock extension requests (438 in football). Of those, 25 cases cited an incapacitating injury (nine in football).

"The NCAA approved 15 of those (six in football), and all 15 provided medical documentation from the time of the injury. Conversely, all 10 that were denied (three in football) did not provide the required medical documentation.”

“To receive a clock extension, a student-athlete must have been denied two seasons of competition for reasons beyond the student’s or school’s control, and a “redshirt” year can be used only once. One of the rules being cited publicly (Bylaw 12.6.4.2.2) is not the correct rule for the type of waiver requested by the school. Ole Miss applied for the waiver in November, and the NCAA first provided a verbal denial Dec. 8.”

More Ole Miss News:

Lane Kiffin Reacts to New Offensive Coordinator Being Hired By Ole Miss Football

Ole Miss Football QB Trinidad Chambliss Wins Major Award Amid Breakout Season

SEC Rival Emerging as Favorite to Land Ole Miss Football Quarterback Austin Simmons

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