$1.6 million QB predicted to lead SEC program to College Football Playoff

A quarterback at an SEC football program is expected to lead his team to the College Football Playoff and win the Heisman Trophy in 2026.

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) carries the ball during a college football game between Ole Miss and LSU at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2025 college football season officially wrapped up with Indiana's victory against Miami in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, on Jan. 19.

The 2025 College Football Playoff featured a vast array of unlikely storylines, such as two Group of Five programs making the field, Indiana winning a national title, and Pete Golding becoming the head coach at Ole Miss right before the College Football Playoff began. Among these intriguing storylines was Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, whose path to prominence was highly unconventional.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder began his college football career at Division II Ferris State in 2021. He redshirted his first season with the Bulldogs, and he missed the entirety of the 2022 season due to respiratory problems.

Chambliss played in eight games for the Bulldogs in 2023. He completed 21 of his 33 passes for 354 yards, five touchdowns and an interception while running the ball 41 times for 304 yards and four more touchdowns.

Despite taking a loss in its first game, Ferris State made a run to win the 2024 Division II national championship with Chambliss at quarterback. He passed for 2,925 yards, 26 touchdowns and six interceptions and ran for 1,019 yards and 25 more touchdowns. He was named GLIAC Player of the Year for his performance in 2024.

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) signals a first down after his run against the Miami Hurricanes | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Chambliss sat for two games behind Austin Simmons to begin his time at Ole Miss. When Simmons was ruled out with an injury for the Rebels' game against Arkansas, Chambliss won the starting job for good. In total, Chambliss threw for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and three interceptions while rushing for 527 yards and eight more touchdowns. The SEC named Chambliss its Newcomer of the Year and to the All-SEC Second Team offense, an award he split with Ty Simpson of Alabama.

The national media is featuring Chambliss as one of its way-too-early storylines for the 2026 season. Mark Cooper of The Athletic claimed that Chambliss would win his eligibility case and lead the Rebels back to the College Football Playoff, winning the Heisman Trophy along the way.

Chambliss' fight for eligibility stems from the respiratory issues he suffered from in the 2022 season at Ferris State. 2025 marked Chambliss' fifth season in college football, but he has only seen the field in three of those five seasons.

Even if Chambliss wins the case, the SEC's expansion of its conference schedule to nine games makes the road to the College Football Playoff all the more daunting. The Rebels' SEC home games are against LSU, Missouri, Auburn, Georgia and Mississippi State. Ole Miss travels to Florida, Vanderbilt, Texas and Oklahoma in 2026.