Kirk Herbstreit Doubles Down on 'Face of College Football' Ahead of 2026 Season

College football teams across the country are wrapping up another week of fall camp ahead of the start of the 2026 season.

Ole Miss Has Best Season In the CFP Era

One of the teams with a lot of excitement is the Ole Miss Rebels. The Rebels are coming off a 13-2 campaign that saw them make their first College Football Playoff appearance. They defeated the Tulane Green Wave and the Georgia Bulldogs before losing to the Miami Hurricanes in the final seconds of the semifinals.

The team was led by star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. He threw for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and three interceptions, while rushing for 527 yards and eight scores, despite not being the starter at the start of the season.

Chambliss returns for his final season this year. He is considered again as one of the top quarterbacks in college football, and is hoping to lead the Rebels to their first national championship since 1960.

Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) against the Miami Hurricanes. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kirk Herbstreit Calls Trinidad Chambliss the Face of College Football

Before the season begins, Chambliss earned high praise from one of the most notable figures in college football. ESPN's "College GameDay" analyst Kirk Herbstreit previously said on "The Pat McAfee Show" that Chambliss is the face of college football.

He doubled down on that statement while appearing on On3's "Andy and Ari."

"If I asked you right now who do you like in the SEC, doesn't it just come down to quarterback play?" Herbstreit said. "There's so much equality and skill and defense and the SEC is loaded with quarterbacks... Trinidad, to me, I think he's going to be the face of college football. I think he's as good as the sport has to offer at that position."

Ole Miss Has the QB To Make Another CFP Run

Now, Chambliss enters the 2026 season with something he didn't have at the beginning of last year: an established role and the confidence that comes with having already succeeded at the highest level.

The Rebels will have plenty to replace and won't have an easy path back to the playoff. But having an experienced quarterback capable of making plays with both his arm and legs gives them a legitimate foundation.

Herbstreit's comments also underscore just how high the expectations are for Chambliss. Being called the "face of college football" is significant praise, but it also comes with significant pressure. If Chambliss lives up to it, Ole Miss could once again find itself in the middle of the national championship conversation.

After going from an unexpected starter to a College Football Playoff star, Chambliss now has the opportunity to make 2026 the season he goes from breakout quarterback to the face of the sport.

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