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Ole Miss will return the man who led the team to its most successful season in program history.
After suing the NCAA for a sixth season of eligibility, Trinidad Chambliss was granted the chance to play the 2026 season by a state judge on Thursday.
The NCAA formally denied his request for sixth-year eligibility on Jan. 9 because he and his team were unable to provide proof that he suffered from a “disabling injury or illness” while not playing for Division II Ferris State in 2022 due to apparent respiratory issues.
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Trinidad Chambliss of the Ole Miss Rebels celebrates a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes in the second quarter during the 2025 College Football Playoff semifinal game at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on January 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Chambliss’ appeal to the NCAA was denied last week, but the legal battle continued.
The judge ruled that the NCAA “acted in bad faith” in trying to keep Chambliss ineligible for next season, according to Yahoo Sports.
Ole Miss came within a quarter of qualifying for the College Football Playoff championship game, lose a thriller 31-27 in Miami during the Fiesta Bowl on January 8.
Trinidad Chambliss (6) of the Ole Miss Rebels scores a touchdown in the first quarter of the first round of the 2025 College Football Playoff against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on December 20, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Wes Hale/Getty Images)
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The Rebels’ playoff run was mired in controversy when Lane Kiffin opted to accept the LSU head coaching job. Athletic director Keith Carter said Kiffin would not be able to coach the team to the playoffs if he left, leading to a he-said-he-said between Kiffin and the players over how the rift played out in the locker room.
However, several coaches, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., went back and forth between LSU and Ole Miss for playoff games.
Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) warms up before the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field on November 28, 2025. (Pierre Thomas/Imagn Images)
The Rebels and Tigers will meet in week three in Oxford.
