Injury Update on Austin Simmons: Pete Thamel says Rebels’ QB is ‘game-time decision’
OXFORD, Miss. — All eyes will be on the quarterback warm-ups in Vaught-Hemingway tonight. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel Saturday morning, Austin Simmons will be evaluated pregame to determine whether plays against Arkansas.
Sources: Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons (ankle) is expected to be a game-time decision tonight against Arkansas in Oxford. He’ll be monitored in warm-ups and a decision will be made. Back-up Trinidad Chambliss received an uptick in snaps this week. pic.twitter.com/CDkGo6Ihlh
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 13, 2025
“Sources: Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons (ankle) is expected to be a game-time decision tonight against Arkansas in Oxford,” Thamel reported Saturday morning.
“He’ll be monitored in warm-ups and a decision will be made. Back-up Trinidad Chambliss received an uptick in snaps this week.”
Pete Thamel
A Week of Questions
Simmons began the week listed as Probable on Wednesday’s availability report. By Thursday and Friday, however, his name had been removed, raising speculation about his health. Sources indicated throughout the week that indeed backup Trinidad Chambliss was taking more snaps and did so with the first team.
Simmons, a redshirt sophomore, left the Kentucky matchup late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury, giving Chambliss an opportunity to close things out. Earlier in the night, Simmons had battled back from two early interceptions to steady the offense and guide the Rebels to a 30-23 victory in Lexington.
Head coach Lane Kiffin explained the quarterback switch afterward.
“He was fine to go back in,” Kiffin said of Simmons. “I wanted Trinidad just because we were gonna run some stuff where he was gonna pull the ball and luckily it worked out.”
Simmons’ final line in the win: 13 completions on 24 attempts for 235 yards, two interceptions, plus 44 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Tonight marks the first SEC home contest of the season for the No. 17 Rebels, and it comes against an Arkansas squad averaging big numbers offensively through two games. Razorback quarterback Taylen Green has been one of the most dynamic dual-threats in the league.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT on ESPN, with fans packing Vaught-Hemingway for a much-anticipated Stripe Out atmosphere.
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception. Email Evie at: Evie@TheRebelWalk.com
