Trinidad Chambliss’ NCAA Eligibility Case Headed to Court With Feb. 12 Hearing Set

OXFORD, Miss. — A key date is now on the calendar in the ongoing eligibility battle involving Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.

Court records show a Feb. 12 hearing has been scheduled to consider Chambliss’ request for a preliminary injunction against the NCAA — a ruling that could allow him to compete during the 2026 season while his broader legal challenge plays out. The hearing is set for 9:30 a.m. at the Calhoun County Courthouse, following filings submitted January 26.

Chambliss initiated legal action on Jan. 16, filing suit in Lafayette County Chancery Court after the NCAA denied his request for an additional season of eligibility on Jan. 9. The quarterback is seeking relief after leading Ole Miss to the College Football Playoff semifinals in 2025 and finishing eighth in Heisman Trophy voting during his lone season in Oxford.

Along with the hearing request, Chambliss’ legal team submitted a detailed memorandum sharply criticizing the NCAA’s waiver process. The filing argues that the organization’s eligibility review system is fundamentally flawed and structured to deny requests regardless of merit.

According to the memorandum, NCAA staff were instructed to reject cases seeking extra seasons of competition outright, even before reviewing evidence. It further contends that the appeals process offers little meaningful recourse, alleging that appellate committees are guided by an institutional bias toward denial rather than independent evaluation.

“In considering and deciding whether to waive its ‘Five to Play Four’ rule and grant an additional season of eligibility, the NCAA literally instructed its staff to unconditionally ‘deny cases requesting … additional seasons of competition,’ regardless of the evidence,” the memorandum states. “Even on appeal of the initial staff-level denial, the NCAA’s directives establish a predisposition prejudicial to the student-athlete by proclaiming the appellate committee is ‘inclined to deny’ the waiver request despite the evidence. Why even have a waiver rule, since denial is predetermined and engagement in the NCAA’s waiver request process is futile?”

Chambliss transferred to Ole Miss ahead of the 2025 season after spending four years at Ferris State, where he was part of a national championship program. His waiver request centers on the 2022 season, during which he did not appear in a game and sought a medical hardship exemption. Ole Miss separately appealed the NCAA’s decision, though reports indicate the appeals committee twice reviewed the case last week without yet issuing a ruling.

The lawsuit also outlines the financial stakes tied to the eligibility decision. Chambliss’ attorneys argue that denying him the opportunity to play in 2026 would cause significant and irreparable harm, forcing him prematurely into the NFL Draft.

As laid out in the complaint, Chambliss is projected as a mid-round NFL selection, a range that typically yields substantially lower early-career earnings than top-tier college NIL opportunities. By contrast, his current agreement to remain at Ole Miss is valued at more than $5 million, according to multiple reports — a figure that dwarfs the expected first-year compensation of many quarterbacks drafted outside the top rounds.

The upcoming hearing represents the most immediate path to clarity. If the court grants temporary relief, Chambliss would be permitted to play while the case proceeds. Without it, his college future would likely hinge on the outcome of prolonged litigation or a forced transition to the professional ranks.

For now, the spotlight shifts from the field to the courtroom — where the next chapter of Ole Miss’ quarterback situation will begin to take shape.