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OXFORD, Miss. — When quarterback Trinidad Chambliss announced his decision to transfer from Division-II Ferris State to Ole Miss, the common belief was that he would be the backup to Austin Simmons for his senior season, and that was true for the first few weeks.
After starting the Week 3 game against Arkansas due to Simmons suffering an injury, Chambliss secured the starting job moving forward, allowing him the chance to prove that he can win a championship at the highest level of college football with the Rebels.
“It’s really crazy to think about,” Chambliss said at Sunday’s media opportunity.
“I was in the same position last year, we were playing Harding; it was a different team, different school and a different division… I think I’ve kind of lived in the moment and just enjoyed every moment.“
Trinidad Chambliss
Chambliss got his taste of winning at Ferris State, but seeing similar success in the SEC and the College Football Playoffs is even sweeter, with much tougher opponents providing more difficult defenses to deal with.
When he took the field at Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans to face the Georgia Bulldogs on New Year’s, he was facing a team that was synonymous with top-level defensive play, a team that had acquired two national championships in the last five years.
However, in what was the biggest moment of Chambliss’ career, even in Ole Miss school history, Chambliss showed that no moment was too big for him as he brought a top-notch performance, throwing for 362 yards and two touchdowns.
But particularly, there’s still one play that has been engraved in the minds of those who watched the game: A fourth-quarter third-and-7 at Ole Miss’ own 28-yard line in which Chambliss took the snap, retreated all the way back to his own 1-yard line before making his way back towards the line of scrimmage, then finding running back Kewan Lacey for a first down.
The play got everyone anxious; had he been sacked in his own end zone, it would have resulted in a safety, which would have added two more points to the Bulldogs’ 24-19 lead.
“Yeah, I just feel like as a player and as a playmaker, I think that there’s sometimes in a game where you just kind of black out, or the game kind of moves so fast where you’re not even thinking about what you’re doing. And I think that was situation. It’s 3rd and 7. Had to make a play. We were down at that point, 1924. So a scoring drive would have been huge. I just felt like that was the best chance to run around and find a way to get a first down, and that’s what happened.“
Trinidad Chambliss on his amazing third-down play vs. UGA
It was a championship-level performance, one that Chambliss also said got him recognized and followed by many celebrities. He even got to talk with a legendary QB after the game.
“A couple of famous people followed me. I saw, I think RG3 (Robert Griffin III) had tweeted me something. I talked to Tim Tebow after the game. That’s a college football legend, so that was really cool to hear his words and hear what he thought about the game. And he game me his props and gave the team props as well. So that was really cool.“
Trinidad Chambliss
Coming to Ole Miss has allowed Chambliss to showcase his talents on a stage that has gotten him recognized as one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and he has no plans to slow down, as the Rebels will take on Miami Thursday.
Here’s every throw Chambliss made against the Bulldogs.
Miami has one of the best defenses in the country, and it has proved that with wins over Ohio State and Texas A&M by means of suffocating defensive performances. So, Chambliss will need to bring his best to Phoenix for the Fiesta Bowl.
And he’ll likely do just that in front of thousands of Ole Miss fans, eager to re-live the excitement of the Sugar Bowl win.
“Yeah, it was amazing to see everybody come out and basically take over the Caesars Superdome. I feel like it was an Ole Miss home game at times because It was just so loud whenever we would make a play. I always heard the Hotty Toddy chants. It was just really cool to see all the love and support we got in New Orleans.”
Trinidad Chambliss on Rebel fans in New Orleans
Next Up:Â
Ole Miss and Miami kick off in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Thursday, January 8. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT.
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Noah Scoggins
Noah is from Killeen, Texas, and graduated from Early College High School. He grew up in the Birmingham, Alabama, area and is now a second-year senior at the University of Alabama and will graduate in the spring. He is currently majoring in news media with a focus in sports media, as well as a minor in criminal justice. Noah has always loved and been passionate about college athletics and wants to share his love for sports.
