Mississippi judge denies NCAA appeal, clearing Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss for sixth season

A Mississippi judge has denied an appeal by the NCAA, ruling Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss eligible for a sixth year of college football eligibility.[1][2]

The NCAA rejected Chambliss's request for an additional year of eligibility on January 9, 2026, citing insufficient evidence of an "incapacitating injury or illness" that prevented him from playing during the 2022 season at Division II Ferris State University due to respiratory issues.[1][2]

Chambliss, who transferred to the University of Mississippi Rebels from Ferris State -- the NCAA Division II national champions in 2021 and 2022 -- sued the NCAA after the denial. A judge ruled last month that the NCAA acted in "bad faith" by attempting to deem him ineligible, a decision upheld after the appeal denial at Calhoun County Courthouse in Pittsboro, Mississippi.[1][2]

The NCAA had argued that Chambliss exhausted his eligibility by playing four seasons within a five-year period at the Division I level.[1][2]

Chambliss appeared in the Rebels' College Football Playoff Fiesta Bowl semifinal against Miami on January 8, 2026, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, where Ole Miss lost 31-27.[1]

Ole Miss, members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), will face LSU in Week 3 of the upcoming season in Oxford, Mississippi.[1]

Sources

1. Fox News, "Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is eligible for a sixth season of college football after a Mississippi judge denied an NCAA appeal", February 2026 (approx.), https://www.foxnews.com/sports
2. Ole Miss Athletics, Football Roster and Match Center, accessed February 2026, https://olemissports.com/sports/football