‘Scares Me as a Defender,’ ‘Gonna Be a PROBLEM For SEC’ — CFB World Reacts as Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss Lights Up Louisville For 396 Yards, 4 TDs
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Ole Miss opened its season with the kind of quarterback performance that can immediately change the conversation around a player. Against a ranked Louisville team, Trinidad Chambliss repeatedly answered pressure with big plays and delivered again when the game tightened late.
His performance helped secure a dramatic victory and gave the college football world plenty to discuss heading into Week 2.
Trinidad Chambliss’ 396-Yard Showing Has CFB Calling for Heisman Consideration
Chambliss accounted for 396 total yards and four touchdowns as No. 9 Ole Miss edged out No. 24 Louisville 41-38 at Nissan Stadium.
The fifth-year quarterback completed 21 of 36 passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns while adding 60 rushing yards and another score, overcoming one interception to deliver when the Rebels needed him most.
Ole Miss led 10-6 at halftime after a slow start in the opening half. Chambliss then took charge of the game with a show that included two 62-yard touchdown passes to Deuce Alexander in the third quarter.
Alexander finished with five catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns, while Chambliss also found Caleb Odom for a 35-yard touchdown and connected with him for an important 18-yard gain on the final scoring drive. Lucas Carneiro eventually ended the game with a 48-yard field goal when the clock ran out.
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The quarterback duel also showed why Chambliss’s performance stood out. Louisville’s Lincoln Kienholz produced 376 total yards and three touchdowns without throwing an interception, but Chambliss finished with the higher yardage and touchdown totals.
The CFB world soon joined the conversation, with several former players and analysts weighing in on Chambliss’s performance.
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Former NFL defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko offered perhaps the strongest endorsement, writing, “I hate admitting this, and it makes me sick. Trinidad Chambliss might be the best quarterback in college football. His velocity, pocket awareness, and mobility scare me as a defender.”
Robert Griffin III offered an NFL-focused perspective, writing, “Trinidad Chambliss showed up MASSIVE on the game-winning drive when Ole Miss needed him most.
“That’s what NFL teams needed to focus on when evaluating him. He may be 6’1 on paper, but his ability to make clutch throws when the PRESSURE IS HIGHEST is how he STANDS TALL.”
Chambliss’s late-game execution also caught Skip Bayless’ attention. “Trinidad Chambliss was born with a big clutch gene,” Bayless posted.
The comparisons extended to his throwing ability, with ESPN’s Peter Burns writing, “Trinidad Chambliss’ passes remind me of Michael Vick’s. Flicks it and throws such a pretty pass.”
Former Texas Longhorns linebacker Emmanuel Acho went even further with the Heisman discussion, posting, “Trinidad Chambliss has to be the early Heisman favorite! 400 yards and 4 touchdowns vs. a ranked team on National TV!”
Ole Miss’s receiving corps is another reason the quarterback’s performance could matter going forward.
ESPN’s Kayce Smith wrote, “’Trinidad Chambliss to Deuce Alexander’ is going to be a PROBLEM for the SEC this season.”
Former NFL player Chase Daniel also joined the Heisman conversation, writing, “Trinidad Chambliss has officially launched his Heisman campaign… 350 total yards and 4 TDs so far. This is the ONLY ranked matchup of Week 1, by the way.”
With Ole Miss starting 1-0 under Pete Golding, Chambliss has already given the Rebels a compelling narrative for the weeks ahead.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
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