Ole Miss needs Trinidad Chambliss eligibility case success or CFP hopes go poof
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The NCAA has a bone in its mouth, everyone. And it’s not letting go.
Not for Tom Mars or any other attorney brazenly judge shopping to rig the system. And certainly not for Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, no matter how inspiring his story.
But here’s the problem with the NCAA digging in on player eligibility limits and Mars’ history of paddling the NCAA in court: those two familiar combatants won’t feel the fallout.
Ole Miss will.
Because no matter what happens in court, Chambliss will be paid to play football in 2026 — be it with Ole Miss, or as a potential first-round pick in the NFL Draft next month.
But if the NCAA wins its appeal with the Mississippi Supreme Court and Chambliss is ruled ineligible, Ole Miss goes from a favorite to reach the 12-team College Football Playoff, to a team that may not win seven games.
With Chambliss, Ole Miss is a dangerous offense that’s a problem for every team on the schedule. Without him, it gets interesting.
Deuce Knight transferred from Auburn prior to Chambliss being ruled eligible by a county judge — in between the judge’s blubbering from the bench while reading his ruling — and then removed any mention of Ole Miss from his social media accounts (though he kept a picture of himself in Ole Miss gear).
So if the Mississippi Supreme Court overrules the local county judge and sides with the NCAA, then what?
The Rebels are left with a quarterback room of sophomore AJ Maddox, sophomore transfer Maealiuaki Smith (Oklahoma State) and senior walk-on transfer George Hamsley (Tennessee State). And as far as we know, Knight.
Smith played briefly at Oklahoma State in 2024, and had two touchdowns and four interceptions in 74 attempts. Maddox and Hamsely haven’t thrown a college pass.
I don’t think I’m overselling it when I say Ole Miss better hope the Supremes in Mississippi are just as wildly provincial as the judge who originally wept when ruling.
It’s not like Knight — a former five-star recruit — was a difference-maker at Auburn. He showed flashes, but nothing that would make anyone think Ole Miss could win more than six or seven games unless things drastically change.
To be fair, Knight was dealing with former Auburn coach Huge Freeze, who was at best disinterested in his time on The Plains — and at worst lallygagging through professional malpractice.
So maybe Knight is the answer, and all he needs is a new team and a new focus and to wait and see how it all shakes out with Chambliss.
All he needs is a first-year coach who hitched himself to the momentum of hot quarterback and hot team full of motivation, and nearly got a trip to the national championship game out of it. A new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and a new system, too.
What could go wrong?
Ole Miss better hope nothing does go awry in the Mississippi Supreme Court.
Or we’ll find out just how ugly it can get.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ole Miss fight NCAA over Trinidad Chambliss eligibility has CFP impact
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