Why Pete Golding joked with Trinidad Chambliss while Ole Miss QB was injured in CFP
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
OXFORD — The record-breaking Ole Miss football crowd at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium was loud for the entirety of the College Football Playoff win over Tulane on Dec. 20.
Except for one moment.
It was late in the second quarter when Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss suffered an injury. Play was stopped as the No. 6 seed Rebels led the No. 11 Green Wave by 14 points with 43 seconds left before halftime. Chambliss’ neck twisted awkwardly, and his head hit the ground hard as he was tackled.
While Ole Miss fans were worried, coach Pete Golding cracked a joke to his quarterback who finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
“When I walked over there when he was on the field laying down, I looked at him like, ‘You don’t have to do this for attention,'” Golding said. “‘You’ve got your own flags, and you’ve got your own song that they play in the stadium.”‘
Chambliss missed the remainder of the first half but came back in to start the second half and lead Ole Miss (12-1) to a 41-10 win over Tulane (11-3). The Rebels will face No. 3 Georgia (12-1) in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 (7 p.m., ESPN) in New Orleans.
“I think he got a little banged up,” Golding said. “That dude is tough as nails … You weren’t keeping that kid out of the game. No way.”
Chambliss was not asked after the game about Golding’s joke.
Trinidad Chambliss’ dream season for Ole Miss continues
Chambliss completed 23 of 29 pass attempts for 282 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 43 yards and two touchdowns.
The Division II transfer from Ferris State didn’t begin the season as the starter, but Rebels fans have adored him since he took the starting job from injured Austin Simmons in Week 3.
They bring Trinidad and Tobago flags to tailgates and games, and a song called “Ole Miss on Island Time, a Reggae Anthem for Trinidad Chambliss & Rebel fans” has gone viral and was even played at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
“It’s a surreal moment,” Chambliss said after the win. “If you would have said this before the season that I would be the starting quarterback and I would get Ole Miss their first playoff victory, I would be like, ‘You’re crazy.’ But it’s amazing.
“This was definitely a dream of mine when I was a little kid. I feel like me and my dad and my brother and my mom, this was kind of like the plan for me whenever I would go to workouts. They would sacrifice a lot.”
Simmons replaced Chambliss for three plays before losing a fumble on a strip sack.
Ferris State won national championship during Ole Miss game
While Chambliss was quarterbacking the Rebels on Dec. 20, his former team also won the Division II national championship. Ferris State defeated Harding 42-21 for its fourth national championship in the last five seasons. Chambliss was Ferris State’s starting quarterback during the 2024 national championship season.
“Ferris State actually did win the national championship today,” Chambliss said. “They beat Harding back-to-back years. Props to them.”
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Pete Golding jokes with Ole Miss QB after injury vs Tulane in CFP
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos