Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’s day of reckoning arrived on Thursday when his quest for a temporary injunction got a hearing at the Calhoun County Courthouse in Pittsboro. Chambliss is seeking to return to college football for a sixth year, but his waiver was denied by the NCAA last week, prompting him to sue the authorities.
Trinidad Chambliss Gets Heisman Hype During Hearing
Ole Miss insider Michael Katz revealed on X that at the hearing, Rebels quarterback coach Joe Judge expressed his belief in Chambliss winning the Heisman Trophy next season should he be granted an injunction allowing him to continue playing college football.
“Joe Judge was asked if, given last year’ success and the other finishers ahead of him going to the NFL, Trinidad Chambliss has a reasonable shot at winning the Heisman Trophy in 2026. “I believe it’s a fair statement,” Katz tweeted.
Joe Judge was asked if, given last year’ success and the other finishers ahead of him going to the NFL, Trinidad Chambliss has a reasonable shot at winning the Heisman Trophy in 2026.
“I believe it’s a fair statement.”
— Michael Katz (@MichaelLKatz) February 12, 2026
Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr and Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning are the favorites to win the 2026 Heisman Trophy and lead their teams to national championship contention. The core of Chambliss’s defense for an extra season of eligibility stems from the quarterback taking a redshirt in 2021 during his freshman season with the Ferris State Bulldogs.
Respiratory issues also prevented him from playing for the Bulldogs in 2022, and his lawyer, Tom Mars, even provided video evidence of commentators discussing the quarterback’s health issues during the Bulldogs’ DII national championship game against the Valdosta State Blazers. The Rebels even released a statement in support of Chambliss’s eligibility hearing, offering support to the quarterback in his legal battle against the NCAA.
“The NCAA Athletics Eligibility Subcommittee’s decision to deny Trinidad’s appeal is indefensible,” the statement read. “The NCAA staff asserted that Trinidad was not denied the opportunity to compete during the 2022 season, despite the reality that he did not dress for a single game while suffering from severe, incapacitating medical conditions.
“Those conditions were fully and contemporaneously documented by his treating physician, yet this waiver request was still denied when it should have been approved at the NCAA staff level.”
MORE: Trinidad Chambliss Uncertainty Deepens As NFL Combine Snub Adds Fresh Twist to Eligibility Saga
Chambliss earned a PFSN College QB Impact score of 90.3 after taking over the Rebels’ QB1 duties from the injured Austin Simmons. He registered 3,937 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions, while adding 527 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns, which has the Rebels anxious to have him back next season.
“Trinidad’s representatives will continue to pursue all available legal remedies, and we will publicly stand behind Trinidad while holding the NCAA accountable for a decision that fails to align with its own rules.”
On Wednesday, Chambliss was not among the 15 quarterbacks invited to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, potentially impacting his draft stock should his eligibility hearing fail to go his way on Thursday.
