Ole Miss is still considered a longshot to win the 2026 College Football Playoff, but the Rebels’ chances in the eyes of oddsmakers definitely increased with a judge ruling that quarterback Trinidad Chambliss can play next season.
The Rebels were a +4000 longshot at BetMGM to win next season’s CFP before a judge in Pittsboro, Miss. ruled on Thursday that Chambliss merits one more year of college football eligibility. Following the ruling, Ole Miss’ title odds shortened to +3500 at BetMGM and DraftKings, while FanDuel trimmed the Rebels to +3000.
The Rebels also led all teams with 48% of the total bets and 90% of all money wagered on next season’s national champion backing Ole Miss at BetMGM since the ruling. That included one $5,000 bet at the book backing the Rebels at +3500.
Ole Miss still has only the 14th-shortest title odds at the book with the Rebels behind SEC rivals Texas (+700), Georgia (+900), LSU (+1200), Alabama (+1500), Texas A&M (+1500) and Oklahoma (+3000).
With the potential of the NCAA appealing Thursday’s ruling, Chambliss has not yet been added to the 2025 Heisman Trophy market by any of the three books.
JUDGE: NCAA SHOWED ‘BAD FAITH’
Chambliss, who finished eighth in the 2025 Heisman Trophy race while leading the Rebels to the College Football Playoff semifinals, initially had his appeal to play in 2026 denied by the NCAA on Jan. 9.
That led Chambliss’ lawyers to file for the injunction granted Thursday by Judge Robert Whitwell in Lafayette County Chancery Court. The University of Mississippi is located in Oxford, the county seat for Lafayette.
Whitwell spoke for more than an hour before declaring Chambliss would receive the injunction. He declared the NCAA showed “bad faith” when denying Chambliss’ appeal by ignoring evidence brought forth by Ferris State doctors.
Chambliss spent his first four college years at Ferris State. He redshirted as a freshman in 2021, appeared in just two games due to illness in 2022 (triggering the belief he merited a medical redshirt) and threw just 33 passes as a backup in 2023 before directing Ferris State to the Div. II national championship in 2024.
The Grand Rapids, Mich., native transferred to Ole Miss in 2025 and became the team’s quarterback in Week 3 after starter Austin Simmons suffered an injury. Chambliss wound up leading the Rebels to a 13-2 season that ended with a 31-27 Fiesta Bowl loss to Miami on Jan. 8.
Chambliss completed 66.1% of his passes for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He also rushed for 527 yards and eight scores.
He signed a lucrative NIL deal to return to Ole Miss, but that was placed in jeopardy when his waiver appeal was denied.
The NCAA can appeal Thursday’s decision, so Chambliss isn’t guaranteed to be in uniform when Ole Miss opens the 2026 season against Louisville on either Sept. 5 or 6 in Nashville.
The NCAA issued a statement shortly after the injunction was granted:
“This decision in a state court illustrates the impossible situation created by differing court decisions that serve to undermine rules agreed to by the same NCAA members who later challenge them in court. We will continue to defend the NCAA’s eligibility rules against repeated attempts to rob future generations of the opportunity to compete in college and experience the life-changing opportunities only college sports can create. The NCAA and its member schools are making changes to deliver more benefits to student-athletes, but the patchwork of state laws and inconsistent, conflicting court decisions make partnering with Congress essential to provide stability for current and future college athletes.”
–Field Level Media
