Now that we're five games into the season, who Lane Kiffin's choice at QB should be is plain for all to see.
Austin Simmons had decent hype coming into the season; he might have even had a decent season were it not for his Week 2 injury.
But hardly any QB could accomplish what Division II transfer QB Trinidad Chambliss has in just three weeks as Rebels QB1. We can only imagine what starting him at quarterback for their remaining schedule could unlock.
By now, it should be a no-brainer decision to name Chambliss the starting QB over Austin Simmons. CBS Sports' analyst Danny Kannell reasons why:
"This is a no-brainer for Lane Kiffin. Trinidad Chambliss is your starting quarterback," Kannell said on CBS Spots HQ.
"And by the way, he might be one of the best in the SEC. Every time he's gone out there as a starter, he's thrown for 300 yards. He's been able to close out games like he did against LSU. He can run the ball pretty effectively with his legs. It is a no-brainer who the Ole Miss quarterback is."
Even when looking at it from a stats point of view, Simmons had four interceptions during the two games he started and a brief appearance against Arkansas.
While Chambliss has just one interception in five games he appeared in, three of which he started.
Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss is the best surprise of this college football season. I know the bar is incredibly low but he’s the best QB in the SEC.
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) September 27, 2025
The Ferris State transfer finishing with 300+ passing yards and 50+ rushing yards each time he started, and being one of the only two SEC QBs to do so in the last 30 years, just adds more credit to his resume.
All that said, Kiffin will most likely hold back the announcement till the very last moment before they face Washington State, and it's not just for building anticipation surrounding the program.
Simmons staying with Ole Miss, even when it meant spending a whole year behind Jaxson Dart in 2024, shows his commitment to the program. It is a fact that Kiffin can't ignore that easily in an NIL-driven transfer era.
Additionally, the Ole Miss recruiting team has invested much effort and finances in Simmons to just bench him following an injury.
Kiffin can weigh out the pros and cons as much as he wants, but in the end, his decision will simply be what is the best for Ole Miss.
Kiffin will not throw away a roster capable enough to make it to the college football playoffs, and possibly even the national championship, just to keep someone happy.