After spending most of his 2025 season on the bench, first nursing his injury and then being sidelined due to Trindiad Chambliss's success, Ole Miss backup QB Austin Simmons declared his intention to enter the transfer portal on Jan. 3, per ESPN.
Austin Simmons announces entering transfer portal
The announcement also came with the school that is the most likely landing spot for Simmons.
"Sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel that Missouri is Simmons' likely landing spot, and that he's entering the transfer portal with a no contact tag, meaning other schools aren't permitted to contact him," ESPN's Mark Salabach reported.
"The Miami native will be a graduate transfer with two seasons of eligibility remaining," Salabach continued.
The Miami native will be a graduate transfer with two seasons of eligibility remaining.
NEWS: Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, per an ESPN source. He’s entering with a no contact tag, with Missouri as the favorite to land him. He’s expected to stay with Ole Miss through the CFP. pic.twitter.com/z7B6jaNhz6
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 2, 2026
However, Ole Miss's QB2 does not plan to abandon his team in the thick of the College Football Playoff, like their former head coach Lane Kiffin did.
Instead, the Miami native is reportedly staying with the Rebels till they finish their CFP run.
The announcement gives Pete Golding and his newly formed staff to urgently start looking for starting and backup quarterbacks for the 2026 season.
With Simmons leaving and Chambliss awaiting a verdict on his waiver for a sixth-year extension, the Ole Miss quarterback room is looking quite deserted already.
The caveat in Chambliss's waiver is once he hears back from the NCAA, he could also announce entering the transfer portal to join Kiffin at LSU.
"I think the NCAA is closed right now," Chambliss said after Thursday's 39-34 upset of No. 3 Georgia in a CFP quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. "I'm pretty sure they open [Friday]. So, hopefully we hear an answer soon."