The NCAA denied Mississippi鈥檚 request to extend the eligibility of Trinidad Chambliss on Friday.
The Rebels star quarterback just finished his fifth year of college football in to Miami in the College Football Playoff semifinals on Thursday night.
He had for one more year if the waiver was approved.
The NCAA said Ole Miss and Ferris State failed to provide adequate medical documentation to back up the request.
Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said his school will appeal the ruling.
鈥淲e are disappointed with today’s announcement by the NCAA and plan to appeal the decision to the Committee level,鈥� Carter said in a social media , in which he included the flag of Trinidad and Tobago. 鈥淎dditionally, we will continue to work in conjunction with Trinidad’s representatives in other avenues of support.鈥�
Tom Mars, who is an attorney for Chambliss, said he was disappointed but not surprised by the NCAA’s decision.
鈥淭he last time I checked, however, the only score that matters is the one at the end of the fourth quarter,鈥� Mars said.
鈥淚 understand that Ole Miss will file an appeal with the NCAA. However, there鈥檚 now an opportunity to move this case to a level playing field where Trinidad鈥檚 rights will be determined by the Mississippi judiciary instead of some bureaucrats in Indianapolis who couldn鈥檛 care less about the law or doing the right thing,鈥� Mars said. 鈥淲hether to pursue that course of action is a decision only Trinidad and his parents can make.鈥�
After taking a redshirt his first season at Ferris State in 2021-22, Chambliss was held out in his second season for medical reasons. He played two more seasons at the Division II school, leading the Bulldogs to a national championship before transferring to Ole Miss before the start of this season. Ole Miss filed the waiver request with the NCAA in November.
Chambliss completed 294 of 445 passes (66.1%) for 3,937 yards with 22 touchdowns and three interceptions for Ole Miss (13-2), which set a school record for wins, including two after making the College Football Playoff for the first time. He ran for 527 yards and eight more TDs.
The NCAA said in its denial statement that approval of such waivers requires schools to submit medical documentation from a treating physician at the time of a student鈥檚 incapacitating injury or illness.
鈥淭he documents provided by Ole Miss and the student鈥檚 prior school include a physician鈥檚 note from a December 2022 visit, which stated the student-athlete was 鈥榙oing very well鈥� since he was seen in August 2022,” the NCAA said. “Additionally, the student-athlete鈥檚 prior school indicated it had no documentation on medical treatment, injury reports or medical conditions involving the student-athlete during that time frame and cited 鈥榙evelopmental needs and our team鈥檚 competitive circumstances鈥� as its reason the student-athlete did not play in the 2022-23 season.鈥�
The NCAA noted that it initially provided a verbal denial on Dec. 8, which was 12 days before Ole Miss beat Tulane at home in the program’s first CFP game.
鈥淭o receive a clock extension, a student-athlete must have been denied two seasons of competition for reasons beyond the student鈥檚 or school鈥檚 control, and a 鈥榬edshirt鈥� year can be used only once,鈥� the statement reads. 鈥淥ne of the rules being cited publicly (Bylaw 12.6.4.2.2) is not the correct rule for the type of waiver requested by the school.鈥�
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up . AP college football: and
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
