OXFORD — The Supreme Court of Mississippi ruled Friday it has denied the NCAA’s permission to appeal in its case against Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.
Chambliss won a preliminary injunction against the NCAA on Feb. 12 in Lafayette County chancery court in Pittsboro that made him eligible for the 2026 college football season. Chambliss, who began his collegiate career at Ferris State, was denied an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA. Chambliss appealed for a sixth season due to medical issues that he and his representatives claimed cost him the 2022 season.
Judge Robert Whitwell granted the injunction in chancery court based on the “irreparable harm” the NCAA’s decision would do to Chambliss.
“Trinidad Chambliss has demonstrated based on the evidence presented that he is entitled to an additional year of eligibility at the University of Mississippi and the NCAA has failed in its argument to withhold that right,” Whitwell said at the time. “Further, Trinidad Chambliss has proven the extent exists the substantial likelihood he will prevail on the merits of the … hearing to be set at a later date. The injunction is necessary to defend irreparable harm to Trinidad.”
Per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the NCAA asked “the court to overrule the injunction and expedite the ruling” earlier this month.
The motion for the preliminary injunction was filed on Jan. 26 to prevent the NCAA from “prohibiting (Chambliss) from practicing, playing, or otherwise participating on the University of Mississippi intercollegiate football team during the 2026-2027 academic year.”
Among the arguments Chambliss’ side made on Feb. 12 were that bouts of COVID-19 and mononucleosis, ongoing sleep apnea and tonsillitis contributed to him being “incapacitated” for the 2022 season, a year in which Chambliss did not play a single snap for Ferris State.
Chambliss – who took a traditional redshirt as a true freshman in 2021 – was under the impression he had two years of eligibility remaining when he arrived at Ole Miss last spring. The argument largely centered around the notion that Chambliss has not played four full seasons of college football, which the NCAA guarantees its student-athletes.
The NCAA argued in part that because Chambliss practiced during the 2022 season and played in 2023 and 2024 while still experiencing his documented symptoms, did not miss practice or school time and did not undergo surgery until after the 2024 campaign, he was not truly incapacitated and that they had not acted in bad faith in making their rulings. They also claimed there was insufficient documentation of Chambliss’ medical issues.
Whitwell determined, in part, that the NCAA largely “ignored” the filed medical records in the case “in violation of its own policies.” He also noted the NCAA “does not define or enumerate what health conditions may be considered ‘incapacitated.’”
“Trinidad Chambliss has demonstrated based on the evidence presented that he is entitled to an additional year of eligibility at the University of Mississippi and the NCAA has failed in its argument to withhold that right,” Whitwell said. “Further, Trinidad Chambliss has proven the extent exists the substantial likelihood he will prevail on the merits of the … hearing to be set at a later date. The injunction is necessary to defend irreparable harm to Trinidad.”
Chambliss led Ole Miss to its first College Football Playoff appearance last season and a No. 3 ranking in the final AP Poll, the program’s highest finish since 1962. Chambliss finished 10th nationally in total offense per game (297.6) and third in passing yards (3,937). He finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting.
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