CFP FIRST ROUND: TULANE VS OLE MISS

December 20, 2025

Trinidad Chambliss

Vaught Hemingway Stadium

Ole Miss Rebels

Postgame Press Conference

Ole Miss 41, Tulane 10

Q. Trinidad, Archie Manning spoke to the team yesterday, and Eli Manning was here today. Those two had not been around the program a ton in the past few years, but have made their presence known here lately. How cool was it to hear from Archie and see them here?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: Yeah, it was really cool to see and hear him talk to the team. He had great words of encouragement. He's got a ton of wisdom, so that's really cool to get all the knowledge you can from him.

Then I met Eli before pregame. He seems like a really good guy. He's taller than I expected, to be honest, but great that I finally get to meet them.

Q. What was tonight like for you?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: It was amazing. The atmosphere, yeah, the juice was there for sure. The crowd was amazing. We executed really well. First drive was I think three plays, and 59 seconds was College Football Playoff record, so it was good that we had an earlier start. We had a good start.

Q. First of all, how are you feeling right now? Then, two, a year ago you were winning the national title at Ferris State. You just won the first CFP game for Ole Miss. What is this moment like for you?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: It's a surreal moment. If you would have said this before the season that I would be the starting quarterback and I would get Ole Miss their first playoff victory, I would be like, You're crazy. But it's amazing.

I just got to give thanks to God, because without Him, I mean, none of this is possible. Just also, got to give thanks to Ole Miss and my team, to be honest, too. We've been through a lot, a lot of adversity. Glad that we got the win.

Yeah, Ferris State actually did win the national championship today. They beat Harding back-to-back years. Props to them, yeah.

Q. Did you ever when you were there -- I mean, you had a record crowd, the biggest crowd in the history of the state of Mississippi. When you were at Ferris State, did you ever even dream of something like this?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: Yeah, for sure. This was definitely a dream of mine when I was a little kid. I feel like me and my dad and my brother and my mom, this was kind of like the plan for me whenever I would go to workouts. They would sacrifice a lot. It cost a lot to -- you know, training sessions. And now that we're here, it's time to embrace it and have fun.

But, yeah, it's crazy to think about how my life has changed since being at Division II Ferris State and now being at Division I Ole Miss and playing in the SEC.

Q. Seen some guys already with the Sugar Bowl hat. Just for you, what does it mean to have another chance at Georgia after how that first game went?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: Yeah, to have another shot at Georgia is -- a lot of our teammates are excited about that. When we found out that they were the next game, winner of this game, a lot of people were, you know, really excited.

We felt like that we played really good versus Georgia earlier on in the season. We just couldn't finish it. I struggled in the fourth quarter, and I have a lot of redemption to do in the next game.

So I'm excited to get back at them and watch the tape and see what we can do and see what we can fix.

Q. It's been shown throughout the season, but after things kind of settled down on the field, you always go find your mom afterwards. What has she meant to you throughout this journey? How has she continued to uplift you as you've gone through this season, man?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: Yeah, that's my rock. My mom is my best friend. I always text her about anything that I need, any little inconvenience that I have at home or just life in general. She's just one phone call away, and she'll always pick up.

She means the world to me. To have my family instill that faith in me as a young child, I give thanks to them, my mom and my dad. Yeah, my mom, that's my best friend. I don't know where I would be without her, to be honest.

Q. Trinidad, first of all, how would you describe those first two drives, two touchdowns and seven plays and just the spark that that gives after quite a long break? Coach Golding talked about breaking routine, and now you're just playing again and got right back into it. Then, also, going forward, how does the mentality of you and the team change, if at all, just knowing that you are a College Football Playoff-winning team going into this rematch down in New Orleans?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: Yeah, we started the game off really hot. First two drives were touchdown-scoring drives.

Then we kind of struggled a little bit. Had to watch tape, see what they were going to do defensively. I missed a slant to Deuce, which was crucial. I was pretty mad about that one, and I wanted that one back.

But we regrouped second half adjustments really well. And we knew that we were a really good team and that we could really execute, and that's what we did.

Then to be in the College Football Playoffs and to be a competitor for a national championship, I mean, that was the goal. There really was no doubt in our team the beginning of the season. There were a lot of doubters that thought we were going to be a mid-tier SEC team. We knew what we were capable of this whole year, and we knew that we're a contender for the national title. Now I hope we're putting the world on notice for that.

Q. Also, we talked at the trophy presentation a few weeks ago about how adversity brings the team together. How did you see that actually play out today in this big win?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: To be honest, I don't think that our team was really nervous or, I guess, doubting throughout the game. I think there wasn't really adversity today, to be honest. I mean, there were a couple, like I said, the two drives that we stalled out that were crucial, but I feel like we were just rolling, to be honest, and I think that we executed really well.

Q. You talked about dreaming of this moment, but was there ever a day or an hour or a moment you thought that the dream was going to die?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: Today?

Q. No, just like in the -- did you ever think the dream was over to get to this moment?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: I guess. I guess you could say so, like me being at Ferris State earlier on in my career, I was contemplating if football was for me. I red-shirted the first two years. First year was my freshman year, and the second year was my medical red-shirt. I was like, dang, I haven't played this sport in two years. Should I really play? Should I transfer to play basketball maybe?

Yeah, there was doubt that the dream of me playing Division I football at the highest level was there, so I'm glad that it didn't die (laughing).

Q. Trinidad, to be the quarterback to get this program's first-ever College Football Playoff win, first of all, how is that for you? Second of all, what was the environment like -- or I don't want to say environment. What was the feeling like winning for Coach Golding and in the locker room afterwards?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: Yeah, it was great we got the win. We knew Tulane was going to be a different team than when we played them before. Props to them. They played a great game. Very hard, physical team. Their motor defensively, No. 15, the mike linebacker, all respect to him. He's a really tough player.

Waiting on Coach Golding to come back in, I'm happy for PG, man. I know it's been kind of crazy and hectic the last couple of weeks, and I'm happy that he got his first win as the head coach, let alone a College Football Playoff win. That's really cool to see.

Q. I know we ask you every time we see you, but have you heard about your eligibility yet?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: I have not yet. We're still waiting to hear. Yeah, we'll see.

Q. What have you seen from Austin that kind of makes him ready to just go in the game on a moment's notice, especially on a stage like this?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: Yeah, credit to Austin. Throughout the whole season, he's been locked in. He's been attentive to any meetings, anything going on during the game. Yeah, I mean, all my respect to Austin, because I know this year hasn't been the easiest for him. He had a lot of preseason hype. For that to happen, that's really crucial and hard for someone to go through.

But, yeah, all my respect to Austin. He's always locked in, and I'm glad he got that conversion. I think it was a roll-out to his left, and he threw it to Logan -- or the slot I think. It's great to see him get in there, and he's always ready.

I always have trust in my guys. If I go down, if Kewan goes down, you know, with Logan, all our guys are ready to go in, but props to Austin.

Q. Have you had any conversation with Austin? What's it been like to have his support even though he's in such a tough situation?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: Yeah, we talk every day. In our quarterback meetings, you know, we joke around. It's a lot of laughter in that meeting room, but also a lot of seriousness.

Yeah, we talk every day. We have a great relationship. We're cool with each other. So, yeah, I mean, it's good.

Q. Trinidad, y'all were the first home team to win a College Football Playoff game this year. I don't know if you know that or not, but how cool was it to do that in front of this home crowd and in this environment today and be the first in the state of Mississippi to ever do this?

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: What was the record?

Q. You are the first home team this year, this College Football Playoff, to win a game.

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: Really? Yeah.

Q. Because Oklahoma lost last night, and A&M lost today.

TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS: Yeah, that's cool. That is really cool. For it to be in Oxford, you know, their first home College Football Playoff appearance and first home game, it's really cool. I'm happy for the fans, and I'm happy for the city.