Lane Kiffin took plenty of personnel with him when he bolted from LSU to Ole Miss last December, but one man who stayed in Oxford ended up being the deciding factor in his return trip Saturday.
Trinidad Chambliss opted against heading with his coach to Baton Rouge, and will send them back to Louisiana holding Kiffin's first loss with his new team. The electric quarterback's go-ahead touchdown run late in the fourth quarter gave the Rebels a 32-24 lead, and a defensive stand on their own 6-yard line in the final minute secured an emotional victory in front of the raucous home crowd.
You want to see a miracle, son? BE THE MIRACLE.@JaylonBraxton6 x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/w3iFXWeUpt
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) September 20, 2026
The highly anticipated contest met all expectations and featured incredible drama throughout, beginning before kickoff with Kiffin taking the field surrounded by police as boos rained down on him.
While the noise was ear-splitting, the fanbase opted against taking the Tennessee approach to a Kiffin return that saw the field hit with golf balls and mustard bottles.
Ole Miss gave the packed house plenty of reason to remain loud early, with Chambliss dealing throughout the opening half to build a 24-7 lead at the break.
However, the idea of a second-half filled with celebrations quickly faded as Kiffin's Tigers reeled off 17 straight points. Quarterback Sam Leavitt supplied most of the offense to quiet Oxford and set up a tense finish.
In the end, Chambliss once again rose to the moment, executing a perfect fake handoff late in the fourth quarter to scamper into the end zone and put the Rebels in front for good. The sixth-year passer finished with 363 yards and two scores through the air in addition to his rushing touchdown.
The scenes on the field following the game were euphoric, with new Rebels coach Pete Golding shouting out the school president and athletic director that had to deal with Kiffin's exit last year.
“I think Keith Carter and Glenn Boyce might have a beer tonight.”
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 20, 2026
Pete Golding after Ole Miss' win over LSU 😅 pic.twitter.com/4SbXSMNr8K










