Ole Miss fans enjoyed a thrilling home win on Saturday night as No. 8 Rebels defeated No. 7 LSU 32‑24. The victory highlighted the rapid rise of quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, a player Lane Kiffin recruited from a Division II program last season and has since turned into a star.
Chambliss shines in the passing and running game
Chambliss accounted for 363 passing yards and two touchdowns. He also delivered the decisive fourth‑quarter run, faking a handoff before sprinting 14 yards against the grain to outrun LSU safety Ty Benefield and reach the left pylon. Ole Miss added a two‑point conversion on a half‑yard direct snap to JT Lindsey, extending the lead to eight points with 6:14 left.
Ole Miss builds a lead, LSU rallies
The Rebels opened with a 17‑0 advantage, highlighted by a 5‑yard power run from running back Kewan Lacy and a 21‑yard pass from Chambliss to Traylon Ray. Ray finished with seven catches for 115 yards, including a 36‑yard sideline grab that set up the first touchdown.
LSU answered before halftime, trimming the deficit to 17‑7 on a 2‑yard run by Dilin Jones. Chambliss responded with a 20‑yard strike to Deuce Alexander in the end zone, making it 24‑7 just seconds before the break.
Second‑half drama and key injuries
LSU fought back, tying the game at 24‑24 after a 69‑yard drive that ended with a missed goal‑line pass to tight end Zach Grace. The Tigers then took a 26‑24 lead on a 26‑yard pass to transfer Winston Watkins Jr., who made a leaping catch near the right corner of the end zone.
Ole Miss regained the lead when Chambliss engineered a 75‑yard touchdown drive without the services of Lacy, who left the game with an injured left shoulder. The drive culminated in Chambliss’s fourth‑quarter rushing score.
Defensive stands seal the win
After LSU’s final push, a pass intended for tight end Trey’Dez Green was intercepted by Ja’Keem Jackson and returned to the Rebels’ 33‑yard line. Later, defensive end Kam Franklin deflected a fourth‑down pass, and safety Jaylon Braxton intercepted the ball in the end zone to secure the victory.
Coaches and officials react
Lane Kiffin, now at LSU, watched his former quarterback lead the opposition. He praised Chambliss’s poise under pressure, noting the quarterback’s calm decision‑making after Lacy’s injury. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, who helped reshape LSU’s athletic department, posed for photos with Attorney General Liz Murrill during pre‑game warmups, but the on‑field action told the real story.
LSU’s quarterback Sam Leavitt threw for 153 yards, a touchdown, and added 63 rushing yards and a score, despite a hard hit that left him briefly upside‑down on the field. The Tigers will look to bounce back when they host No. 9 Texas A&M next Saturday.
Looking ahead
Ole Miss, now 3‑0 overall and 1‑0 in the SEC, will travel to Florida next weekend. The Rebels will hope Lacy recovers quickly, as his power running was a key component of the offense.
Both programs remain in the national conversation as the SEC race tightens, and fans across Mississippi can expect more high‑stakes matchups as the season progresses.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
