OXFORD, Miss. — In a game that threatened to slip away, Trinidad Chambliss threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, helping No. 4 Ole Miss survive a late push by Washington State and came away with a 24-21 home victory Saturday.
The result improved Ole Miss to 6–0 (5–0 SEC), while Washington State dropped to 3–3.
The Cougars led for stretches and had a chance in the closing minute, but their final drive stalled short.
Washington State jumped ahead 7–0 in the first quarter after a 26-yard touchdown pass from Zevi Eckhaus to Landon Wright.
The Cougars held that lead until Ole Miss responded with a pair of touchdowns: a short scoring pass to Dae’Quan Wright and a second-quarter field goal from Lucas Carneiro.
At halftime the Rebels led 10–7.
In the third quarter, Eckhaus connected with Tony Freeman on a 19-yard strike to give WSU a 14–10 lead. But Ole Miss tied it on a Chambliss 17-yard scramble.
Late in the fourth, Chambliss found Cayden Lee on a 35-yard pass. Lee broke two tackles en route to the end zone, giving Ole Miss a 24-14 edge with 6:51 remaining.
Chambliss and Lacy carry the offensive load
Washington State struck again when Eckhaus threw to Freeman, cutting the lead to 24–21.
After that, the Cougars managed to move within field goal range but failed to convert on their final possession.
Chambliss went 20-of-29 for 253 yards and added a 17-yard touchdown run.
Running back Kewan Lacy carried the ball 24 times for 142 yards, his third straight strong performance. The Rebels amassed 439 total yards.
Eckhaus completed 24 of 31 for 218 yards and two touchdowns; Freeman had nine catches for 90 yards. Washington State managed only 2 of 10 on third downs and did not force a turnover.
Chambliss’ dual-threat ability once again proved decisive. He extended drives with his feet, and when his line held, he found open targets downfield.
The Rebels converted seven of their first 10 third downs, a major improvement from earlier weeks.
Washington State’s defensive front pressured him on 14 dropbacks but couldn’t contain his mobility, especially on key second-half possessions.
Chambliss’ rise and coaching confidence
Chambliss, a transfer from Division II Ferris State, earned the starting job after an injury to Austin Simmons.
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has leaned into the intrigue of his name — though he insisted Chambliss is from Michigan, not an island. “He’s from Michigan … he’s been to one island … Mackinac Island,” Kiffin quipped.
Washington State coach Jimmy Rogers said Chambliss’ emergence wasn’t a surprise: “We were able to watch him at Ferris State … it’s fun to watch him get better and better.”
Before kickoff, Chambliss had already been a breakout name: he was named AP National Player of the Week after a 314-yard passing, 71-yard rushing effort in a win over LSU.
Some media noted that in his first three starts he became the first SEC QB since at least 1994 to post 300 passing yards and 50 rushing yards in three straight games.
That production has fueled Ole Miss’ climb to No. 4 in the nation, though Kiffin has emphasized balance.
“We can’t rely on one player,” he said earlier in the week. “Trinidad has been great, but the team around him has to be sharper.”
Rebels defense bends, then tightens
Ole Miss’ defense had its share of struggle early but tightened in the second half, allowing just 36 points total over the past 10 quarters entering this matchup.
“We’ve worked to fix everything each week,” defensive tackle William Echoles, with 24 tackles and two sacks on the year, said. “We had a lot of missed assignments that we’ve cleaned up.”
Washington State finished with 324 total yards but only 82 on the ground. The Rebels recorded three sacks and four tackles for loss, keying on the edge in the final minutes.
The Cougars’ defense, though flexible in scheme, allowed key third-down conversions and was unable to halt Ole Miss’ final scoring drive.
Washington State ranks near the bottom of its conference in third-down defense and turnover margin.
Despite the loss, WSU showed improved red-zone efficiency, going two-for-two inside the 20.
“We played well enough to win,” Rogers said. “We just didn’t finish.”
Looking ahead to SEC stretch, postseason stakes
Ole Miss now readies for back-to-back SEC road tests: at No. 10 Georgia, then at Oklahoma. Washington State will head east to face No. 19 Virginia next week.
For Ole Miss, this game raised questions about consistency. Even in victory, parts of the offense sputtered under pressure.
For WSU, the close showing on the road could bolster confidence heading into Big Ten (and future conference realignment) matchups.
If Chambliss continues to develop, Ole Miss remains a playoff contender. The Rebels are averaging 34.6 points per game and rank top-15 nationally in total offense.
Defensively, they’re yielding just 19.8 points per game after allowing 28.6 last season.
Washington State, meanwhile, will look to reach bowl eligibility amid a challenging schedule that includes matchups with Utah and Oregon.
Key takeaways
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Chambliss delivered under pressure — accounting for three touchdowns to carry his team when needed.
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Ole Miss’ second-half adjustments arrested early woes — the defense limited WSU opportunities late.
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Washington State showed resilience — despite the loss, the Cougars nearly forced an upset on the road.
