Ole Miss Coach Lane Kiffin Reacts to QB News Ahead of LSU Game: ‘News to Me’

BATON ROUGE, La. (103.3 The GOAT) — Rumors swirled early Wednesday that Ole Miss had selected their starting quarterback against LSU this week. The game is one of the most highly anticipated of the weekend, and it's always one of the most entertaining meetings in the SEC.

According to the report, head coach Lane Kiffin had named rising star Trinidad Chambliss as the starting quarterback against the Tigers. But, Kiffin seemed surprised when he heard the news.

Lane Kiffin Says Chambliss Start Is "News to Me"

In an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN on Wednesday, host Pat McAfee asked about the news.

"I believe that was announced," McAfee said to Kiffin. "I'm not 100 percent sure if you made that announcement publicly or not, but how do you feel about this year's team?"

"Well, that's good to know. That'd be news to me that we've got the starting quarterback situation figured out," Kiffin said in response. "I'll go down and tell our staff right here."

The funny exchange actually shows just how complicated the situation is for Kiffin and the Rebels. Chambliss has been a great quarterback for the last two weeks, but he has stood in for Austin Simmons, who started in Week 1 and played well before he was injured.

Regardless of who the starting quarterback will be, Saturday promises to be a battle of the quarterbacks.

The LSU-Ole Miss Match-up

The matchup represents a fascinating contrast in styles and circumstances. LSU’s offense is averaging just 17 points per game through three games, compared to 35 points at this point last season, as Brian Kelly has emphasized ball security over explosive plays with Garrett Nussmeier. The Tigers have adopted a more conservative approach, with Nussmeier’s short throws increasing to 48.1% of his attempts, up 8.1 percentage points from 2024.

Meanwhile, Ole Miss has discovered a gem in Chambliss, the Ferris State transfer who completed 17 of 27 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 112 yards against Tulane. The Division II national championship quarterback has thrown 719 yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions while completing 67.7% of his throws in limited action.

Keys to Victory for Both Teams

LSU’s competition has been more talented, with wins over Clemson and Florida among their 2025 victories, while Ole Miss has put up 44.8 points and 543.2 yards per game, ranking 12th and ninth in the nation, respectively. The Tigers must find ways to generate more explosive plays against a Rebels defense that will likely force them into longer drives.

For Ole Miss, the quarterback decision looms large. Lane Kiffin has remained coy about whether Austin Simmons will return from his ankle injury, but Kiffin admitted after the Tulane game that Simmons was available but praised Chambliss for “not turning the ball over two weeks in a row”.

The historical matchup favors fireworks, as LSU and Ole Miss have combined to go over 55.5 total points in seven of their last 10 meetings, with the average combined score reaching 78.4 points.