Ole Miss takes down LSU: No. 13 Rebels make huge statement in SEC title race with win over No. 4 Tigers

Making just the third start of his Ole Miss career since transferring from Division II Ferris State, Trinidad Chambliss stayed composed against LSU's touted defense and delivered again for the Rebels. The dual-threat quarterback topped 300 yards passing for the third straight game, completing 23 of 39 attempts for 314 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Chambliss was just as effective on the ground, rushing 14 times for 71 yards, and LSU never managed to sack him as he further cemented his grip on the starting job. What began as a temporary fill-in for injured starter Austin Simmons has turned into something more. The former Division II national champion has looked so poised and productive that it's now hard to imagine Ole Miss turning back.

The Ole Miss offense produced plenty of highlights, but its most important possession came late in the fourth quarter with the game on the line. LSU had just pulled within 24-19 after an 80-yard touchdown drive, and with 5:03 remaining the Tigers needed one stop to set up a potential game-winning drive.

Instead, the Rebels' offensive line generated enough push to keep the chains moving. The drive came down to a fourth-and-3 with 1:46 left. Rather than attempt a 52-yard field goal, Lane Kiffin put the ball in Trinidad Chambliss' hands. One snap after making the mistake of running out of bounds to stop the clock, Chambliss delivered -- firing a 20-yard strike to wide-open tight end Dae'Quan Wright to seal the win.

This was the most significant test yet for both teams. LSU could have established itself as a premier national-title contender and the team to beat in the SEC with a win. Instead, the game diminished the reputation of a vaunted defense and underscored significant offensive shortcomings. LSU's struggles running the football are nothing new, but they were painfully obvious against a top-tier opponent. Garrett Nussmeier may be an above-average college quarterback, but the first five games of the season have dispelled the notion that he's good enough to put a team on his back and singlehandedly cover up the team's issues.

On the flip side, Ole Miss legitimized itself on both sides of the football. Its defense never buckled, and the offense repeatedly came through in key situations. Just two ranked opponents remain on the Rebels' schedule. While those games at No. 5 Georgia and at No. 7 Oklahoma will provide a brutal test in back-to-back weeks during October, the rest of the slate is manageable. This Rebels team looks like one that could break through for the program's first-ever College Football Playoff appearance.

Final: Ole Miss 24, LSU 19

Lane Kiffin added another signature victory to his Ole Miss resume on Saturday, as the No. 13 Rebels took down No. 4 LSU 24-19 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. It marked the Rebels' first win over a top-5 ranked LSU team since 1965.

Surprise star Trinidad Chambliss turned in another strong quarterback performance, and the Ole Miss defense kept LSU from ever finding a rhythm as the Tigers (4-0, 1-1) dropped from the ranks of the unbeaten. Ole Miss improved to 5-0 (3-0 SEC) entering a bye week.

LSU had allowed just four touchdowns in its first four games but gave up three touchdown drives of 69+ yards to the Rebels and another 80-yard drive that resulted in a Rebels field goal. Ole Miss could easily have won by a larger margin if not for two crippling turnovers in Tigers territory and a whopping 14 penalties for 109 yards.

The Rebels largely dominated in all facets after falling behind 7-0 early in the first quarter. Playing without injured starting running back Caden Durham, LSU's already weak rushing attack sputtered, leaving quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to inefficiently attack a defense that routinely dropped eight men into coverage. An injury to star receiver Aaron Anderson did nothing to help LSU's offensive struggles.

LSU finished with just 254 yards rushing and finished a meager 2 of 11 on third-down conversion attempts.

5:04 4Q: Ole Miss 24, LSU 19

LSU has turned to freshman Harlem Berry to revitalize its lifeless running attack in the second half. He picked up a critical first down and then finished the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run. The Tigers could not convert a 2-point play but are back within a possession. That was LSU's best offensive possession since the first quarter, and it has infused some drama here late in the fourth quarter.

Ole Miss overcame two potentially crippling holding penalties with some beautiful throws byTrinidad Chambliss, including a third-and-14 strike to Harrison Wallace III. Logan Diggs, a former LSU running back, finished off the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run to give the Rebels a two-possession lead with 11:08 remaining.

Penalties are absolutely crippling Ole Miss. The Rebels have been flagged 13 times for 104 yards. Most recently, a first down run from Kewan Lacy was called back for a hold. If Ole Miss could get out of its own way, it would be leading this game comfortably. Instead, due to untimely turnovers and a rash of flags, it's in a fourth quarter dogfight.

LSU's offense is reeling, and its defense is not exactly dominating. But despite a 329-175 deficit in total yards, the Tigers are down just 17-13 on the road against a top-15 opponent. Credit goes to a couple of massive turnovers forced by the LSU defense, which is keeping the Tigers in this game as the fourth quarter approaches. 

Ole Miss just committed its second crippling turnover of the game, as PJ Woodland picked off Trinidad Chambliss, who was targeting Deuce Robinson down the sideline. Robinson was in 1-on-1 coverage, and that had been a fruitful well of yards for the Rebels in the first half. Woodland made a great play on the ball, first deflecting it and then corralling it and running it back 31 yards to set up LSU's offense up in great field position. 

6:02 3Q: Ole Miss 17, LSU 10

Ole Miss is routinely dropping eight defenders and daring Garrett Nussmeier and the LSU receivers to beat them with precision. It's not happening. The Tigers' big play on this past drive was a defensive pass interference call against Ole Miss, which got them into field goal range for Damian Ramos. There have been a combined 17 penalties for 158 yards between the teams, and many of them have been DPI calls.

The second half began much the same way as the first half, with a pair of unproductive offensive possessions leading to punts. The Ole Miss defense has been rock solid since the end of the first quarter. Can the Rebels keep it up? The sense of urgency is ratcheting up for LSU, which faces a two-possession deficit amid a painful glut of offensive production. Joe Sloan would be smart to dial up some easy throws for Garrett Nussmeier to try and get him back in rhythm. 

LSU needs to find some semblance of balance offensively. The Tigers had no running game in the first half, and nine of their 24 rushing yards came on a gadget play with receiver Barion Brown. That's been the story for the Tigers dating back past this season, but it's an issue they can't mask in a game that requires them to score in order to keep up. Brian Kelly snapped when asked about his team's offensive issues following an ugly win over Florida a couple weeks back. But any thought that perhaps the Tigers were just holding their cards close to the vest and waiting to open things up has officially vanished. This team is struggling offensively.

End 2Q: Ole Miss 17, LSU 7

Facing a fourth-and-1 from the LSU 13-yard line, Lane Kiffin rolled the dice and kept his kicker on the sideline. Trinidad Chambliss found Dae'Quan Wright for an 8-yard pickup in the flat to set up a touchdown in the waning moments of the first half. The Rebels are rolling into halftime having scored 17 unanswered. That tally would almost certainly be more if not for a fumble that resulted in a touchback. LSU gets the football to start the second half and needs some answers after a stagnant stretch to close the first half.

It was assumed that the injury-related absence of Caden Durham would lead to a decent workload for LSU's No. 2 running back Ju'Juan Johnson. However, the sophomore has logged just one carry. Instead, it's been Zavion Thomas who has been the featured back for the Tigers. But he's totaled just seven yards on four carries. The Tigers are dangerously one-dimensional, and Garrett Nussmeier is not in rhythm.

Late 2Q: Ole Miss 10, LSU 7

Penalties are becoming a dominant theme of this first half. LSU had a pick-six called back due to pass interference. Then, another DPI set the Rebels up in the red zone. In total, the Tigers were called for pass interference three times on that series. Kewan Lacy finished off the drive with a 15-yard touchdown run to give the Rebels their first lead of the game.

Ole Miss just forced an LSU three-and-out, but it may have come with a price. Defensive back Antonio Kite and edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen both left the field with injuries. The Rebels have been stout defensively thus far, repeatedly forcing Garrett Nussmeier into risky and ill-advised throws. But those are two important cogs, and their statuses will be a big storyline moving forward.

Ole Miss finally started humming offensively with a series of chunk passing plays. But then, disaster struck. Trinidad Chambliss hit Cayden Lee for a big gain over the middle. As he was getting tackled inside the LSU 5-yard line, A.J. Haulcy punched the football out. It trickled into the end zone, and the Tigers recovered for a touchback. Mark that down as another "bend but don't break" sequence for the LSU defense.

It's quickly becoming apparent for this Ole Miss offense that moving the football against LSU — and specifically finding explosive plays — is going to be significantly tougher than it was against Arkansas and Tulane. Penalties are not helping the matter for Ole Miss, which was called for a false start and a hold before punting on its first possession of the second quarter.

A promising and penalty-aided LSU drive just hit the skids after Garrett Nussmeier was picked off over the middle by Wydett Williams Jr. Nussmeier made some questionable decisions in the first quarter and got away with them. Not that time. The Tigers' inability to run the football is putting a lot of pressure on Nussmeier for the second season in a row, but he could have checked that one down or thrown it away to preserve a scoring opportunity for LSU.

End 1Q: LSU 7, Ole Miss 3

Ole Miss defensive tackle Jamarion's Brown was whistled for a 15-yard illegal hands to the face penalty on the next-to-last play of the first quarter to set LSU up in Ole Miss territory entering the second quarter. The Tigers have demonstrated zero appetite or ability to run the football amid the absence of starting running back Caden Durham. Nevertheless, they are in position to build on their early lead.

Ole Miss did a great job of staying ahead of the chains on a methodical, 18-play march down the field. But the Rebels couldn't finish the drive and ended up settling for a field goal. Faced with a fourth-and-4 from the 8-yard line, Lane Kiffin opted to play it safe, which is a rarity for one of the sport's most prominent fourth-down gamblers. Big win for the LSU defense to bend without breaking there.

Garrett Nussmeier lofted a low-velocity pop fly over the middle of the field to Zavion Thomas, who ran underneath it for a 50-yard gain on the first play of LSU's second series. Thomas beat his man and was open, but Nussmeier put so much air underneath the pass that a Rebels safety nearly had time to pluck it from midair. The Tigers capped the drive with an absurd  7-yard scoring play, as Aaron Anderson reeled in a touchdown pass that was actually intended for someone else. After it ricocheted off an Ole Miss defender, Anderson dove for it and corralled it for a weird touchdown.

So, in summation, Garrett Nussmeier got away with two poorly thrown passes, either of which could have gone down as interceptions.

Ole Miss got the football first and promptly went three-and-out. A false start penalty put the Rebels in a third-and-10 situation, and Trinidad Chambliss' pass for Dae'Quan Wright fell incomplete. That was a shaky start for Chambliss, who has been great in two starts but is wholly inexperienced against defenses as fast and athletic as the challenge LSU presents.

The Tigers promptly went three-and-out themselves. Early indications are that this won't be a repeat of the 55-49 Ole Miss victory from two seasons ago.

The photo across Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin's header on "X" says he tweets too much, but it was his daughter, Landry Kiffin, who made headlines this time. Landry Kiffin and LSU linebacker Whit Weeks are now an item after an Instagram photo reveal ahead of Saturday's unbeaten showdown in Oxford between the Tigers and Rebels.

Lane Kiffin reacts to daughter's dating announcement with Whit Weeks ahead of LSU, Ole Miss showdown

Brad Crawford

Trinidad Chambliss thought he could do it. But leaving a good thing at Ferris State seemed like a risk. So, Calhoun offered to ask around.

It went well.

A few months later, Chambliss is half of an intriguing quarterback puzzle for Ole Miss ahead of a Top 25 showdown with LSU (2:30 p.m., ABC).

Who is Trinidad Chambliss? How a Division-II unknown seized control of the high-octane Ole Miss offense

Chris Hummer

Ole Miss has captured lightning in a bottle with Division II transfer Trinidad Chambliss at quarterback. LSU's defense has been impressively stout, but it hasn't faced a competent offensive attack like what it will see in Oxford. LSU's struggles running the football remain a concern, and unless those get resolved in real time on the road inside a hostile environment, the Rebels should be able to stay a step ahead. Pick: Ole Miss -1.5

The past two meetings between these teams were thrilling affairs that ended with fans rushing the field. If Ole Miss knocks off another top-5 opponent and establishes itself as a national contender, it's easy to envision another chaotic scene unfolding. The Rebels toppled LSU 55-49 in a 2023 barnburner that featured a combined 1,343 yards of total offense. Last season, LSU earned revenge with a 29-26 overtime victory over the Rebels. It will be hard to top the craziness of those two games, but these teams will try.

LSU leading rusher Caden Durham is out. The sophomore, who is averaging 4.1 yards per carry, was considered questionable heading into the day. Tigers coach Brian Kelly left the door open for Durham to play as recently as Thursday night. That means Ju'Juan Johnson is in for an increased workload against a questionable Ole Miss run defense. Johnson has tallied 52 yards rushing on 16 attempts and was the featured back after Durham exited in last week's win over Southeastern Louisiana.

 Running the football had already been a struggle for LSU. Then, starting running back Caden Durham exited last week's win over Southeastern Louisiana with an ankle injury. His availability will be a key plot line for the Tigers' offense. Head coach Brian Kelly indicated this week that Durham was trending toward playing. But even if Durham is close to 100% healthy, the Tigers' offensive line will need to do a better job opening running lanes than it has so far this season.

This marks the most comprehensive test that Ole Miss has faced. The Rebels have a pair of one-possession SEC victories under their belt against Kentucky and Arkansas. However, the Wildcats are offensively lifeless, and the Razorbacks have a subpar SEC defense. By comparison, LSU is a complete team. In particular, the Tigers' team speed with perimeter weapons such as Aaron Anderson and Barion Brown will test the Rebels' secondary.