GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida defensive coordinator Brad White jokingly takes credit for Trinidad Chambliss’ rise to stardom.
White’s unit at Kentucky knocked Ole Miss starting quarterback Austin Simmons out of a game early last season, a right ankle injury that cleared the way for Chambliss to shine the following week and the rest of the year.
“So, yeah, you’re all welcome,” White quipped.
Twelve months later, White and the 21st-ranked Gators (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) have the daunting task of slowing down Chambliss — a Heisman Trophy frontrunner who is 14-2 as a starter for the fourth-ranked Rebels (3-0, 1-0) — and are counting on their home crowd being a factor.
“This guy, he’s as good a college football player I’ve ever seen with my own two eyes,” Florida coach Jon Sumrall said.
Sumrall watched Chambliss pick apart his Tulane defense twice in 2025. Chambliss threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 112 more in the first victory. He threw for 282 yards and a TD and ran for two more scores in the rematch in the College Football Playoff.
Now, Sumrall faces Chambliss for the third time in his last 14 games.
“The one thing I do have is I’ve got enough watching the quarterback play out of his mind,” Sumrall said. “I have a lot of respect for him.”
Chambliss has completed 70% of his passes for 924 yards this season, with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. He also has two rushing scores. And two of his performances were against ranked teams: Louisville and LSU.
Of course, those took place at a neutral site (Nashville, Tennessee) and at home in Oxford, Mississippi.
Playing at Florida Field, better known as the Swamp, could present a tougher challenge.
“The main thing is just keeping the momentum,” Florida linebacker Aaron Chiles said. “Let the crowd do everything. Whatever team comes into the Swamp, it’s going to be hard for them to play, communicate, things like that. So I think the Swamp is definitely a big advantage, especially this week.”
Plenty of opposing quarterbacks have wilted at Florida Field over the years.
Texas’ Arch Manning threw two interceptions and was sacked six times in a 29-21 loss in Gainesville last season. Tennessee’s Joe Milton (2023), Missouri’s Brady Cook (2022), Auburn’s Bo Nix (2019), LSU’s Joe Burrow (2018), Missouri’s Drew Lock (2016) and South Carolina’s Connor Shaw (2012) also struggled in the Swamp.
“How close and tight it is with the fans, you feel like they’re on your back as far as the noise,” said Ole Miss safety Sharif Denson, who spent three years at Florida before transferring. “If we can go in there and execute the first couple drives and delete the crowd and make them not a factor, then we’re going to be OK.”
Another factor will be Florida’s defensive front. The Gators need to have more success than LSU did against Chambliss, who showed touch, anticipation, mobility and arm talent in a 32-24 victory that spoiled Tigers coach Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford. Chambliss threw for 363 yards, with two TDs and an INT. He was sacked twice.
“He makes that offense go,” Florida defensive end Jayden Woods said. “He can throw and run, which is a good challenge for us as a defense, but we’re excited to take that head on this weekend.”
Woods, Chiles and many of their teammates on defense faced Chambliss and the Rebels on the road last season. Ole Miss racked up 538 yards on 83 plays in the 34-24 victory, finishing with 27 first downs while possessing the ball for nearly 38 minutes.
Florida led 24-20 going into the fourth quarter but DJ Lagway threw a critical interception and then failed to pick up a first down on the next two possessions. Woods did have one memory: he picked off a pass from Chambliss in the first quarter.
“It’s good to think about it and reflect, but that was last year,” Woods said. “I’m worried about what I can do this week. It will be cool to think about when I’m done playing football, but right now I’m really focusing on this weekend.”
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