OXFORD, Miss. — Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said later he thought the Razorbacks were headed for a late rally until a fumble spoiled the plans.
Ole Miss leaned on backup quarterback Trinidad Chambliss in his first Division I start, and the senior delivered.
Chambliss accounted for three touchdowns — two rushing and one passing — to guide the No. 17 Rebels to a 41-35 victory over Arkansas on Saturday night at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Chambliss, a transfer from Division II Ferris State, ran for scores of one and two yards and connected with De’Zhaun Stribling on a six-yard touchdown strike that pushed the Rebels ahead 38-28 in the third quarter.
He finished 21 of 29 for 353 yards, managing the offense efficiently while filling in for starter Austin Simmons, who continues to battle a lingering foot injury.
Rebels coach Lane Kiffin credited Chambliss’ poise in a high-pressure situation.
“He didn’t try to do too much. He just ran the offense, trusted his teammates, and kept us moving forward,” Kiffin said.
Simmons limited in return
Simmons, who injured his foot in last week’s win at Kentucky, was expected to start after practicing late in the week, but news Friday indicated Chambliss would be the starter and that turned out to be the case.
He made a brief second-quarter appearance, connecting with Harrison Wallace III on a four-yard touchdown pass to give Ole Miss a 28-21 lead. But the sophomore quarterback limped back to the sideline and did not return.
Wallace finished with six receptions for 92 yards and the one score, establishing himself as Chambliss’ most reliable target throughout the night.
“Both quarterbacks gave us chances,” Wallace said. “Trinidad came in and kept his composure. You could feel the confidence in the huddle.”
Green leads Arkansas offense
Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green nearly matched Chambliss with his dual-threat performance.
Green threw for 305 yards with a touchdown and added 111 yards on 13 carries, including a scoring run that kept the Razorbacks within striking distance.
Running back Mike Washington Jr. gave Arkansas balance with 65 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Still, the Razorbacks were undone by missed opportunities, most notably two failed field-goal attempts that left points on the board.
“We moved the ball all night,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. “But you can’t miss chances in the red zone, and you can’t miss kicks in this league.”
Turnover seals the win
After Arkansas closed the gap to 41-35 in the final minutes, the Razorbacks had one last possession to mount a potential game-winning drive.
But Ole Miss linebacker TJ Dottery stripped the ball from receiver Jalen Brown, and defensive back Wydett Williams Jr. pounced on the fumble with 1:52 remaining.
Chambliss and the Rebels then ran out the clock to secure their third win of the season and second in SEC play.
“That’s just finishing,” Dottery said. “We talk about making the play when it matters most. Tonight, we did that.”
Fast-paced first half
The opening two quarters set the tone for a shootout. Both offenses were nearly perfect in the red zone, and neither committed a turnover before halftime.
Ole Miss kicker Lucas Carneiro closed the half with a 36-yard field goal to give the Rebels a 31-28 advantage.
By halftime, the teams had combined for 59 points and more than 600 yards of total offense.
“It felt like whoever had the ball last would win,” Kiffin said. “That’s the kind of series this is — it’s always wild.”
What it means
Ole Miss moves to 3-0 and 2-0 in the SEC, keeping pace in a crowded early race. The Rebels converted all seven of their red-zone trips into points and showed flexibility with Chambliss under center.
For Arkansas, the 522 yards of total offense provided positives, but the missed field goals and costly late turnover underscored how slim the margin is in SEC play.
“This team has heart,” Green said. “We just have to clean things up, because games like this come down to details.”
Looking ahead
Arkansas (2-1, 0-1 SEC) heads on the road to face unbeaten Memphis next week before returning home to host No. 8 Notre Dame.
Ole Miss (3-0, 2-0) continues its four-game homestand with a matchup against Tulane.
Three key takeaways
• Chambliss rises to the moment: The Ferris State transfer delivered 353 passing yards and three total touchdowns in his first start.
• Missed chances haunt Arkansas: Two failed field goals and a late turnover kept the Razorbacks from pulling the upset.
• Red-zone efficiency matters: Ole Miss went 7-for-7 inside the 20, showing discipline and execution when it counted.
