Chambliss' 385 scrimmage yards propels No. 13 Mississippi past No. 4 LSU, 24-19
OXFORD, Miss. -- — Trinidad Chambliss' life has changed a lot in the past three weeks.The Division II transfer who few fans knew of outside of Mississippi or Ferris State is a household name now.
Chambliss passed for 314 yards and a touchdown — his third straight 300-yard game since taking over for injured quarterback Austin Simmons — and No. 13 Mississippi defeated No. 4 LSU 24-19 on Saturday.
“It’s just a really cool story,” Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said, contrasting Chambliss' performance to that of LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, who was widely seen as a preseason Heisman Trophy hopeful.
“A little short kid from Division II going against Nussmeier and the mighty Tigers of LSU," Kiffin continued. “It was awesome.”
Kewan Lacy ran for a 15-yard touchdown and former LSU running back Logan Diggs added a 6-yard scoring run for Ole Miss (5-0, 3-0 SEC), which outgained the Tigers, 480 yards to 254.
LSU (4-1, 1-1), which has struggled to run the ball this season, played without top running back Caden Durham and right tackle Weston Davis, and gained just 57 yards on the ground. That placed added pressure on Nussmeier, who completed 21 of 34 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted once.
“Look, Garrett Nussmeier has got to play better,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said. “Every player on offense has got to play better — and then we have to be more consistent on defense.
“There's many players that have to play their best when their best is needed.”
Nussmeier, who was limited by knee and torso injuries during August camp, has not been nearly as productive passing as last season when he threw for 4,052 yards. But he declined to discuss his health or where the offense is going wrong.
“Obviously, I’m frustrated about the loss," he said. “We’re going to get back, watch the tape and find ways to get better.”
Still, the Tigers had a chance to pull within a field goal after Harlem Berry's 6-yard touchdown run with 5:04 left, but LSU's 2-point conversion attempt failed when Suntarine Perkins stuffed Ju'Juan Johnson's run.
Ole Miss, which finished with 166 yards rushing, bled the clock with first-down runs by Chambliss and Lacy before Chambliss' fourth-down completion to tight end Dae'Quan Wright sealed it.
“That’s just how we play; I’m saying that arrogantly,” Kiffin said. “The book would tell you that too — analytics. Sometimes it works.”
Wright had a chance to score, but went down, allowing the Rebels to run out the clock.
“Obviously beating No. 4-ranked LSU, one of our rivals, it’s like a dream come true,” Chambliss said. “A great team win.”
Chambliss smiled while matter-of-factly acknowledging that his sudden success has brought him “more notoriety and a lot more people following me” on social media. Ole Miss fans have begin flying flags of his namesake Caribbean island nation, Trinidad and Tobago.
“But, I’m the same guy that came here in May — a hard worker, just want to play football and have fun and win,” he said.
LSU took a 7-0 lead when Nussmeier's pass intended for Trey'Dez Green in the end zone was batted away by Sage Ryan only to be caught by diving Tigers receiver Nick Anderson.
Ole Miss responded by driving inside the LSU 10 for a short field goal. But the Rebels had established a rhythm that helped them outgain LSU 197 yards to 40 in the second quarter, when Mississippi scored two TDs and came within 3 yards of another score.
Receiver Cayden Lee was racing toward the end zone after a catch over the middle when AJ Haulcy's hit forced a fumble that safety Mansoor Delane recovered in the end zone. But that only briefly preserved a 7-3 Tigers lead.
Lacy gave Mississippi a 10-7 lead, capping a drive on which the Rebels benefited from four LSU penalties for 49 yards.
Lee's 2-yard reception made it 17-7 just before halftime on a series that included a fourth-and-1 conversion on Chambliss' quick pass to Wright.
Damian Ramos' fields goals of 40 and 48 yard field goal pulled LSU to 17-13 in the third quarter before Diggs' TD widened Ole Miss' lead again in the fourth.
LSU's strength of schedule became increasingly suspect as its previous power conference opponents — Clemson and Florida — stumbled in recent weeks. The unbeaten Rebels presented the Tigers with their toughest test yet. They didn't pass it and could go tumbling down the AP Top 25.
Mississippi has a bye next weekend before hosting Washington State on Oct. 11.
------
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
