Talk about unfortunate timing.

Mere hours after Ole Miss faced defeat against Miami in the College Football Playoff semifinals, news broke that Trinidad Chambliss’ plea for a sixth year of eligibility has been turned down. Reports indicate that while Yahoo Sports mentioned the quarterback’s legal team is preparing a lawsuit, ESPN noted that Ole Miss intends to file an appeal.

“Now, there’s a chance to bring this case to a more impartial platform where Trinidad’s rights will be adjudicated by the Mississippi judiciary, rather than by bureaucrats in Indianapolis who seem indifferent to justice or legality,” Chambliss’ lawyer, Tom Mars, stated in a release to the media. “The decision to pursue this legal path rests solely with Trinidad and his family.”

The appeal, initially verbally rejected last month, was submitted due to Chambliss missing the 2022 season at Ferris State owing to “ongoing respiratory problems,” as reported by ESPN.

This decision likely signals the end of the 23-year-old’s college football journey, after spending four years at Division II Ferris State followed by a year with the Rebels. During his time under Lane Kiffin—before the coach’s departure to LSU—and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., Chambliss thrived and had planned to return for the 2026 season if granted the additional eligibility.

In a way, the NCAA’s official ruling will force Chambliss to test just how much his recent postseason run with Ole Miss boosted his NFL stock.

He threw for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and three interceptions, including 277 yards and a touchdown during the Rebels’ 31-27 Fiesta Bowl loss to the Hurricanes on Thursday.

In three CFP games against Tulane, Georgia and then Miami, Chambliss completed 67 percent of his passes for 985 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Chambliss connected with Dae’Quan Wright for a touchdown with just over three minutes remaining to take a 27-24 lead, but after Carson Beck drove the Hurricanes down the field and capped the drive with a three-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds left, Chambliss’ final chance — which featured a controversial no-call on a Hail Mary — fell just short.

“This team has just sacrificed a lot to get to this point,” Chambliss said after the loss. “This season’s been bumpy and there’s been a lot of things going on, and we just kept our focus. It’s been truly special.”

And now, pending the result getting overturned with the lawsuit that will allegedly follow, any future games for Chambliss would take place on the NFL stage.

He’would join a quarterback class that’s expected to include Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore.