No. 21 Florida counting on Swamp to help slow down No. 4 Ole Miss star QB Trinidad Chambliss

No. 21 Florida counting on Swamp to.

Key points

• Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) passes against LSU during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Sept.
• Texas' Arch Manning threw two interceptions and was sacked six times in a 29-21 loss in Gainesville last season.
• A Mississippi culinary-themed float will parade through Pasadena in the 2027 Rose Parade.
• Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin and Texas' Steve Sarkisian take different approaches to coaching rumors.
• Chambliss has completed 70% of his passes for 924 yards this season, with seven touchdowns and two interceptions.

No. 21 Florida counting on Swamp to support slow down No. 4 Ole Miss star QB Trinidad Chambliss. By: Mark Long, Associated Press – September 23, 2026.

Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) passes against LSU during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis).

Gators coach Jon Sumrall notes Rebel quarterback Chambliss is "as good a college football player I've ever seen with my own two eyes."

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 after week and the rest of the year. "So, yeah, you're all welcome, " White quipped.

Twelve months afterwards, 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 remarked.

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 remarked. "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 additionally 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 remarked. "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 major 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) additionally 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, " remarked Ole Miss safety Sharif Denson. This person 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. This person indicated 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 remarked. "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 plenty of 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 almost 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 remarked. "I'm worried regarding what I can do this week. It will be cool to think regarding when I'm done playing football, but right now I'm really focusing on this weekend." Concerning the Author(s). Mark Long, Associated Press. Faith Alistair Begg September 22, 2026.

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In short, no. 21 Florida counting on Swamp to help slow down No. 4 is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.