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We’re backmost pinch our 2nd information of TTOP for nan 2026 season. This summertime we’ll beryllium exploring nan apical 10 violative and protect players Mizzou shot is slated to look this fall. We’re not ranking them 1-10, it’s overmuch much technological past that (or linguistic since we are conscionable ordering them alphabetically.)
School: Ole Miss
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Mich.
Position: QB
Class: Triple ace duper elder pinch a (court-ordered) cherry connected top
Height: 6-0
Weight: 205 lbs.
Trinidad Chambliss’ travel to Oxford, Miss. has been thing but conventional. The 6-1, 200 lbs. backmost from Grand Rapids, Michigan began his profession astatine D-II Ferris State earlier yet transferring to Ole Miss arsenic a backup earlier past season. His lawsuit for a sixth play centered connected a missed 2022 run because of respiratory issues, and a Mississippi judge yet ruled successful his favour aft nan NCAA denied his waiver request.
On nan field, Chambliss delivered 1 of nan champion backmost seasons successful Ole Miss history successful 2025. He completed 294 of 445 passes for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and conscionable 3 interceptions while adding 527 rushing yards and 8 scores connected nan ground. His 86.5 QBR classed among nan nation’s leaders and helped propel nan Rebels to a 13-win play and a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance.
His champion shot came precocious successful nan play arsenic Chambliss dazzled during Ole Miss’ playoff run, starring nan Rebels past Tulane successful a 41-10 first-round triumph earlier helping sound disconnected Georgia successful nan Sugar Bowl. Ole Miss’ play yet ended pinch a constrictive semifinal nonaccomplishment to Miami, but Chambliss’ capacity connected nan nationalist shape elevated him from SEC prima to family name. He vanished eighth successful Heisman Trophy voting and established himself arsenic 1 of nan country’s premier dual-threat quarterbacks.
The expectations entering 2026 are tremendous for Chambliss and nan Rebels alike. Chambliss returns arsenic arguably nan astir accomplished backmost successful nan SEC and a morganatic contender to go Ole Miss’ first Heisman Trophy winner.
His operation of ratio and mobility makes him difficult to defend. He tin hit defenses from nan pocket, create explosive plays extracurricular building and widen drives pinch his legs erstwhile protection breaks down. Few quarterbacks successful nan state connection that complete package.
The biggest mobility is not Chambliss. It’s everything astir him.
Lane Kiffin’s departure near Ole Miss navigating important coaching changes, and history suggests moreover elite quarterbacks tin struggle during transitions. New caput coach Pete Golding inherits a roster tin of competing for a playoff berth, but replacing an full unit is ne'er seamless. Still, if Ole Miss remains successful nan playoff race, Chambliss will apt walk overmuch of nan autumn adjacent nan apical of nan Heisman leaderboard.
Mizzou will recreation to Oxford this play for 1 of its toughest roadworthy tests of nan year. While nan Rebels look questions astir their caller coaching staff, location are very fewer questions astir nan backmost position.
Chambliss presents a unsocial situation for Corey Batoon’s defense because he stresses opponents successful aggregate ways. He is meticulous capable to punish azygous coverage, diversion capable to flight unit and knowledgeable capable to admit protect disguises earlier nan snap. Simply put, location are not galore weaknesses to attack.
The Tigers’ champion chance whitethorn beryllium forcing Ole Miss to beryllium its caller violative strategy tin consistently usability nether pressure. Expect Batoon to operation coverages, show simulated pressures and effort to support Chambliss successful nan pouch alternatively than allowing him to create extracurricular structure.
Offensively, Chip Lindsey and Austin Simmons, nan backmost Chambliss Wally Pipped past twelvemonth astatine Ole Miss, whitethorn request to thief Mizzou’s defense by controlling possession and limiting opportunities. A shootout successful Oxford apt favors nan location squad and its seasoned quarterback.
Chambliss enters nan play arsenic 1 of nan SEC’s premier players and possibly nan biggest obstacle opinionated betwixt Mizzou and a signature roadworthy victory. If nan Tigers tin slow him down, they will person a chance. If they cannot, Ole Miss could erstwhile again find itself successful nan College Football Playoff speech by season’s end.
School: Oklahoma
Hometown: Corinth, Texas
Position: Safety
Class: Senior
Height: 6-0
Weight: 203 lbs.
Peyton Bowen came to Oklahoma arsenic 1 of nan nation’s apical protect backmost prospects aft a highly publicized recruitment that saw him flip from Notre Dame to Oregon and yet motion pinch nan Sooners. The Dallas-area autochthonal was 1 of nan crown jewels of Brent Venables’ 2023 recruiting people and wasted small clip getting connected nan field.
As a existent freshman successful 2023, Bowen appeared successful each 13 games and vanished pinch 36 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and 5 walk breakups. His versatility allowed Oklahoma to usage him astatine safety, nickel and successful unit packages adjacent nan statement of scrimmage.
His sophomore play was quieter statistically owed to injury, but still showcased his worth to nan Sooners’ defense. Bowen recorded 33 tackles and a walk breakup while serving arsenic a dependable beingness successful nan secondary. Opposing offenses often avoided challenging him down nan field, limiting his opportunities to nutrient scatter plays. While nan interception numbers did not materialize, Oklahoma coaches consistently praised his shot IQ, connection skills and expertise to support nan defense organized. He peaked past twelvemonth arsenic a junior, finishing 2nd squad All-SEC and picking up 46 tackles and 2 interceptions.
At 6-0 and 203 lbs., Bowen possesses nan athleticism to screen receivers successful abstraction and nan physicality to support against nan run. That operation has made him 1 of nan astir valuable protect backs connected Oklahoma’s roster heading into SEC play.
Bowen enters 2026 pinch expectations of becoming 1 of nan conference’s apical safeties. Oklahoma’s defense will trust heavy connected his acquisition arsenic nan Sooners proceed adapting to nan week-to-week challenges of nan SEC.
His versatility remains his top strength. Bowen tin play heavy safety, rotate into nan slot, blitz disconnected nan separator and supply tally support adjacent nan statement of scrimmage. That elasticity allows Brent Venables to disguise coverages and create disorder for opposing quarterbacks.
The adjacent measurement successful Bowen’s improvement will beryllium producing much takeaways. He has each nan beingness devices basal to go an early draught prime adjacent spring, but interceptions and forced turnovers are often what abstracted bully protect backs from awesome ones. If those numbers summation successful 2026, Bowen could look arsenic 1 of nan nation’s astir complete safeties.
The erstwhile five-star information missed Oklahoma’s 2024 travel to Columbia because of injury, meaning he was forced to watch from nan sideline arsenic nan Tigers pulled disconnected a memorable triumph complete nan Sooners.
When nan teams met again successful 2025, Bowen was patient and connected nan section and turned successful 1 of his quieter performances of nan season. He vanished pinch 4 tackles and a walk defended, but nan humble stat statement was much a reflection of Oklahoma’s protect power than immoderate shortcomings successful his play. The Sooners controlled nan statement of scrimmage, consistently pressured Beau Pribula and mostly eliminated Mizzou’s downfield passing attack. With nan Tigers incapable to make explosive plays done nan air, Bowen was seldom forced into nan type of game-changing situations that often nutrient interceptions and highlight-reel plays.
That move makes nan Thanksgiving play matchup successful Columbia particularly interesting. Bowen remains 1 of nan SEC’s astir versatile protect backs, and Mizzou’s discourtesy will request to do a amended occupation stressing Oklahoma vertically if it hopes to forestall nan Sooners from dictating nan crippled defensively.
For Chip Lindsey and Austin Simmons, identifying Bowen earlier nan threat will beryllium a priority. Oklahoma regularly aligns him successful different spots passim nan secondary, allowing him to disguise coverages and bait quarterbacks into mistakes. His expertise to rotate from heavy information to slot defender wrong nan aforesaid bid makes him 1 of nan much difficult players successful nan convention to relationship for.
Mizzou’s champion chance whitethorn beryllium forcing Bowen to go a factor. That sounds counterintuitive, but nan Tigers request to situation Oklahoma’s secondary capable to make its prima information work. If Bowen spends different crippled simply cleaning up underneath throws while Oklahoma’s beforehand controls nan action, nan Sooners will apt beryllium pleased pinch nan outcome. If Mizzou tin agelong nan section and create opportunities that unit Bowen into difficult decisions, it whitethorn person a amended chance of flipping nan book successful 1 of nan season’s astir anticipated SEC matchups.
