Trinidad Chambliss 'wow' plays get all the attention. What Kirby Smart sees instead
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OXFORD — Georgia football coach Kirby Smart called Ole Miss football quarterback Trinidad Chambliss "probably the best quarterback in the country."
Ole Miss coach Pete Golding described Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton as "an elite game manager."
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The two will play for the third time in their careers in Week 10. No. 12 Ole Miss (6-2, 4-2 SEC) hosts No. 2 Georgia (7-1, 5-1) on Nov. 7 (6:30 p.m., ABC) at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Stockton and Georgia beat Ole Miss during the 2025 regular season 43-35 in Athens, but Chambliss and the Rebels won 39-34 in the Sugar Bowl in the CFP quarterfinals.
Why Pete Golding respects Georgia QB Gunner Stockton
Golding was asked for his read on Stockton, Georgia's fifth-year quarterback. Golding had high praise for how Stockton plays. He didn't need to see incredible highlights to be impressed.
"Number one, it's his competitive character," Golding said Nov. 2. "I think you see his toughness on tape, but I think more importantly than those two, be honest with you, he's an elite game manager. Doesn't press, doesn't try to do too much. Has a really good understanding of their system. Takes what the defense gives him. Gets them in and out of a lot of different things. Checks a lot of protections and run game with the line of scrimmage that you can see on tape."
Golding said Georgia's 27-24 home loss to Auburn was an aberration. Stockton was 22-for-34 for 272 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in that game.
"Outside of that one game versus you know Auburn, which was kind of an outlier to me on tape, he doesn't ever beat himself," Golding said. "I think when you got a really good football team, a good defense, when you protect the football and take what the defense gives you, they do a really good job controlling the clock."
Why Kirby Smart is impressed with Trinidad Chambliss
Smart had different feedback when asked for his evaluation of Chambliss. He knows Chambliss has a habit of making highlights as a runner or passer.
“They’ve got probably the best quarterback in the country who plays at a high level," Smart said. "He is extremely hard to defend, and a great player."
Smart said Chambliss also has the ability to operate an offense with poise and precision. He doesn't need highlight runs or throws to score points. It sounded like Golding's assessment of Stockton.
“The 'wow' plays are what you guys (reporters) love and what America loves, and he had some 'wow' plays against us last year. But it’s the down-in, down-out decision-making that he’s really elite at, the accuracy that he’s elite at," Smart said. "The release, the decision. He’s just pinpoint. He has an anticipation of windows that’s probably unmatched.“
Trinidad Chambliss stats
Chambliss is 180-for-296 (60.8%) for 2,189 yards, 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He has 48 rushes for 199 yards and seven touchdowns. He leads the SEC with 273.6 passing yards per game.
Gunner Stockton stats
Stockton is 130-for-181 (71.8%) for 1,671 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. He has 47 carries for 205 yards and one touchdown.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at [email protected] or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Trinidad Chambliss 'wow' plays get all the attention. What Kirby Smart sees instead