Eli Manning is still over the moon about his alma mater, Ole Miss, upsetting LSU 32-24 in Week 3. The former two-time Super Bowl winner with the New York Giants teased fellow former Super Bowl champion and proud former LSU Tiger Andrew Whitworth about it during the Monday Night Football Manningcast.
Whitworth got the last laugh on the night after his LA Rams beat Eli's Giants 28-6. Oxford will be celebrating getting that sweet revenge on Lane Kiffin until they meet again in Death Valley during the 2027 season, though.
On Monday afternoon, I got the chance to speak with Eli in support of his and King's Hawaiian's attempt to get the QB slide recognized as an official stat. Manning is, after all, one of the best sliders in football.
His favorite slider with King's Hawaiian's, by the way, is a sloppy joe.
"It shows the caliber of coaching that they have there"
Manning praised Pete Golding's coaching staff for fending off a late LSU comeback attempt and completing the upset. The Tigers scored 17 unanswered points in the second half to tie the game at 24 in the fourth quarter. It wasn't enough for Kiffin's squad against Golding and Co.
Eli also recognized Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss for his role in the win. Chambliss had 363 passing yards and three all-purpose touchdowns, including the go-ahead-for-good score with his legs.
"It was a big game with a lot of emotion, a wonderful atmosphere, and a lot of drama in the way the game was built up. So, the fact that they were able to show up, get off to a great start, and kind of handle the rally from LSU -- they got back in the game, but then Ole Miss settled down and made the plays they needed in the fourth quarter to win -- it shows the caliber of coaching that they have there," Manning told me.
"I'm so excited to see where the season could go as they continue to find ways to fight through the SEC. Each and every week should be a battle. But they've got good players. Trinidad is one of the best, and he's playing at a high level right now."
Trinidad Chambliss had potential Heisman moment against LSU
Chambliss being granted eligibility for the 2026 campaign was one of the biggest stories of the offseason. Had Chambliss not gotten an extra year, Auburn transfer Deuce Knight would be Golding and play-caller John David Baker's starter behind center.
Knight was spectacular in his one Tigers start last November, but that was against Mercer. While Knight could be the future of the Ole Miss football program, Chambliss is the reason the Rebels are the No. 4 team in the country right now. Truthfully, Ole Miss probably deserves to be ranked even higher than that, since Georgia and Notre Dame lack anywhere close to as impressive a win as the LSU triumph.
Regardless, Chambliss getting the chance to lead the Rebels over the Bayou Bengals in Kiffin's dramatic return to the Grove created one of the great moments of the young 2026 season.
It could be the first of several major moments for Chambliss en route to a Heisman Trophy win in December if Ole Miss keeps on winning. Coincidentally, one of Chambliss's biggest competitors right now is Eli's nephew, Texas quarterback Arch Manning. They'll face off in Austin the week before Ole Miss hosts Auburn on Halloween.
We'll see how the race changes over the next few months and whether the Rebels can keep rolling in the SEC.
Add us as a preferred source on Google