The most coveted individual award a college football player can win is the Heisman Trophy. Ole Miss believes it has two candidates deserving of the award this season in quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy.
Although the award is determined by play on the field and not promotion off the field, the university still decided to allocate some money to spread the word about its two stars. In the last week, anyone walking around in Las Vegas may have seen the minute-long video promoting Ole Miss football and its two stars Chambliss and Lacy on the iconic Sphere. Both players have also appeared on billboards in Times Square in New York City.
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According to ESPN’s Eli Lederman, Ole Miss likely spent in the range of $600,000-$750,000 on the campaign, though university officials haven’t confirmed the exact number.
Ole Miss Senior Associate Athletic Director Drew Ingraham had this to say about the campaign.
“You can’t put a price tag on that type of publicity,” Ingraham said. “For us, it was a question of where can we make the biggest statement? Where can we get the most eyes? The goal was not only to promote Trinidad and Kewan but also to put the University of Mississippi and Ole Miss athletics at the forefront of college athletics too.”
Chambliss and Lacy to Kickstart Campaign Sunday Night
Ole Miss’ 2026 season is slated to get underway at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 6. The No. 9 Rebels are hosting the No. 24 Louisville Cardinals in the lone top-25 matchup of week one on the college football slate.
Though Ole Miss will play four other projected top-10 teams in LSU, Texas, Georgia, and Oklahoma this season, they will only get one chance to make a first impression against a top-25 team. Even with the expanded CFP Bracket, losing week one would make a playoff berth much, much more difficult for the Rebels.
Chambliss and Lacy Look to Start Strong Against Louisville
Trinidad Chambiss was the most talked about college football player over the offseason, as he was granted a sixth year of eligibility by a Mississippi state court, dating back to medical hardships he faced in 2022 with Ferris State that caused him to miss playing time.
Chambliss was outstanding last season as the Rebels starter, completing 66 percent of his passes while throwing just under 4,000 yards with 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He also rushed for 527 yards.
Even more impressive though, was his play in the CFP, most notably against the No. 3 seed Georgia. He threw for 362 yards and two touchdowns in the Rebels 39-34 upset over the Bulldogs.
Lacy, a junior, had a very impressive sophomore campaign, as he rushed for 1,567 yards and an astounding 24 touchdowns. He had a 224 yard game against Florida late in the season.
Both Lacy and Chambliss are playing for a Heisman this season, but maybe even more important will be how their play affects their respective NFL draft stock. Lacy is already a projected first rounder, while Chambliss could easily play himself into that conversation with a strong year.
How Much Money Did Ole Miss Spend to Promote Chambliss and Lacy for Heisman?