Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was so excited after leading his team's 32-24 win over LSU on Saturday night that he forgot to take his mouthpiece out for much of his post-game TV interview.
Then, at the end, he let the jubilation of victory take over and let out a "Hotty f****** Toddy" for the world to hear. For the second consecutive week, ESPN's Holly Rowe was caught up in another awkward on-field situation, leading to an apology.
"Emotions were high, that's the best play in football being in victory formation," Chambliss said. "My emotions were high for the game, and I kind of got caught up in the moment with the interview. That's not who I am with the interview. I'm deeply apologetic to Holly Rowe and everyone out there who was listening, and that's not who I am so I'm sorry about that."
Following last week's Ohio State vs. Texas thriller, Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian blew off Rowe's interview, which led to an insensitive AI video that put his quarterback, Arch Manning, in the crossfire. Manning apologized, Sarkisian addressed the fiery response a few days later, and now there are more public relations missteps in the wake of the win.
Chambliss was terrific for the Rebels against the Tigers, completing 33 of 48 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns. Ole Miss jumped out to a 17-point first-half lead, but LSU knotted the score at 24 early in the fourth quarter.
Chambliss then pushed Ole Miss on a 13-play, 75-yard march, capping the go-ahead drive with a 14-yard touchdown run with 6:14 to play, sending the capacity crowd inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium into a frenzy.
"He's a fierce competitor," Pete Golding told Rowe after the game. "I told you before, 'As long as the ball's in No. 6's hands, we're good.' Just happy for our guys."
Ole Miss spoils Lane Kiffin's homecoming
After 10 months of animosity toward its former coach came to a head for everyone involved with Ole Miss for college football's biggest game in Week 3, Lane Kiffin is thankful he can now move on from the theatrics of it all.
Extra security proved unnecessary for Kiffin, who spent six successful seasons in Oxford, transforming the Rebels into one of the SEC's most formidable teams. He went 55-19 overall and 32-17 in the SEC with the Rebels before leaving last November on the verge of the program's first College Football Playoff appearance.
"I'm glad it's over. This was an emotional game for a lot of reasons," Kiffin said. "A lot of life-changing experiences here. A lot of really good people that helped me through some really hard times. Sometimes I don't act like it, but I'm a human, too.
"Congrats to those guys. They played really well. They deserved to win."
"It was a little weird seeing him on the other sideline and seeing other coaches," Chambliss said. "But it is what it is. We're competitors at the end of the day. It's just a football game but I'm glad we got the win."
