Trinidad Chambliss achieved fame last season by guiding the Ferris State Bulldogs to the NCAA Division II National Championship. Now, at 23 years old and having transferred from Ferris State in April, he aims to elevate his career by helping the Ole Miss Rebels reach the College Football Playoff National Championship.
The No. 6 seeded Ole Miss (13-1) is set to compete against the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes (12-2) in the CFP semifinals at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Fiesta Bowl in State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona, with hopes of advancing to the 2025 CFP championship game. Chambliss played a significant role in the Rebels’ journey, throwing for 644 yards, with three touchdown passes and two rushing scores, after helping beat Tulane 41-10 in the first playoff round and narrowly defeating Georgia 39-34 in the quarterfinals. Ole Miss, which avenged its only loss of the season with a victory over Georgia, faces an underdog team in Miami, which impressively dispatched Texas A&M 10-3 in the opener and defeated defending champions Ohio State 24-14 in the quarterfinals.
In Thursday’s NBA games, the Indiana Pacers, with a record of 6-31 and a 13-game losing streak, face the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center at 7 p.m. ET. The Pacers, who lost seven straight to the Oklahoma City Thunder in last year’s NBA Finals, are currently the league’s worst team. The NHL also features 12 matchups, including the Buffalo Sabers (22-15-4), riding high with 11 wins in their last 12 games, battling the New York Rangers (20-18-6) at Madison Square Garden at 7 p.m. ET. Buffalo wants to avenge a season-opening 4-0 loss to New York. College basketball also sees several matchups, notably Pepperdine (5-12) versus San Diego (6-10) at Jenny Craig Pavilion at 9:30 p.m. ET. Pepperdine aims to end a three-game losing streak, while San Diego hopes to overcome a five-game tournament drought.
According to odds, Miami is favored by three points over Ole Miss in college football. The Hornets are 3.5-point favorites against the Pacers, the Sabers are slight favorites at -125 on the money line versus the Rangers, and San Diego is a 4.5-point favorite over Pepperdine in college basketball.
Here’s a quick overview of key sports events on Thursday, January 8th:
College Football:
Miami (Fla.) vs. Ole Miss at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN from Glendale, Arizona. SportsLine models suggest Ole Miss +3, with the prediction favoring a lower scoring game, as Miami has been effective defensively this playoff run.
NBA:
Pacers vs. Hornets at 7 p.m. on NBA League Pass from Charlotte. Predictions favor the Hornets to cover the spread, with Moussa Diabaté expected to have a strong performance against Indiana’s rebounding defense.
NHL:
Rangers vs. Sabers at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ from New York. The under is favored with a high likelihood based on recent scoring trends, especially considering Buffalo’s recent offensive struggles and injuries on the Rangers.
College Basketball:
Pepperdine vs. San Diego at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN+ from San Diego. San Diego is favored to cover, with models forecasting another challenging loss for Pepperdine, which has been competitive mostly in conference play.
Fan Take: For hockey fans, these days remind us that the sport remains unpredictable, as underdogs often rise and unexpected injuries shift playoff hopes. Success stories like Chambliss’ showcase how individual talent can ignite a team’s championship dreams—truly what makes hockey and sports in general so exhilarating.
