As he stays with Ole Miss through its run in the College Football Playoff, Austin Simmons has decided on his home for next season.
The Mississippi quarterback has signed with Missouri, according to multiple reports Tuesday, Jan. 6.
Simmons began the 2025 season as the Rebels’ starter, but suffered an ankle injury in a Week 2 win at Kentucky. Trinidad Chambliss took over the starting role and didn’t give it up, accounting for 4,180 yards and finishing eighth in Heisman Trophy voting.
In two starts this season, Simmons completed 33 of his 55 passes for 576 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions. He also had 61 rushing yards and a touchdown. Simmons played in seven games as a redshirt freshman in 2024, completing 19 of 32 passes for 282 yards and a touchdown while serving as Jaxson Dart’s backup.
Simmons is expected to remain with Ole Miss through the playoff, giving it a viable option off the bench should Chambliss get injured or for any other reason. Under new head coach Pete Golding, the Rebels will take on Miami in the national semifinals in the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 8.
Chambliss has confirmed he will return to Ole Miss in 2026 if his waiver for another year of eligibility is approved by the NCAA.
The 6-4, 215-pound Simmons was a four-star recruit coming out of Pahokee High School in Florida. He was the No. 19 quarterback in the 2023 class, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.
Missouri had an opening at quarterback after Beau Pribula entered the transfer portal after an injury plagued season as the Tigers’ starter in 2025. The former Penn State quarterback accounted for 2,238 total yards and 17 touchdowns for a Missouri team that lost five of its final eight games after a 5-0 start. Pribula played in only two of the Tigers’ final five games.
Simmons will join a Missouri offense that already has one of the most productive offensive players in college football in running back Ahmad Hardy. Last season, the Louisiana-Monroe transfer rushed for 1,649 yards, the second-most among FBS players, while scoring 16 touchdowns and averaging 6.4 yards per carry.