Will two Mississippi men be able to outwit, outplay and outlast 16 other contestants in season 46 of the CBS reality TV series “Survivor”?

The two men, Quintavius “Q” Burdette and Hunter McKnight, have survived the challenges of the first episode which premiered on Feb. 29, to advance to Wednesday night’s 2-hour episode.

The season was filmed in the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji from June 3 to June 28, 2023.

McKnight, 28, is a high school science teacher at French Camp Academy, a private boarding school.

Burdette, 29, of Senatobia, is a real estate agent in the Memphis area. Burdette was a former wide receiver, defensive back and track star at Ole Miss. Burdette played for the Rebels football team from 2012 to 2015. He also was a sprinter on the Ole Miss track and field team.

Episode 1

This season the contestants were divided into three tribes: Yanu, Siga, and Nami.

McKnight joined the Nami tribe and Burdette joined the Yanu tribe.

McKnight and the Nami tribe won the first reward challenge, gaining them flint to make fire and other supplies.

Nami also won immunity with the Siga tribe, leaving Burdette and his fellow Yanu tribe members facing their first Tribal Council and elimination. The tribe voted unanimously to eliminate David ‘Jelinsky’ Jelinsky from Las Vegas. Burdette and the remaining members of the Yanu tribe returned to camp to prepare for the next challenges that lie ahead.

The Cast

The Survivor Cast Members are:

• Quintavius “Q” Burdette, 29, a real estate agent from Senatobia who now resides in Memphis.
• Jessica ‘Jess’ Chong, 37, a software engineer from Hong Kong and Ontario, Canada, who resides in San Francisco.
• Charlie Davis, 26, a law student from Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, who resides in Boston.
• Tevin Davis, 24, an actor from Goochland, Virginia, who resides in Richmond, Virginia.
• Tiffany Nicole Ervin, 33, an artist from Franklin Township, New Jersey, who resides in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
• Moriah Gaynor, 28, a program coordinator from Boca Raton, Florida, who resides in San Diego.
• Maria Shrime Gonzalez, 48, a parent coach from Dallas.
• Bhanu Gopal, 41, an IT quality analyst from Visakhapatnam, India, who resides in Acton, Massachusetts.
• Jemila ‘Jem’ Hussain-Adams, 32, an international brand mentor from Berbice, Guyana, who resides in Chicago.
• David ‘Jelinsky’ Jelinsky, 22, a slot machine salesman from Las Vegas.
• Ben Katzman, 31, a musician from Miami.
• Hunter McKnight, 28, a science teacher from French Camp.
• Randen Montalvo, 41, an aerospace technician from Brooklyn, New York, who resides in Orlando, Florida.
• Tim Spicer, 31, a college coach from Arlington, Virginia, who resides in Atlanta.
• Soda Thompson, 27, a special education teacher from Long Island, New York, who resides in Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey.
• Venus Vafa, 24, a data analyst from Hill, Ontario, who resides in Toronto, Ontario.
• Kenzie Petty, 29, a salon owner from Gibraltar, Michigan, who resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.
• Liz Wilcox, 35, a marketing strategist from Luther, Michigan, who resides in Orlando, Florida.