A federal appeals court on Friday temporarily halted a lower court order that would have allowed thousands of college athletes who left school after last season to return for an extra year of eligibility, according to Apnews. The 2-1 decision from a panel of the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver puts the district court ruling on hold until the appeal can be fully heard.
Federal Appeals Court Halts Order on Extra Eligibility
The underlying lawsuit was filed by players who graduated high school in 2022 and whose college eligibility ended last season. These athletes argued they were unfairly excluded from the NCAA’s new rule granting most players five years of eligibility beginning next season, while missing out on the COVID-19 eligibility relief provided to classes of 2020 and 2021.
Legal Arguments and Roster Impacts
Plaintiffs contended that restrictions kept them from a fifth year and the accompanying educational and NIL compensation opportunities available to players one year younger. Meanwhile, the NCAA countered in legal filings that fairness is subjective. Countless student-athletes already on campuses, and schools who built their rosters in reliance on the rules the NCAA’s membership wrote and agreed to follow, do not believe it is fair for thousands of formerly-ineligible athletes to return to competition at the start of the 2026–27 season,
the organization stated.
With the fall season approaching, the timing created severe roster complications. According to KTVN, the appeals court ruling came just eight days before the opening kickoff of the football season. NCAA chief legal officer Scott Bearby issued a memo assuring schools they would face no punishment for class members who competed under the earlier injunction prior to the stay, though those players are now ineligible.
Unresolved Confusion and State Court Rulings
The appeals court decision does not completely resolve eligibility chaos across collegiate sports. The NCAA continues to face losses in various state and federal court battles. For instance, former Ole Miss starters Dae’Quan Wright, Zxavian Harris, and Wydett Williams secured rulings from a Louisiana state court granting another season of eligibility despite signing with NFL teams over the summer, as reported by Apnews.
Basketball programs face a more extended timeline, though roster planning remains complicated. Gonzaga recently added Dayton transfer Javon Bennett and Florida State transfer Chauncey Wiggins, both of whom won separate eligibility lawsuits. Some of us coaches told the NCAA over and over again, if they waited longer to announce this, they probably wouldn’t have this issue,
Gonzaga coach Mark Few said in a recent interview. So I don’t know why anybody would not be open to it. Maybe you don’t need it, but if you do … these are good guys.
Individual Player Stances and Future Outlook
Individual athletes face distinct hurdles following the Tenth Circuit decision. According to Yahoo Sports, SMU safety Ahmaad Moses faces fresh obstacles in his bid to return for a fifth year. Moses exhausted his eligibility after playing four full seasons with the Mustangs, earning team captain and All-ACC first-team honors in 2025 with 104 total tackles and five interceptions.
Although Moses was projected to be drafted, a herniated disk discovered via MRI at the NFL scouting combine required spinal fusion surgery, leaving him undrafted and unsigned. While U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte Sweeney previously ruled that Class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their eligibility could play this upcoming year, Moses had not yet filed an individual lawsuit. An SMU spokesperson confirmed that Moses will continue practicing with the team while awaiting further developments from the courts.
