College Football Responds to Colorado Court Ruling on Eligibility

On Friday, a Colorado judge ruled that all players from the 2022 class are eligible for a fifth season, prompting a frantic response from college football general managers across the country. This unexpected decision came from Judge Charlotte Sweeney as part of the Wisne vs. NCAA case, sending front office staffers and agents scrambling to assess the implications just days before the start of fall camp.

The ruling allows athletes who exhausted their eligibility in four years to potentially return for another year of play. While some specifics of the decision remain unclear, it is evident that college football programs are moving quickly to explore roster additions.

One Power Four general manager commented, "There will be players that are rosterable." Following the NCAA's alteration of its eligibility rules, members of the 2022 class initiated a series of lawsuits. Unlike previous cases primarily led by basketball players, Sweeney's order affected a broader scope, granting eligibility to all 2022 athletes who had exhausted their previous eligibility, impacting potentially hundreds or thousands of FBS football players.

In light of the ruling, college football teams are actively compiling lists of former players to gauge their interest in returning. Sources indicate that compliance offices are working diligently to navigate the ruling's full implications. Leading on the frontlines are agents who have reached out to schools to determine if any of their players meet the criteria for the fifth season.

Among the players expressing a desire to return are Myles Rowser, a former All-Big 12 safety from Arizona State, Thomas Castellanos, a quarterback from Florida State, and Cazeem Moore, a defensive end from Virginia. The atmosphere remains cautious as schools are weighing whether an appeal might challenge the ruling.

Multiple sources referenced the Charles Bediako situation from last year in Alabama basketball, where Bediako played professionally for two years before being granted a temporary restraining order permitting his return to college basketball. The uncertainty around whether the order will withstand an appeal has created a prudent approach among college football programs. Despite the excitement surrounding the court ruling, the final outcome remains uncertain as schools navigate this unexpected shift in eligibility.