Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joey Aguilar is officially jumping into a major lawsuit against the NCAA. He’s teaming up with Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia, who basically kicked off this whole movement. Maybe they’re just trying to squeeze out one more year of eligibility since their season has fallen short.

According to Front Office Sports’ Amanda Christovich, Pavia had filed an amended complaint against the NCAA’s JUCO rule. Seeing that, Aguilar didn’t waste any time getting added as another plaintiff in this lawsuit. The whole legal battle revolves around challenging the NCAA rule that counts junior college (JUCO) time against a player’s total college eligibility.

Players claim that not being able to earn NIL money at JUCO unfairly limits their earning potential in college football. While Pavia received a temporary waiver to play in 2025, his larger lawsuit aims to change the rule permanently. Automatically, it provides all former JUCO players with more time and opportunities.

The situation for both Tennessee and Vanderbilt this year makes the lawsuit even more understandable. Neither team has a clear path to the playoffs, so both schools are falling short of a championship-contending season.

According to ESPN, the Vols have just a 2% chance of making the playoffs this year. Since a national title is off the table, obtaining another year of eligibility through the lawsuit could be a bigger priority or one last push for a national title for players like Aguilar.

Additionally, it provides Joey Aguilar with another opportunity to enhance his draft stock and expand his NIL brand. The former Sun Belt quarterback has already stacked just over a million in his first year in the SEC. With the way he throws the pigskin, it’s a no-brainer that Tennessee might go big on him. After all, he’s a very Volunteers-coded gunslinger, right up there with the likes of Hendon Hooker.

It’s been a bit of a journey for Aguilar to get to this point. He began his studies at Diablo Valley Community College, where he spent two years before transferring to Appalachian State. He absolutely lit it up at App State, which caught the attention of recruiters and led to a brief commitment to UCLA before he ultimately landed at Tennessee.

Notably, Joey Aguilar has put in some serious work for Josh Heupel. Their 7–3 record on paper doesn’t quite reflect their offense or Aguilar’s level of play. The Volunteers are second in the nation in scoring offense (43.4 ppg). The Cali native has nearly 3,000 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 10 picks while completing 66% of his passes.

If you’ve watched Tennessee play, you know he’s one of the most entertaining QBs in the country, if not the most. He’s also flashed his rushing ability with 119 yards and three touchdowns. Makes sense why the Volunteers might push for him to get another year.

If Josh Heupel pulls elite DBs from the portal this offseason, Tennessee might have a legit shot at the SEC. Yes, maybe even a playoff run, with Joey Aguilar.

However, the outcome of the lawsuit remains uncertain. The players are hoping for a permanent rule change. For Aguilar, it’s a gamble on getting another crack at college football after his final scheduled season. Given the long odds for a playoff run this year, the chance to extend their careers is a smart move for both Aguilar and Pavia.

It’s a high-stakes play that could reshape the NCAA’s eligibility rules for years to come—all thanks to Diego Pavia’s heroics.

Diego Pavia: The College Football’s Revolutionist!

Diego Pavia earned a final, sixth year of eligibility late last year after securing a preliminary injunction in his lawsuit against the NCAA. He argued that his time at New Mexico Military Institute shouldn’t count toward his eligibility clock.

While his attorneys pushed to turn his case into a class-action lawsuit, Pavia later clarified he does not plan to play another season at Vanderbilt. On social media, he made it pretty clear that “2025 will be my final season.”

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In September, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit held a hearing related to the NCAA’s appeal. According to sports law professor Sam Ehrlich, Pavia’s attorneys threatened a broader challenge to the NCAA’s redshirt rule. And said they would seek another injunction that could allow Pavia to play in 2026.

Ehrlich explained, “A big part of the hearing was about whether the NCAA’s appeal was moot… because Pavia could still play for 2025 based on the waiver.”

His point was that if Pavia already had 2025 guaranteed, the appeal might not change anything.

However, Pavia’s legal team argued the case still matters. Ehrlich said Pavia’s attorney believes the appellate ruling could determine whether NCAA rules are considered “commercial.”

If they are, they would be subject to antitrust law. If the court rules that way, Pavia’s camp would request a new injunction or possibly an expedited trial. So, he could potentially play in 2026. Either the NCAA will finally make a permanent change, or the same cycle will continue.