The Music City Bowl game against Illinois might be the last game quarterback Joey Aguilar plays for the Tennessee Volunteers. This comes after he joined Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia in his JUCO lawsuit against the NCAA’s junior college eligibility rules. Aguilar responded to the uncertainty over his future in the pre-bowl press conference.

“I’m blessed to go out there and play it one more time, and if it’s my last game or not, I’m excited to go out there with this team one more time.” Joey Aguilar said during Tuesday’s media day. “Grateful for the coaches and the program, the community for accepting me this year, and just one more time to go out there and show up.”

Aguilar joined the Volunteers earlier this season after playing two seasons for the App State Mountaineers. He was seen as a strong addition to head coach Josh Heupel’s side, and he didn’t disappoint. The quarterback completed 66.8 percent of his passes for 3,444 yards and 24 touchdowns, leading the Volunteers’ offense and emerging as one of the team’s primary leaders.

Despite playing only three seasons of FBS football, Aguilar’s eligibility came into question. That’s because he played two seasons of junior college football at Diablo Valley in 2021 and 2022. According to the NCAA’s eligibility rules, an athlete is allowed to play four seasons in five years, and time spent playing sports at a junior college also counts.

This means an athlete cannot reset eligibility by first attending a junior college. That restriction is why Diego Pavia challenged the NCAA, as he argued that counting his junior college years toward Division I eligibility violated antitrust law. Pavia claimed the rule limited his ability to maximize NIL opportunities after spending two seasons at New Mexico Military Institute.

Diego Pavia ultimately was granted an injunction by a federal judge, giving him an extra year of eligibility. The injunction also prevents the NCAA from punishing Pavia or any program he plays for next year if the ruling is ultimately overturned at trial. Taking inspiration from and faced with a similar situation, Aguilar also filed a lawsuit against the NCAA.

Joey Aguilar’s reaction to the NCAA lawsuit

Joey Aguilar is expected to receive a ruling on his lawsuit after Tennessee’s bowl game in Nashville on December 30th. Until then, the quarterback remains focused on performing in front of the fans in what could be his final appearance for the Volunteers.

“My answer is still to focus on the season and pursue what I want to pursue afterward,” Aguilar told the media. “I’m preparing for a bowl game, so my focus is on that and getting ready for Illinois.”

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If the ruling goes in his favor, it would represent a best-case scenario for Tennessee. It would also mark only the second time a starting quarterback has returned for a second season under Josh Heupel, with Hendon Hooker being the only other to do so in 2021 and 2022.