Right when college sports governing bodies assumed their player eligibility rules were set in stone, a major court decision upended everything. Federal District Judge Charlotte Sweeney ruled against the NCAA, opening the door for thousands of student-athletes across the country who assumed their college careers were completely over after this past spring season.

Based on reporting from Boise State scholar Sam Ehrlich, the ruling orders the NCAA to restore an extra playing year for students who entered college in 2022. Because these players finished their four-year limit this year, athletic directors now face an unexpected scramble to adjust team rosters right before pre-season games begin. 

The NCAA rolled out its new 5-for-5 rule in June and called it a win. Future athletes got five seasons. But the 2022 class got left standing at the station. Too late for the new rule and too young for the old COVID break. They spent four seasons competing against fifth- and even sixth-year players created by those pandemic waivers. 

Then, just when the NCAA expanded eligibility, they were told they were too late to benefit, as it starts with the 2023 class. They quickly became what many around college sports started calling the “forgotten class.” Now, the class everyone skipped over just won the biggest battle. 

A group of athletes, led by Minnesota guard Cade Tyson, challenged the NCAA in federal court. They argued that introducing a new five-year model while excluding only their class amounted to unlawful restraint of trade and violated basic fairness. Judge Sweeney agreed that they had made a strong enough case.

“Plaintiffs have met their burden at every step,” she wrote. “They are likely to succeed on the merits of their Section 1 claim. They will suffer irreparable harm without issuance of an injunction. And the balance of equities, as well as the public interest, favor them. They are entitled to the injunctive relief they seek.

“Consistent with the above analysis, the Court GRANTS Plaintiffs’ Motion for Temporary Restraining Order, ECF No. 19. DATED this 31st day of July 2026.” 

You could already picture the names if this ruling sticks. As SleeperCFB pointed out, the list includes QBs Drew Allar and Cade Klubnik, along with Harold Perkins Jr., Nick Singleton, Sonny Styles, David Bailey, and Oscar Delp. Every one of them played four seasons. Every one of them could suddenly have another year sitting on the table had they not been in the NFL now. 

Sweeney’s order certifies a nationwide class consisting of every Division I athlete who entered college during the 2022-23 academic year and exhausted four years of competition after the 2025-26 season. Under the NCAA’s old rules, their careers were over. At least for now, they aren’t anymore. Now the NCAA has a roster nightmare on its hands.

Chaos awaits the NCAA in August

Winning in court is only the first domino. Now comes the pandemonium. Schools have already built their 2026 rosters. Depth charts have been set, and football training camps are underway while NIL budgets have been allocated. Now imagine former starters calling and asking whether they can come back next week.

The NCAA has already announced a special transfer portal window from Aug. 3 through Aug. 10 for athletes covered under the injunction. That creates an immediate recruiting frenzy across every Division I sport. Many football players have already moved on with their lives. Some entered NFL camps while others signed free-agent deals. But not everyone is gone.

Front offices around college football are already wondering whether undrafted free agents from April’s NFL Draft could now attempt a return to campus. Texas OL Cole Hutson already won his own temporary restraining order last week and returned to workouts with the Longhorns after spending time with both the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys. Judge Sweeney’s ruling likely wipes away the need for his separate legal fight. 

The injunction is preliminary, meaning the underlying lawsuit still has to play out. The NCAA is widely expected to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, hoping to overturn Sweeney’s decision.