Wisconsin is blowing the whistle on Miami’s alleged recruiting violation. Two years after Michigan faced heat for allegedly poaching players during the NCAA’s ‘dead period’, another storm is brewing in college football. As Xavier Lucas’ transfer without a proper portal process is lighting a fire under the Badgers. And this time they aren’t letting it slide. Instead, they’re taking Miami to court, aiming to draw a line in the sand. Now, in this high-stakes lawsuit drama, an analyst jumps right in, bringing the binding clause to light. Looks like Miami can’t break anytime soon!

Xavier Lucas signed a two-year, revenue-sharing agreement with the Wisconsin Badgers on December 2, 2024, effective July 1, 2025. This deal, finalized before the House v. NCAA settlement, included “substantial financial compensation” and was legally binding. However, Lucas’ subsequent transfer request created immediate conflict. Wisconsin refused to enter his name in the NCAA transfer portal, a crucial step in the official process. Yet Lucas chose to move forward with his transfer plans.

And that’s when the entire mess began. Xavier Lucas transferred, withdrawing from Wisconsin and enrolling in Miami in January 2025, bypassing the portal entirely. Wisconsin alleges this breach of contract constitutes poaching by Miami, violating NCAA rules, and ignoring their revenue-sharing agreement. As a result, Wisconsin sued Miami, aiming to establish a legal precedent in college athletics.

And that binding contract made things worse for Mario Cristobal‘s program. The “tampering” move escalated to a point that even analyst Joe DeLeone supported Wisconsin’s bold step, and he didn’t mince words before landing Miami with a tough reality check on his Weekly College Football podcast. “Xavier Lucas in Miami kind of set a precedent and tried to skirt the transfer portal. And the way that they tried to do this was him unenrolling at Wisconsin and enrolling at Miami, despite signing a two-year—this is something that we’ve talked a lot about in the new world of college athletics—despite signing a two-year revenue-sharing agreement that was binding. This wasn’t a loose contract. This was a binding deal that he was earning revenue from the University of Wisconsin; he had to stay there.”

The NCAA, despite rules against tampering, hasn’t enforced them, prompting Wisconsin to sue for breach of contract. Interestingly, Wisconsin is not targeting Xavier Lucas himself but focusing instead on a direct legal battle between the universities. The NCAA, meanwhile, has made its stance clear, distancing itself from the situation. “NCAA rules do not prevent a student-athlete from unenrolling from an institution, enrolling at a new institution, and competing immediately,” said an NCAA spokesperson to Yahoo Sports. This suggests the NCAA is not likely to get involved – meaning Miami and Wisconsin will have to settle their issue through the courts.

Now, Wisconsin’s move will be a learning curve for players making rash portal moves. Even Joe DeLeone feels the same, as he said, “I am glad that Wisconsin is filing a lawsuit, and I think that once the college sports commission becomes a thing, tampering in instances like this is going to be really focused on. I really think that is going to be the biggest issue. I think it’s going to have a lot less to do with impacting how NIL affects high school recruiting. I think there’s going to be a little bit of a learning process.” Badgers are out there proving that, when it comes to tampering, the responsibility lies with the universities, not the athletes.

And Joe isn’t the only one backing the Badgers’ move…

Xavier Lucas’ tampering battle gets backing

Talk to any CFB coaches, and they will readily express their frustration with rampant tampering. Despite strict NCAA rules, weak enforcement allows it to flourish unchecked. Coaches and recruiting directors commonly describe it as widespread and blatant. It often begins with a school contacting a player’s personal trainer, who then contacts the player, initiating the recruitment process. This casual approach makes it incredibly difficult to monitor, let alone prevent.

And TCU’s head coach Sonny Dykes put it succinctly: “There needs to be severe repercussions for it, but at the same time, you can’t prove any of this stuff. You can’t subpoena phone records,” Dykes said. “I’m a big believer in don’t have speed limits if you’re not going to write tickets. Let’s not have a bunch of rules if they aren’t going to be enforced. All that does is cheapen the game and our profession, quite frankly. You better have someone to write tickets to enforce those rules, and right now there’s nobody doing that.”

Wisconsin is stepping up to be that ‘someone’, challenging Miami’s alleged tampering in the Xavier Lucas transfer. A successful lawsuit with significant consequences could reshape college sports. As attorney and former Division I coach Mitch Gilfillan told CBS Sports, “I think a lawsuit of this magnitude certainly puts people on guard that the possibility of being sued or being a part of a lawsuit is a real thing.” The case’s outcome, whether through the courts or the upcoming College Sports Commission (CSC), which will govern NIL and revenue sharing, could significantly impact future enforcement.

This isn’t the first time this has happened; let’s remember that. NFL handled its own high-profile tampering case: the Miami Dolphins lost a first-round pick, were fined $1.5 million, and suspended their owner for tampering with Tom Brady. Though college athletes can’t collectively bargain, such big steps are still impactful.