Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

NCAA’s New Rule Could Change College Football

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By J.C. Shelton | Last updated Dec 23, 2024 6:24 PM ET

What was previously believed to be an inevitability has become a reality as the NCAA granted a new waiver that will affect a large number of college football players after the recent ruling for Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia.

Five days ago, the U.S. District Court of Middle Tennessee granted Pavia's motion for a preliminary injunction against the NCAA, awarding him a sixth season of eligibility. Pavia's lawsuit centered on the NCAA rule that counts junior college seasons toward players' overall eligibility.

Pavia played two seasons at the New Mexico Military Institute before playing another two seasons at New Mexico State, which included a redshirt season.

While the ruling is certainly beneficial for the SEC Newcomer of the Year, Pavia's breakthrough has seemingly led to an NCAA waiver that grants players an additional season of eligibility for those in the same situation.

The NCAA unveiled the new waiver on Monday. It awards another season to former JUCO players which would have exhausted their eligibility at the end of the 2024 season.

“The NCAA Division I Board of Directors granted a waiver to permit student-athletes who attended and competed at a non-NCAA school for one or more years to remain eligible and compete in 2025-26,” the NCAA wrote in a memo to schools. “If those student-athletes would have otherwise used their final season of during the 2024-25 academic year, and meet all other eligibility requirements (e.g., progress toward degree, five-year period of eligibility).”

The rule, for now, does not apply to JUCO players that already had additional seasons of eligibility remaining. Even still, the waiver will affect hundreds, if not thousands, of college football players.

Additionally, the development will also affect programs across the country. Roster management, which is already chaotic with the transfer portal and high school recruiting at this time of the year, will be even more of a challenge.

The players that use the NCAA's waiver rule to return could take up roster spots that previously appeared to be open for the 2025 season.

For the time being, though, the NCAA also announced that it will file an appeal to the court's ruling in Pavia's case. And the governing body is working on a new eligibility policy that will be “sustainable and can withstand scrutiny."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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