Chandler Morris. Travis Register-Imagn Images

Virginia QB Chandler Morris denied a seventh year of eligibility

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Apr 2, 2026 11:36 PM ET

It would have been a laughable idea in the not-so-distant past for a college athlete to get six seasons of eligibility.

Seven? That would have been unheard of, but that's not the world we live in anymore.

Players seem to be finding eligibility loopholes and now that they have NIL deals and agents, they haven't been afraid to sue the NCAA to see how far they can push those boundaries.

As of late February, 57 eligibility lawsuits had been filed against the NCAA.

Recently, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss won a lawsuit against the NCAA that granted him a sixth season of eligibility. That was a big deal for both him and Ole Miss, and it was a ruling that could impact college football moving forward.

Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Chandler Morris tried to go for seven, though, which would have broken the mold for the way things are supposed to go.

His preliminary injunction against the NCAA was denied on Thursday. He will not be able to play college football in 2026. Keep in mind, he was a recruit out of the class of 2020.

BREAKING: Judge denies preliminary injunction for UVA QB Chandler Morris, denying Morris a seventh year of eligibility
— Jacquie Franciulli (@JacquieFran_) April 2, 2026

To be fair to Morris, he wasn't just trying to game the system to keep playing college ball.

Chandler Morris believed he deserved a medical redshirt for 2022 season

He believed he should have been granted a medical redshirt for his 2022 season at TCU. He suffered a knee injury in the home opener that he alleges significantly impacted his mental health. He played in three more games as a backup in that season, but he argued that his getting back onto the field was "part of a medically prescribed mental health treatment plan," according to Max Olsen of ESPN.

The NCAA denied his waiver for a medical redshirt that season, but his lawyers argued that the NCAA didn't consider the mental health documentation he submitted.

"In its response in opposition to Morris' request for a preliminary injunction, the NCAA said it rejected the waiver request because Virginia failed to prove Morris suffered an 'incapacitating physical or mental circumstance' given that he was cleared to return in October of that season and participated in games," Olsen reported.

Morris really is the picture of the modern college football player. He started his career at Oklahoma, but he also played for TCU and North Texas before finishing up his college career at Virginia.

Last season, he threw for 3,000 yards and 16 touchdowns compared to nine interceptions for the 11-3 Cavaliers.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

More must-reads: