According to Bearby, the five-year eligibility model was never intended to apply retroactively to athletes who had already exhausted their eligibility.

NCAA President Charlie Baker also responded to the ruling, arguing the decision highlights the need for federal legislation to establish consistent eligibility rules across college athletics

Yahoo Sports shared a part of Baker’s statement.

"Without targeted intervention from Congress, college sports cannot set nationwide rules everyone can play by and without Congress, failed professionals will continue to use college sports as a fallback option — robbing the next class of young athletes of college scholarships.

"It is long past time leaders across college sports call for the immediate passage of the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act — a bill supported by student-athlete leaders, Democrats, Republicans and NCAA schools from all three divisions," he continued. "Today's rulings and the chaos they bring to college sports are exactly why it's time to pass this bill."

The impact on college sports 

Following the ruling, Judge Sweeney clarified that the decision does not change NCAA rules regarding professional athletes, alter transfer portal rules or affect the House settlement’s roster limits and revenue-sharing provisions, according to ESPN. 

If the appeal is unsuccessful, many former athletes from the high school class of 2022 could become eligible to return during the 2026-27 academic year. Schools would then have to make roster and scholarship decisions just weeks before many fall sports begin.

With the NCAA appealing the judge’s ruling, the decision is unlikely to be the final word on the issue. Until the legal process plays out, athletes and universities will have to wait before making final roster and scholarship decisions for the upcoming season.