NCAA’s 5-in-5 Eligibility Rule Sparks Nationwide Legal Battles

Lawsuits have surged after the NCAA’s “5-in-5” rule barred the 2022 high-school graduating class from a fifth year of competition. Georgia golfer Carter Loflin filed a suit in Athens-Clarke County; former Division III swimmer Jacob Dzurica saw a federal appellate decision revoke a preliminary injunction that would have granted him a fifth year at Youngstown State; Dae’Quan Wright, cut by the Cleveland Browns, obtained a restraining order to transfer to LSU; and Indiana defensive linemen Kellan Wyatt and Stephen Daley had a district-court ruling stayed by the Tenth Circuit just days before their season opener. In Michigan, Rodney Bullard Jr. secured eligibility for the 2026 football season after filing an injunction request.

Kellan Wyatt, Stephen Daley facing major eligibility uncertainty after NCAA win

The NCAA introduced the 5-in-5 model this summer, giving athletes five years to play five seasons, with the clock starting at full-time enrollment or the academic year after a player’s 19th birthday. The rule was not grandfathered for the 2022 class, leaving those athletes without the extra year that earlier classes received through COVID-related waivers.

Georgia’s Carter Loflin files lawsuit against NCAA, seeking fifth year of eligibility

• The rollout affected “thousands of athletes” in the 2022 class.

Georgia’s Carter Loflin files lawsuit against NCAA, seeking fifth year of eligibility

• A Colorado district judge granted a preliminary injunction for that cohort, conditional on transfer windows and roster limits.

Georgia’s Carter Loflin files lawsuit against NCAA, seeking fifth year of eligibility

• The Tenth Circuit later issued a stay, halting the injunction for athletes such as Wyatt and Daley.

Kellan Wyatt, Stephen Daley facing major eligibility uncertainty after NCAA win

• Separate rulings in Ohio and Colorado have produced stays after initial injunctions, creating a patchwork of eligibility outcomes.

Georgia’s Carter Loflin files lawsuit against NCAA, seeking fifth year of eligibility

The NCAA defends the rule as a “correct” effort to standardize eligibility and reduce ad-hoc extensions. Attorneys for the organization say the policy was intended to close loopholes that allowed older players to occupy roster spots.

ESPN

Legal analyst Tom Mars contends the NCAA’s implementation was legally vulnerable:

ESPN

> “You’d think somebody in the NCAA would have pointed out ‘We better come up with a darn-good reason for doing this, or somebody is going to sue us,’” — Tom Mars

ESPN

• “I was at my dorm and getting ready to unpack and move in (when the ruling came down),” — Jacob Dzurica

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

• “I’m just happy that it’s not for no reason,” — Rodney Bullard Jr.

Detroit News

Court decisions have been inconsistent. While a Colorado judge initially allowed 2022 athletes to compete, the NCAA secured stays in both Colorado and Ohio, and the Tenth Circuit later paused a district-court ruling for Indiana players. No unified guidance exists on whether athletes who have entered professional pathways, such as Dae’Quan Wright, can reclaim collegiate eligibility.

Georgia’s Carter Loflin files lawsuit against NCAA, seeking fifth year of eligibility

The Indiana Bulldogs face an uncertain defensive line as their season opener on September 5 approaches, with Wyatt and Daley’s eligibility still on hold. Other athletes, including Loflin and Bullard, remain poised to compete pending further appellate rulings. The NCAA continues to confront legal challenges while lobbying Congress for broader legislative relief, suggesting additional court actions before the next academic year.

Kellan Wyatt, Stephen Daley facing major eligibility uncertainty after NCAA win