Recent court rulings in Kentucky and Ohio have led to the temporary ineligibility of several NCAA athletes, a development that reverses a trend of expanded eligibility seen over the summer. Among the affected players is Texas Tech quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who was ruled ineligible for the Red Raiders' upcoming game against Colorado.
Castellanos had transferred to Texas Tech from Florida State and received a temporary restraining order on July 31st, which allowed him to play. His previous quarterback, Brendan Sorsby, had also been ruled ineligible for the 2026 season due to a gambling scandal, leading to Castellanos' role as backup to starter Will Hammond. Texas Tech, currently 4-0, is aiming to defend its Big 12 title and contend for a College Football Playoff spot.
The court decisions have also impacted college basketball programs. Cincinnati's MJ Collins was deemed ineligible by the ruling in Ohio. In Kentucky, Mark Mitchell of Missouri, Seth Trimble of Louisville, and Skyy Clark of LSU were among those ruled ineligible.
Collins had transferred to Cincinnati to join coach Jerrod Calhoun after a strong scoring season at Utah State. Mitchell returned to Missouri, Trimble transferred to Louisville after four seasons at North Carolina, and Clark was looking to play for his fourth school in five years.
It is important to note that these eligibility decisions are currently temporary, pending further legal proceedings.