U.S. Appellate Court Grants NCAA Stay Request Vs. Fifth-Year Eligibility Ruling, But Excludes LSU Players

TIGER RAG NEWS SERVICES

Many class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their eligibility in the spring are now back to being ineligible, at least temporarily.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit granted the NCAA’s stay request against the ruling of Colorado U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney that granted the athletes a fifth season of eligibility. This is not a final ruling against the injunction, but it does make any players affected by it ineligible until an expedited hearing unless they have been deemed eligible by state-level injunction or temporary restraining order already.

BREAKING: The Tenth Circuit has GRANTED the NCAA’s stay request in Wisne v. NCAA.

Judge Sweeney’s nationwide injunction is now stayed pending appeal, meaning qualifying Class of 2022 athletes lose its federal fifth-season protection for now. pic.twitter.com/i3ASE2TmHi

— Austin Massey (@austinmasseySBI) August 21, 2026

That is the case for former defensive end Jack Pyburn, forward Amiya Joyner, guard Rashad King and soccer player Jazmin Ferguson, who were at LSU in the 2025-26 sports calendar year.

That also includes Notre Dame 2022 signee Junior Tuihalamaka, a senior edge rusher who just committed to LSU for his fifth season on Wednesday.

LSU Football Gains Commitment From 5th-Year Senior Edge Junior Tuihalamaka Of Notre Dame For This Season

Each of those former Tigers and Tuihalamaka were included in a temporary restraining order granted by Baton Rouge 19th District Court Judge William Jorden on Wednesday. The 33 athletes named in that ruling are eligible to enter the transfer portal and return to play for 10 days after its issuance. An initial hearing in that case is scheduled for Aug. 31. No. 11 LSU opens the 2026 season on Sept. 5 in Tiger Stadium against No. 23 Clemson (6:30 p.m., ABC).

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UCLA transfer guard Skyy Clark, who committed to LSU on Aug. 13, is also not impacted by this stay. He was one of 73 players included in a California temporary restraining order granted on Tuesday that awards the athletes a fifth season of eligibility regardless of the outcome of the national Colorado case, according to the Texas Trial Group.

On the national level, it is the first win for the NCAA who has been bombarded with lawsuits since establishing the new age-based eligibility model that grants five seasons of eligibility from the time an athlete enrolls in school or turns 19. It could indicate that the governance will be able to fight off the national ruling and combat state-level orders as well.