A Dallas judge issued a temporary restraining order that permits Ahmaad Moses, a safety at SMU, to seek a fifth season of eligibility in college football. This legal ruling also affects around two dozen outgoing seniors, preventing the NCAA, SEC, and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey from blocking their return to college sports without presenting their case in court.
Moses, who went undrafted this year and has not signed with a professional team, is eligible to rejoin the Mustangs after undergoing spinal fusion surgery due to a herniated disk discovered at the NFL scouting combine. He has been active in fall camp, serving as a team captain and earning All-ACC first-team honors in 2025 with 104 total tackles and five interceptions.
The ruling follows recent decisions by Power 4 conferences that restrict schools from accepting players who have signed professional contracts. However, the restraining order clarifies that the NCAA and SEC cannot hinder a player's return due to their professional status. The order also encompasses Jordan Hudson, a former SMU receiver now with the Dallas Cowboys.
The NCAA's new "five for five" model allows athletes to compete for five seasons within a five-year period. Athletes from the high school Class of 2022, including Moses, were not initially included in this provision. A previous ruling had made these athletes eligible for a fifth season in the 2026-27 school year, but a recent federal appeals court decision has temporarily halted that order.
