09/24/26 12:51:00
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09/23 14:09 CDT Court ruling opens door for Indiana defensive linemen Daley and
Wyatt to play vs. Northwestern
Court ruling opens door for Indiana defensive linemen Daley and Wyatt to play
vs. Northwestern
By MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer
An Indiana state court has opened the door for Indiana Hoosiers defensive
linemen Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt to return to the playing field for
Friday night's Big Ten Conference opener against Northwestern.
Monroe Circuit Court Judge Kara Krothe issued a preliminary injunction on
Wednesday that grants Daley, Wyatt and more than 90 other athletes a fifth year
of eligibility. The NCAA is expected to appeal.
For now, though, the ruling clears the way for Daley, Wyatt and dozens of
others to return to action.
"The 2026-27 Division football. soccer. cross country. and field hockey seasons
are underway," Krothe wrote in a 37-page opinion. "Swimming and basketball
seasons are fast approaching. with official practices for basketball beginning
on September 21. 2026. Spring sports are around the comer.
She added: "Plaintiffs have secured roster spots. but will not receive
scholarship aid or NIL payments until their eligibility is continued by court
order. If relief is denied, they will lose their roster spots. College sports
seasons are time-limited opportunities. Once lost. they cannot be restored.
even if plaintiffs later prevail on the merits."
Daley and Wyatt did not play in Indiana's 38-0 victory over Western Kentucky
last weekend because a temporary restraining order allowing them to compete had
expired.
Both testified in court last week, but when the decision did not come down
before the game, they were held out. Krothe's ruling was expected this week.
Daley and Wyatt were starters on last season's national championship team but
suffered season-ending injuries before Indiana's playoff run. Neither was
selected in April's NFL draft and neither signed an NFL contract to be part of
either offseason workouts or training camp.
Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti repeatedly has said he supported the efforts of
Daley and Wyatt to get an extra year of eligibility, and he alluded to it again
after last weekend's game.
"We've gotten better since the first game for sure," Cignetti said. "You know,
it sure will help if we have Wyatt and Daley. It's hard to measure that. We'll
find out we think soon. But if not, we lost some key guys last year and other
guys stepped up."
Wednesday's ruling is the latest twist in a chaotic start to the 2026 college
football season, which has been mired in court fights across the country.
The NCAA announced in June it was going to adopt a new eligibility model
allowing all athletes to compete for five college seasons over five years. The
legal fights began when college sports' largest governing body said the new
model would not apply to the freshman class of 2022-23.
Colorado District Judge Charlotte Sweeney then ruled some members from that
freshman class could receive fifth year of eligibility, a decision that led
some players in NFL training camps to consider resuming their college careers.
Eventually, Sweeney issued a clarification that pro athletes were not covered
by her ruling.
That decision was stayed in August by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th
Circuit, but lower courts, such as the one in Bloomington, have since entered
the fray.
"Under the plain terms of the 2026-27 NCAA Manual, they are eligible to
compete, and the NCAA is breaching its contractual obligations by denying them
that opportunity," Krothe wrote. "Harm to the NCAA by virtue of this injunction
is minimal or nonexistent. The NCAA regularly grants waivers allowing athletes
five years to play sometimes for hundreds or thousands of athletes at time.
This injunction covers less than one hundred athletes across multitude of
sports."
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