Two days prior to the start of the 2026 college football season, a Dallas court granted an injunction/temporary restraining order (TRO) to 18 college football players who exhausted their eligibility after the 2025 season.
This injunction follows the original Wisne v. NCAA ruling on Jul. 31, which granted a fifth year of eligibility to athletes who graduated high school in 2022. The ruling was later appealed by the NCAA, but this TRO overrides the appeal, allowing 41 student-athletes to return to college
this fall. The list includes 18 college football players, 17 of whom played in the FBS in 2025.
Among those affected is SMU free safety Ahmaad Moses. The 2025 First Team All-ACC selection made 54 appearances and 19 starts in four years with the Mustangs, winning the American Conference title in 2023 and qualifying for the College Football Playoff in 2024. Last season was Moses’ best, posting team-highs in tackles (104) and interceptions (5), while recording 5.5 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries.
Moses’ magnum opus was SMU’s Nov. 1 home game against eventual national runner-up Miami (FL). In that overtime victory, the safety generated a career-best 15 tackles and intercepted two passes, including one on the goal line. The Mustangs punched in the walk-off touchdown six plays later before the most lively field storm in Gerald J. Ford Stadium history.
Moses expected his college career to conclude after claiming Defensive MVP honors in the Holiday Bowl victory of Arizona for his 13-tackle performance. He declared for the NFL Draft and earned an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine. However, an MRI at the Combine revealed he had a herniated disk, and he subsequently underwent spinal fusion surgery. This surgery likely prevented the All-ACC surgery from landing on a preseason NFL roster or signing an NFL contract — which makes him eligible to return to college per the ACC’s new eligibility rules.
Moses has been practicing with SMU during fall camp after the Wisne v. NCAA ruling, per Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas Morning News. Unless the NCAA appeals, he is slated to return for the Mustangs’ Labor Day opener at Florida State on Monday, Sept. 7. Moses rejoins a safety room featuring his former understudy Tyren Polley and UTSA transfer Jimmy Wyrick. He is one three former All-ACC selections on SMU’s 2026 roster, along with quarterback Kevin Jennings and offensive tackle PJ Williams.
Here is a full list of FBS college football players — who are eligible to transfer — that were granted a TRO by the Dallas court:
