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Montana Linebacker Earns Ninth Season of NCAA Eligibility for 2026

Solomon Tuliaupupu began his career with USC in 2018, and will still be taking the field at the collegiate level next season in his ninth year of eligibility.
Mike McDaniel|
Montana’s Solomon Tuliaupupu will play a ninth NCAA season.
Montana’s Solomon Tuliaupupu will play a ninth NCAA season. | Ryan Brennecke/University of Montana/Getty Images

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Montana GrizzliesUSC Trojans

University of Montana linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu will return to college football for the 2026 season after being granted a ninth year of eligibility by the NCAA, the school announced on MondayTuesday.

It will be Tuliaupupu’s second season with the Grizzlies, after beginning his career with USC in 2018. Like most players who win extra eligibility, Tuliaupupu has dealt with multiple injuries at the college level. He began his career sidelined as a result of two surgeries, one onto his foot in 2018 and another onto his knee in 2020.

Tuliaupupu will tie former Oregon and Miami tight end Cam McCormick, who played nine seasons from 2016 to ‘24, and was believed to be the longest tenured player in college football history at the time.

He didn’t play for the Trojans until he was a redshirt -senior in 2022, when he played in all 14 games and tallied 10 tackles and a quarterback hurry. Tuliaupupu missed the entire ‘23 season due to injury, but played seven more games in ‘24 for the Trojans before missing time due to an illness.

Tuliaupupu still had a COVID-19 year of eligibility, which was granted to all NCAA athletes as a result of the pandemic-affected 2020 season. He transferred to Montana in 2025 and played in five games, tallying 11 total tackles and two forced fumbles.

By all accounts, this will be Tuliaupupu’s final season of eligibility.

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Mike McDaniel
MIKE MCDANIEL

Mike McDaniel is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where he has worked since January 2022. His work has been featured at InsideTheACC.com, SB Nation, FanSided and more. McDaniel hosts the Hokie Hangover Podcast, covering Virginia Tech athletics, as well as Basketball Conference: The ACC Football Podcast. Outside of work, he is a husband and father, and an avid golfer.

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