Former JUCO National Champion QB Granted TRO To Play College Football In 2026

The NCAA has been overruled in a battle for more eligibility.

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; The CFP National Championship college football game logo at midfield at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

College football has shifted tremendously in a short period of time.

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic granted athletes another season of eligibility, it feels like everyone has gone waiver crazy.

While some of the reasons may be legitimate, such as someone missing a year due to injury, others are stretching the limits of the rules to capitalize on NIL opportunities.

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Just last season, former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia sued the NCAA for another year, believing that his time in JUCO shouldn't count against his D1 clock. A federal judge ended up granting Pavia a preliminary injunction to return to the Commodores.

Though the governing body of the sport recently introduced a "5-for-5" eligibility rule to combat extending college playing careers, some in the courts still see otherwise.

Former Coastal Carolina QB Eligible For 2026 After Temporary Restraining Order Against NCAA

On Monday, former Coastal Carolina quarterback Samari Collier announced the next step in his battle to play another year of college football.

Collier was granted a TRO (Temporary Restraining Order) against the NCAA, which will allow him to suit up this fall.

"I’m grateful to share that I’ve been granted a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), allowing me to be eligible to compete while my case moves forward," Collier wrote on social media. "Thank you to everyone who has supported and prayed for me throughout this journey. All glory to God. I’m ready for what’s next."

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Collier remains in the transfer portal, along with a handful of other former FBS quarterbacks. At least one program is still searching for a quarterback, as Hawaii recently had a departure at the position.

During the 2025 season, Collier appeared in eight games, completing 38/78 passes for 489 yards with 7 touchdowns to 2 interceptions, while adding 429 yards and 7 more scores on the ground,

Collier led Hutchinson Community College to its second national championship in 2024, compiling nearly 2,000 total yards. He completed 97/186 passes for 1,372 yards with 19 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. Collier also rushed for 625 yards and 10 more scores. He spent two seasons at the JUCO level.

A three-star prospect in the 2021 class, Collier signed with Illinois out of high school. However, he didn't see the field as a true freshman and departed from the program before the 2022 season began.

Collier was set to join Louisiana for the 2024 campaign, even signing with the program. He backed out of that decision, playing another year of JUCO and ending up at Coastal Carolina.

With most colleges kicking off preseason camp in the near future, Collier doesn't have much time to find a home.

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