In June, the NCAA Division I cabinet voted unanimously to adopt the 5-for-5 eligibility rule, which allows student-athletes the opportunity to participate for an additional year. The ruling stands to affect athlete rosters across all sports programs at the collegiate level. A fifth season of eligibility may be made available to tens of thousands of athletes.

Such a change would affect team rosters, athletic scholarships, transfer decisions, athlete compensation through sponsorships and advertising deals, and the distribution of revenue-sharing funds.

Following the ruling issued that June, numerous college athletes from the high school graduating class of 2022 filed legal challenges seeking a fifth year of eligibility, given that the original policy had applied only to those who graduated in 2023 or later. The initial ruling favoured the athletes, though a subsequent NCAA appeal resulted in a stay of that decision, leaving those who finished high school in 2022 temporarily barred from competition. With the appeals process still ongoing, it remains unclear which competitors will be granted an additional year of eligibility and which will not.

The NCAA's updated eligibility ruling carries direct implications for SIU, given its status as a Division I institution. Athletes who completed four years of eligibility after graduating may be eligible to return. Tim Leonard, Southern Illinois University's athletics director, noted that a handful of former players — including wide receiver and return specialist Tae Marrero Jr. — are pursuing fifth-year eligibility reinstatement, adding that two or three of those athletes could return to the roster if the numbers can be made to work within the team's overall squad limits. "Assuming they could get that year of eligibility."

Leonard also addressed roster construction, noting that a considerable number of athletes may be eligible for an additional year of eligibility going forward. Under the updated framework, student-athletes are required to develop a five-year academic roadmap aligned with their time at the institution, with roster size — rather than scholarship availability — serving as the primary constraint on participation. Leonard noted that the question had shifted to identifying the most effective approach to filling the vacancies, while acknowledging that available funding remained finite.

A group of 12 former college athletes who completed high school in 2022 and fell outside the scope of updated eligibility rules filed a lawsuit against the NCAA seeking an additional year of competition under the recently adopted policy. A Colorado-based federal tribunal presided over the matter. A preliminary injunction granted by Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney on July 31 permitted the affected athletes to take part in competition.

Sweeney argued that denying the athletes an opportunity to compete in a fifth season would cause them lasting harm. The ruling held that the players stood to forfeit earning potential tied to their personal name, image, and likeness rights, commonly referred to as NIL. Sweeney outlined the eligibility conditions players were required to fulfil in order to compete during a fifth year.

Participation was restricted to those no older than 24 years of age. Those holding any form of professional contract were likewise deemed ineligible to participate. The action appeared to be directed at two individuals who had previously played college football at Louisiana State University before attempting to secure roster spots with NFL franchises, ultimately without success. Both Da'Quan Wright and Zavian Harris have filed to extend their eligibility at LSU for an additional season.

The dispute has proceeded to litigation, with the Southeastern Conference — of which LSU is a member — notifying the university that allowing those athletes to return to competition could result in its removal from the conference. NCAA transfer regulations remain in effect. Athletes who received a newly granted fifth year of eligibility were able to rejoin their respective programs, as the transfer portal deadline had already passed, leaving them without the option to move elsewhere. Institutions were also required to comply with NCAA roster caps and adhere to the revenue-sharing framework.

The NCAA filed an appeal with the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals on August 3, seeking to pause the injunction. NCAA Chief Legal Officer Scott Bearby described the injunction as incorrect in statements reported on August 3, while athletes seeking reinstatement remain on hold, awaiting a court ruling that would permit them to take part in competition. The NCAA also raised concerns that fifth-year athletes returning to rosters would reduce available positions and playing time for incoming freshmen, disrupting team compositions that had already been established.

The plaintiffs filed a motion on August 4 asking Judge Sweeney to uphold the injunction. The plaintiffs sought an NCAA ruling that would grant athletes access to a fifth year of eligibility, notify institutions of those athletes' updated eligibility status, and lift any restrictions barring fifth-year students from competing for roster positions.

Under the proposed 5-for-5 rule, student-athletes would be eligible to compete across a five-year college career rather than the traditional four. The arrangement would provide additional opportunity to earn academic credits over a longer period. Athletes would have additional years available to generate income through name, image, and likeness opportunities. Players would choose which programme to commit to for their sporting careers. Frequent transfers may put credit recognition at risk, even when the transfer window remains open.

Under the previous framework, student-athletes had five years to complete four seasons of collegiate competition. That provision gave student-athletes a redshirt season to develop and adjust to competition at the college level. The updated NCAA policy has substantially curtailed the use of redshirt eligibility for athletes.

The updated regulation grants athletes five years of competitive eligibility rather than tying that window to four completed seasons. Under the updated rules, both standard and medical redshirt options are no longer available to athletes. A player can still develop throughout the early stages of their college career, with the key distinction being that they remain eligible to compete in games, which is not the case for those on a redshirt year.

Under current rules, an athlete who sustains an injury does not receive an additional year of eligibility. Student-athletes are granted a five-year window of eligibility for collegiate competition, regardless of any injuries sustained during that period.

Under collegiate eligibility rules, a student-athlete's five-year participation window opens upon turning 19 or upon college enrollment, depending on which milestone occurs earlier. To illustrate, a student-athlete who turns 18, completes secondary school in May, and then enters a college programme will find that the five-year eligibility window starts running from the date of enrolment. Under the rules governing post-graduate development years, the eligibility countdown for a student-athlete commences upon that individual turning 19, regardless of whether college enrollment has occurred by that point. Under the updated NCAA regulations, whichever milestone arrives first triggers the start of a five-year eligibility window for the player.

Certain qualifying circumstances — among them military duty, pregnancy, and religious service — permit an athlete to pause and extend the standard five-year eligibility window.