A Dallas judge issued a temporary restraining order that enables Ahmaad Moses, a safety for SMU, to pursue a fifth season of college football eligibility. This legal decision prevents the NCAA, the SEC, and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey from blocking a group of around two dozen outgoing seniors from returning to college sports.
If the NCAA or SEC intends to challenge any of these returns, they must present their case in court.
Moses, who went undrafted this year and has not entered into a professional contract, had plans to turn pro in 2026. However, a herniated disk discovered during an MRI at the NFL scouting combine required him to undergo spinal fusion surgery. Since he has not signed with a professional team, he is positioned to return to the Mustangs.
He has been training with SMU during fall camp and has been recognized as a team captain, achieving All-ACC first-team honors in 2025 with 104 tackles and five interceptions.
This ruling follows recent regulations from Power 4 conferences that restrict schools from taking in players who have signed professional contracts. Nonetheless, the restraining order clarifies that the NCAA, SEC, and Sankey cannot impede a player's return based on their professional status. The order also applies to Jordan Hudson, a former SMU receiver now with the Dallas Cowboys.
The NCAA is adopting a "five for five" model that allows athletes to compete for five seasons within a five-year timeframe. Athletes from the high school Class of 2022, including Moses, were not initially covered under this rule.
