Overview
- Cole Hutson filed suit in Travis County seeking emergency injunctive relief to play a fifth college season after the NCAA adopted the five-for-five Seasons of Competition rule; the filing was made July 17, 2026.
- The complaint challenges NCAA Bylaw 12.6 and says the age‑based five-for-five model arbitrarily excludes members of the 2022 recruiting class and harms players’ game opportunities, scholarships, and NIL income.
- The suit raises antitrust and equitable-harm claims and specifically asks a judge to reinstate Hutson for the 2026–27 season while the case proceeds.
- Texas has said it would welcome Hutson back and the filing notes he has a roster spot available; Hutson played 48 games with 23 starts at Texas, went undrafted in 2026, and attended NFL rookie minicamps.
- The case follows other 2022-class challenges and recent injunctions in other courts, a trend that could prompt more undrafted players to seek returns and force further legal tests of NCAA eligibility rules.