College sports kicks off its season under the long shadow of court fights over eligibility

College sports kicked off its season under the weight of court battles over eligibility. The start of the 2026 season saw LSU and the Southeastern Conference clashing over a legal frenzy surrounding eligibility and the surprising possibility of players joining college again after playing a brief stint with a pro team. Earlier this year, the Big 12 took legal action against its own team, Texas Tech.

In addition to these, there were threats of leagues breaking away, discussions about "conference-led governance," and a bill in Congress aiming to resolve the situation.

Duke football coach Manny Diaz acknowledged the original reason for the problem: the ability of players to benefit financially from playing in college. However, he emphasized the fundamental difference between collegiate and professional sports: collegiate athletics should adhere to its scholastic nature, while professional sports are ruled by finances.

Barbara Osborne, a law professor at North Carolina specializing in NCAA governance, echoed this sentiment, stating that the difference between professional sports leagues and collegiate athletics is "night and day."

Eligibility issues have consistently led to legal disputes in college sports. Recently, as the NCAA introduced a new five-year eligibility rule that barred last year's graduating class from an extra year, both the Big Ten and SEC implemented rules preventing players from returning to college after playing in the pros. The Big 12 and ACC followed suit with similar regulations. However, these decisions did not always lead to harmonious outcomes. The issue of eligibility consistently finds its way to the courts.

In the past week, the NCAA's new eligibility rule, which excluded last year's graduating class, prompted the Big Ten and SEC to prohibit players from returning to college after playing in the pros. The Big 12 and ACC swiftly followed with comparable rules. But there were no immediate indications that LSU, the SEC institution planning to bring back some pros, would alter its plans. Louisiana's governor, active in sports within the state's largest school, commented: "Don't hate the player, hate the game."