{
  "id": 11808753,
  "title": "Eligibility chaos forces Texas Tech reserve QB to catch a late flight to Colo after court ruling",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/eligibility-chaos-forces-texas-tech-reserve-qb-to-catch-a-late-flight-11808753",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-04T00:50:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/eligibility-chaos-forces-texas-tech-005029902.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Boulder, Colorado - Texas Tech's reserve quarterback Lloyd Jones III was forced to catch a late flight to Colorado after learning of a court ruling that made backup Thomas Castellanos ineligible for the upcoming game against the Buffaloes. Jones arrived on Friday, arriving after the rest of the team and was officially listed as the third-string quarterback behind Kirk Francis. The rapid lineup change and scramble to the airport highlight the ongoing chaos stemming from multiple lawsuits filed by players challenging a new NCAA eligibility rule that grants most athletes five years to play five seasons.\n\nCastellanos, who threw for 2,760 yards at Florida State last season and was in his fifth year at Texas Tech, had been part of a lawsuit filed in Kentucky. An appeals court overturned a lower court's temporary injunction, which allowed him to play for the Red Raiders. The case is set for a hearing on October 9.\n\nTexas Tech's regent chair, Cody Campbell, expressed frustration with the situation, stating that such last-minute changes are \"insanity.\" He emphasized the need for a bill recently approved by the Senate that would prevent many of the lawsuits currently being heard in courts across the country.\n\nCastellanos was one of 38 players nationwide involved in his lawsuit, which included basketball players Seth Trimble and Mark Mitchell. The NCAA also lost a major case on Friday in Ohio, where an appeals court ruled in favor of Filip Borovicanin and two dozen other basketball players, marking the NCAA's first high-profile loss over the eligibility rule.\n\nThe NCAA promptly sent a memo to its members informing them of the decisions, noting that the court acknowledged the players' frustration but also recognized the importance of consistent application of NCAA eligibility rules. The NCAA's next major hearing is scheduled for October 13 in a federal case in Denver involving basketball player Brock Wisne. This case was previously overturned on appeal, leaving numerous state court cases to be decided.",
  "summary": "(AP) — Texas Tech reserve quarterback Lloyd Jones III had to catch a late flight to Colorado after the school received last-minute word of a decision in an eligibility lawsuit that made backup Thomas Castellanos ineligible for Saturday night's game against the Buffaloes.Jones arrived Friday night — a few hours after the rest of the 12th-ranked Red Raiders.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Eligibility chaos forces Texas Tech reserve QB to catch a late flight to Colo after court ruling",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/eligibility-chaos-forces-texas-tech-reserve-qb-to-catch-a-late-flight",
        "published": "2026-10-04T00:51:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Dylone Brooks has TD run, TD catch to help Louisiana Tech fend off Army 31-29",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/dylone-brooks-has-td-run-td-catch-to-help-louisiana-tech-fend-off",
        "published": "2026-10-04T03:30:14.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}