Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar’s Legal Battle Takes Unexpected Turn—What It Means for the Season

Isn’t it wild when your college football career turns into a courtroom drama? Joey Aguilar, the Tennessee quarterback chasing an elusive eighth year of eligibility, is finding out just how thorny the NCAA’s rules can be. Just after snagging a temporary restraining order—think of it as a legal “hold up, let me play!” sign—he faced a judge’s cold shoulder denying his preliminary injunction, slamming the door on his 2026 Tennessee comeback. Aguilar’s journey weaves through junior colleges, Appalachian State, UCLA, and finally Tennessee, making his eligibility claim a tangled web of transfers and lawsuits that challenge the NCAA’s four-year cap. Now with the QB spot up for grabs, the Volunteers are left scrabbling for answers amid a shifting roster landscape. Who knew college football eligibility could get this complicated? LEARN MORE.

Joey Aguilar’s lawsuit against the NCAA, vying for an additional year of eligibility, is progressing quickly, but not in the direction he wants. The Tennessee quarterback has continued to appear in court over the last month as he pursues an eighth year of college football.

Just two days after receiving a temporary restraining order, Aguilar was denied a preliminary injunction against the NCAA, On3 Sports reported. The ruling now makes him ineligible to return to Tennessee for the 2026 college football season.

The temporary restraining order would have allowed Aguilar to play if he received it during the season. The odds of his returning to the Tennessee football program in 2026 are now slim to none.

Aguilar’s case is attempting to piggyback on the lawsuit filed by Diego Pavia in the 2025 offseason. Pavia, along with many others, wants the NCAA not to count junior college years toward the four-year eligibility rule. The current ruleset allows college athletes to play four years in the NCAA, with one redshirt season.

Aguilar transferred to Tennessee in 2025 for his seventh year of college football, but only his third in Division I. He spent his first two seasons at the City College of San Francisco, followed by one year at Diablo Valley College before moving up to Appalachian State in 2023. Aguilar spent two seasons with the Mountaineers before transferring to UCLA, and eventually to Tennessee, following the Nico Iamaleava drama.

Without Aguilar, Tennessee is still without an answer at quarterback for the 2026 season. Former Colorado backup Ryan Staub is the current favorite to win the job after Aguilar’s backup, Jake Merklinger, transferred to UConn. Staub will compete with rising sophomore George MacIntyre, who attempted nine passes in 2025.

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