Judge Denies Aguilar Injunction, Ends Tennessee QB Eligibility

A Knox County Chancery Court judge denied Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar's request for a preliminary injunction on Friday, ruling that the 24-year-old is ineligible to play college football in the 2026 season and effectively ending his collegiate career.

Chancellor Christopher D. Heagerty dissolved a temporary restraining order previously granted on February 4 and rejected Aguilar's argument that his time at junior colleges should not count toward his NCAA eligibility limits. Aguilar, who transferred to Tennessee for the 2025 season, sought a fourth year of Division I play after redshirting in 2019 at City College of San Francisco, competing in 2021 and 2022 at Diablo Valley Community College in California, and starting at Appalachian State in 2023 and 2024. During his lone season with the Volunteers, he completed 67.3 percent of his passes for 3,656 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, leading the team to an 8-5 record and the league's highest-scoring offense.

The decision came after Aguilar filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, claiming he could lose between $2 million and $3 million in name, image and likeness opportunities without the extra year. Heagerty weighed...