A federal appeals court has temporarily halted a decision that would have allowed numerous student-athletes, including SMU safety Ahmaad Moses, to compete for an additional season of eligibility. The U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver granted the NCAA's request to suspend the lower court's order while the appeals process is ongoing.
The initial ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte Sweeney stated that athletes who graduated high school in 2022 and exhausted their four seasons of eligibility this spring were entitled to an extra year. This decision was made following legal challenges from players who felt they were unfairly denied the same eligibility relief granted to earlier classes during the pandemic.
The NCAA is also working towards a new model that would allow five seasons of play within a five-year period.
Moses, who is from Arlington, began his collegiate career at SMU in 2022 and completed four seasons with the Mustangs, earning All-ACC first-team honors in 2025. After an injury and subsequent surgery prevented him from entering the professional ranks, he remains unsigned.
SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee expressed support for Moses's potential return to the field, emphasizing the importance of a healthy season for his career prospects. However, the current legal hold complicates Moses's situation, as he has not pursued individual legal action for an additional year.
