Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar has been granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA, a key step in his legal fight to gain an extra year of eligibility and play for the Volunteers in 2026.
Aguilar filed a lawsuit in a Knox County court on Monday, arguing he should be allowed to play next season despite being officially out of eligibility. The court issued the TRO on Wednesday ahead of a crucial injunction hearing scheduled for Friday. If the injunction is granted, Aguilar will likely be on Tennessee's roster for 2026; if denied, his chances diminish significantly.
Aguilar's complex career began in 2019. After a redshirt year and a pandemic-canceled season, he played junior college football before transferring to Appalachian State and then briefly to UCLA in 2025. He landed at Tennessee after a quarterback swap, in what was considered a unique "trade."
In his lawsuit, Aguilar cites the case of former Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, who successfully argued his junior college time shouldn't count against eligibility. Similar legal strategy is being used by Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss, who is also seeking an extra season. The outcomes are critical for both Tennessee and Ole Miss, as neither team has a solid backup plan if their starting QBs are ruled ineligible for 2026.