Clemson WR granted temporary injunction, eligible to play 2026 season
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Clemson is trying to revive its relevance in the national championship discussion in 2026, and Dabo Swinney‘s program got some help toward that goal on Friday.
Tigers wide receiver Tristan Smith was granted a temporary injunction by a South Carolina court against the NCAA and will now be eligible to play this fall.
Smith’s attorney, Darren Heitner, called Friday’s ruling a “big win for our client.” The Georgia product, who caught 24 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown for Clemson during the 2025 season, had sued the NCAA in January when it denied his waiver seeking a fifth season of eligibility.
The argument from Smith, a former junior college player, was that the NCAA’s decision was “a hallmark of capricious and arbitrary treatment” compared to the similar waivers that had been granted to ex-junior college players.
Smith spent 2 seasons playing junior college ball before he transferred to Southeast Missouri State, an FCS program, for the 2024 season. After a huge season there, when he caught 76 passes for 934 yards and 6 touchdowns, it was off to Clemson for the 2025 season. Smith started 4 games last season for the Tigers.
With his eligibility restored for the 2026 season, Smith took to his social media account on Friday to say a huge thank you.
With Smith in the fold for this season, it can only help Clemson’s chances of contending for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the odds for the top teams to be playing for a national championship in December and maybe January:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
