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NCAA upholds denial of Luke Ford’s appeal request following transfer to Illinois
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The NCAA has made its final decision, Luke Ford must sit out the 2019 college football season after transferring closer to home.
The former All-American high school prospect signed and played for Georgia last season but after his grandparent’s health decorticated, Ford left the Bulldogs this offseason and transferred back to his in-state school, Illinois. The NCAA denied his original waiver to be eligible to play in 2019, and on Friday, officially denied his appeal of that decision — making the original decision final.
Illinois announced the NCAA’s decision by releasing the following statement on Ford’s status: “No further appeal is available and the decision is final and binding.”
Ford was rated as the nation’s No. 51 overall prospect and the No. 3 tight end in the 2018 recruiting cycle. Following the NCAA’s decision to deny Ford’s original waiver request, Georgia fans helped a campaign called “Free Luke Ford” trend online but those efforts proved to be in vain following the NCAA’s latest decision.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
