Michigan’s football team just got a potentially season-changing decision, with a judge granting a temporary restraining order that makes former Miami tight end Alex Bauman and former Boise State defensive back Jeremiah Earby eligible to play their fifth season for the Wolverines. Ann Arbor-based Judge Julia B. Owdziej ruled on Tuesday that preventing these two student-athletes from being eligible would be “irreparable and severe” for them, while the NCAA would suffer “negligible” harm. This move could be a huge lift for a Michigan squad that’s currently 0-2 in the Big Ten for the first time since 2014 under first-year coach Kyle Whittingham.
Wolverines Get a Boost With Proven Talent
Let’s talk about who’s coming in, because these aren’t just any players. Alex Bauman, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end, racked up 18 receptions for 166 yards and a touchdown last season for the Hurricanes, after spending three seasons at Tulane. He’s got 63 career catches for 610 yards and 13 touchdowns. That’s a serious red-zone threat and a reliable target. Then there’s Jeremiah Earby, a 6-2, 186-pound defensive back, who earned All-Mountain West Second Team honors after snagging four interceptions last season at Boise State. He was a two-year starter there, after kicking off his career at California. These guys bring real experience and production, and potentially plugging them into the lineup could be exactly what the Wolverines need right now.
NCAA vs. The Courts: A Battle Heating Up
This whole situation isn’t happening in a vacuum. The NCAA’s new eligibility rule is getting hammered in courtrooms all over the country. Players who graduated high school in 2022 are saying this rule is straight-up unfair, cutting them off from NIL deals and the revenue-sharing money that schools are now flowing to athletes under the House settlement. Ohio’s even gotten in on the action, with Gov. Mike DeWine signing an executive order earlier this week that lets public and private universities in the state defy the NCAA and allow these fifth-year players to compete.
But don’t think the NCAA is just shrugging this off. President Charlie Baker sent a letter to member schools on Tuesday, flat out saying DeWine “cannot legislate NCAA eligibility rules.” Baker pulled no punches, stating, “One elected official seeking to make their own rules for their own schools’ advantage is a terrible way to run athletic competitions.” He’s also pushing Congress to pass the Protect College Sports Act, which is a big bill designed to put some guardrails around how colleges pay players and what those players can actually take to court. It’s clear the NCAA is digging in for a fight, but for now, the judge’s ruling stands, and Bauman and Earby are eligible.
So, what’s next? Michigan hosts Penn State on Saturday. With Bauman and Earby now potentially in the mix, maybe, just maybe, they can turn this season around. It’s going to be wild to see how this plays out on the field and in the courts.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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