Indiana defensive linemen Daley and Wyatt cleared to return after preliminary injunction
The short version
- Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt regained eligibility via a preliminary injunction in Monroe Circuit Court
- The pair missed Indiana's Week 3 win over Western Kentucky after their TRO expired
- Judge Kara Krothe ruled the plaintiffs are eligible under the 2026-27 NCAA Manual; the NCAA is expected to appeal
- Both will be available Friday when Indiana hosts Northwestern
A Monroe Circuit Court judge granted a preliminary injunction in the 97-plaintiff NCAA eligibility case, restoring the Hoosiers' availability for Friday's game against Northwestern.
Fifth-year Indiana defensive linemen Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt are eligible to play again for No. 5 Indiana, multiple outlets reported Wednesday. The pair missed the Hoosiers' Week 3 win over Western Kentucky after the temporary restraining order that had allowed them to play earlier this season expired.
Judge Kara Krothe of Monroe Circuit Court in Indiana granted a preliminary injunction in a 97-plaintiff eligibility lawsuit against the NCAA. The case also includes Miami basketball player Malik Reneau and other student-athletes from the 2022 high school class seeking a fifth year of eligibility.
The dispute stems from the NCAA's adoption of an age-based, five-year eligibility model intended to streamline rules by eliminating waivers and redshirts. The association excluded anyone who exhausted eligibility during the 2025-26 academic year, a cutoff that has been challenged in court.
Krothe found the plaintiffs remain within their five-year eligibility window for the 2026-27 school year and, per ESPN's Pete Thamel, wrote that under the plain terms of the 2026-27 NCAA Manual they are eligible to compete and the NCAA is breaching contractual obligations by denying them. The NCAA is expected to appeal.
Daley and Wyatt can return Friday when Indiana, the reigning national champion, hosts Northwestern in a primetime matchup. Daley has six total tackles in two games this season after posting 5.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss in 2025; Wyatt, a Maryland transfer, has not recorded a defensive statistic this season after 2.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss in 2025.
