Michigan Nears 2 Midseason Additions After Court Order Opens Transfer Path

Q: Two star transfers just won court battles to play for Michigan, but what hidden factor is delaying the final roster decision?

The real holdup is not the court orders themselves, but Michigan’s and the NCAA’s unresolved roster and legal risk. Bauman and Earby won temporary restraining orders that reopen the door to eligibility, and both are reportedly enrolled at Michigan. But neither has officially signed, and the university still has to decide whether to use roster spots on players whose status could change quickly if the NCAA appeals or another court ruling cuts against them. That uncertainty is significant because these are only temporary orders, not final merits decisions. In Bauman’s case, for example, a show-cause hearing is scheduled for Nov. 4, giving the NCAA a chance to challenge the ruling. More broadly, the NCAA has been winning some stays in similar “five-for-five” cases around the country, creating a patchwork where one judge clears a player and an appellate court later pauses that relief. There is also a transfer-process issue. The rulings require the NCAA to open the portal for the players, but Michigan still must complete the formal transfer and roster steps before either can officially join the team. So the hidden factor is institutional caution in a legally unstable environment: Michigan must weigh immediate football help against the possibility that the players’ eligibility could be reversed, leaving the program exposed to roster disruption midseason.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 14

Alex Bauman and Jeremiah Earby are enrolled at Michigan and now eligible to play this season after a Washtenaw County judge granted a temporary restraining order, though neither had signed with the Wolverines as of Wednesday.
The order let both players reenter the transfer portal and be rostered despite NCAA eligibility limits, with their cases hinging in part on the fact that neither signed with an NFL team.
Earby had 60 tackles for Boise State last season, while Bauman arrived from Miami after three years at Tulane, giving 3-2 Michigan potential help at multiple positions before Penn State visits Ann Arbor.
The ruling adds to a growing wave of athlete lawsuits over the NCAA's newer eligibility rules, increasing pressure on conferences and the NCAA as schools weigh whether to use court-created midseason roster openings.