A temporary restraining order from a Washtenaw County Circuit Court judge has cleared former Miami tight end Alex Bauman and former Boise State defensive back Jeremiah Earby to enter the transfer portal and pursue another season of college football. The ruling does not itself place either player on Michigan’s roster: both were reportedly enrolled at the university but had not signed with the Wolverines as of Wednesday afternoon.
Michigan, which the source reported was 3-2, had yet to say whether it would add the players. The team was preparing to host Penn State that weekend. The university declined to comment because the players had not officially signed, according to the source.
The eligibility question stems from NCAA rules limiting how many seasons athletes may compete. The source says athletes from the 2022 class have filed lawsuits arguing that the new guidelines unfairly affect them. It describes court orders in other cases as having provided players with additional eligibility and a route into the transfer portal, while leaving colleges to decide whether to roster them.
Earby played for Boise State the previous season and recorded 60 tackles, according to the source. He did not receive an opportunity to play professionally and subsequently pursued legal action seeking an additional college season. The court order permits him to enter the portal; Michigan’s decision on whether to sign him remained unresolved.
Bauman played for Miami in 2025, when the Hurricanes reached the national championship game against Indiana. Before joining Miami, he spent three years at Tulane. The source says his 2024 season there attracted enough attention to lead to a place on Miami’s team.
The source also notes that neither player signed with an NFL team, a point it connects to professional rules established by the Big Ten. It separately reports that the NFL warned clubs they could not sign players who returned to college football for the 2026 season. The material does not provide the full text of those rules or the court’s reasoning.
The order adds to ongoing legal disputes over college-athlete eligibility and the transfer process. The source characterizes such cases as prompting concern among college sports commissioners and says the NCAA is continuing to contest lawsuits. It also argues the organization could have avoided some disputes by grandfathering athletes into the revised rules; that is the source’s assessment, not a court finding.
For now, the practical outcome is limited: Bauman and Earby may pursue transfer opportunities under the order, but whether they will play for Michigan depends on the university’s roster decision. The source does not report that either has signed or appeared in a game.
