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College athletes have started to push the limits of their eligibility more than ever in the NIL Era. It’s no longer rare to see people stay in school for six or seven years, but a linebacker for Montana’s football team will be closing in on a decade after the NCAA approved his bid to come back for his ninth ride.
There was once a time when the average student-athlete spent four years in college before moving on with their life. Some people who ended up redshirting or going to graduate school would push that number up to five, but six or more was virtually unheard of prior to the start of the current decade.
However, those numbers started to rise when the NCAA added an automatic year of eligibility for anyone who was enrolled during the pandemic, and many athletes who don’t have what it takes to turn pro have a ton of incentive to milk their college career for all it’s worth now that they can receive compensation for their name, image, and likeness.
Last year, Miami tight end Cam McCormick was granted his ninth year of eligibility before suiting up for the Hurricanes at the age of 27, and a new member has been added to that tiny club ahead of the 2026 campaign.
Montana linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu has been approved for his ninth season of eligibility
Solomon Tuliaupupu was a four-star recruit coming out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, and he was planning on kicking off his college career at USC in 2018.
However, he suffered a season-ending foot injury in the playoffs as a senior that led to him being listed as a medical redshirt during what would have been his freshman and sophomore years. He subsequently fell victim to a knee injury that kept him out for two more seasons, and he finally made his debut with the Trojans in a backup role in 2022.
Tuliaupupu suffered yet another knee injury that kept him out for the entirety of 2023, and in 2025, he took his talents to Montana after one last ride with USC. He recorded a total of 43 tackles (including a couple of sacks) for the Grizzlies during the 14 games he appeared in as a starter while earning the Doug Betters Golden Helmet Award, which is reserved for the “best tackler and hardest hitter” on the team.
Montana was hoping he would be able to contribute in 2026 after their season ended with a loss to fierce rival Montana State in the semifinals of the FCS Playoffs, but his return was contingent on the NCAA approving his eligibility waiver. According to The Missoulian, the 25-year-old father of two officially received the governing body’s blessing on Monday, making him just the second player in college football history to earn a ninth year.
It appears he could be the first to make it ten if he continues to pursue college football as a graduate student, but we’ll have to wait and see how things pan out.