Dabo Swinney gets big win from South Carolina judge for Tiger player's eligibility

College football rivalries are a 365-day affair for most fans, regardless of the time of year. When it comes to the South Carolina Gamecocks and Clemson Tigers rivalry, that remains a very true statement. 

Well Gamecock fans will have another reason to get fired up about Clemson in the middle of summer. On Friday, a South Carolina judge issued a temporary injunction for Clemson receiver Tristian Smith. Smith, who applied for a waiver from the NCAA to play a fifth season of college football in 2026. 

Judge Jessica A. Salvini of the South Carolina 13 Judicial Circuit ruled that Smith, who started his career at JUCO for two seasons, should be granted an additional season of eligibility in 2026. In her ruling according to ESPN, Smith should be granted the extra year, just as Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia and Oregon receiver Malik Benson did last year. 

 "The only material distinction the Court can identify between Mr. Benson's case, and the instant matter is that Mr. Smith's final Division I season falls in 2025-26 rather than 2024-25," Salvini wrote in the ruling via ESPN.

Judge Salvini is citing the blanket year of eligibility that players graduating in 2024-25 received after Pavia won his lawsuit in court, claiming that his JUCO seasons should not be counted against his NCAA eligibility. While the ruling applied to players in that graduating class, it did not apply to players graduating in 2025-26, which includes Smith.  

Smith confirmed that he is returning to Clemson via a post on his Instagram, writing "The marathon continues. I'm Back," with a photo of him running onto the field. 

An attorney for the Clemson receiver also called the judge's decision "a big win for our client:"

Smith was one of the first transfer portal players that Dabo Swinney landed before the 2025 season. After his time at Hutchinson Community College, he played at FCS Southeast Missouri State during the 2024-35 season. He finished with 76 receptions for 934 yards and six touchdowns while helping his team finish first in the Big South OVC and make the FCS playoffs.  

During last year with the Tigers, he made four starts, finishing with 24 receptions for 239 yards receiving and a touchdown. 

The receiver should be another weapon for Clemson's offense, which will be deciding between starting quarterbacks Christopher Vizzina and freshman Tait Reynolds.

We'll see if there is any additional fallout that comes from the judge's ruling in terms of other players. For Clemson, the Tigers and Dabo Swinney get an experienced weapon back in their receiving corps in Smith.

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