Michigan State finally has clarity on Rodney Bullard Jr.’s status, and it came just as his legal fight was set to reach the courtroom.
On Aug. 24, coach Pat Fitzgerald said the NCAA had notified Michigan State that it re-reviewed Bullard’s eligibility appeal and approved him for the 2026 season. The decision arrived after Bullard filed for an injunction in an Ingham County court last week, looking to block the NCAA from denying him a fourth season of eligibility. A preliminary injunction hearing had been scheduled for Aug. 27 before Judge Wanda Stokes.
Bullard’s case centered on his first year at Division II Valdosta State. In 2021, he was a part-time 17-year-old student and was not on the football team.
He later worked out with some team members in spring 2022, joined the team and redshirted that fall, then played in games for Valdosta State in 2023 and 2024 before transferring to Michigan State for the 2025 season. The NCAA, however, counted the 2021 year against his eligibility because of a transcript issue.
For months, Bullard had been carrying an asterisk next to his name on Michigan State’s roster, even though he kept practicing throughout the spring and fall. Now that the ruling is in place, he can factor into the Spartans’ season.
That matters for a Michigan State offense that already has seen Bullard make an impact. He is the team’s second-most productive returning player, with five catches, including a 71-yard touchdown against Minnesota.
Michigan State opens the season Sept. 4 against Toledo at Spartan Stadium.
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Michigan State Is Pushing For A Top In-State TE Early
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Henley still does not have an offer from Michigan State, but the visit alone says plenty about where the Spartans hope to make their presence felt. Tight end has become a position of emphasis as Fitzgerald and his staff put their stamp on the roster, and getting an in-state prospect on campus this early gives Michigan State a chance to keep building that relationship before the recruitment gets crowded. [Read more 🡒]