Oklahoma State may be inching closer to getting Iman Oates back in the mix, at least for this fall.
According to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos, the Cowboys defensive tackle has been granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA. The move could open the door for Oates to gain another year of eligibility if the legal process breaks his way - or if the case simply drags on long enough to keep him available.
"Oklahoma State DL Iman Oates has been granted a TRO against the NCAA in Payne County, Oklahoma, his attorney Ryan Downton of @TexasTrialGroup tells @On3.
An injunction hearing will need to be set, but it opens up the path to playing CFB this fall. Posted 5 TFLs last two… pic.twitter.com/1bs37RLHa4
- Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) July 29, 2026"
Oates’ eligibility situation traces back to his first season at junior college Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in 2022. The Tulsa native then redshirted at Oklahoma State in 2023 before becoming a key piece of the Cowboys’ defensive front over the last two seasons.
His 2024 season was his most productive. Oates started all 12 games and finished second among OSU defensive linemen with 25 tackles, adding three tackles for loss and two sacks.
Last season, he played in 12 games and posted an 81.2 tackling grade from ProFootballFocus, which ranked fourth on the team. He also recorded 14 tackles, two TFLs, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry.
The case comes as the NCAA has recently adopted an age-based five-year eligibility rule, often called “five-for-five.” Under that policy, athletes get five years to compete from either their high school graduation or their 19th birthday, whichever comes first, and medical or traditional redshirt seasons no longer count the same way.
If Oates ultimately wins that fifth year, he’d be in the mix for a starting job on the interior of Oklahoma State’s defense.
In Other News...
Dan Lanning Just Made Oregon State Rivalry Feel Safe Again
The Oregon State-Oregon football series is headed back onto the schedule in 2028, ending a two-year pause that had left the rivalry in limbo. The schools have four games lined up between 2028 and 2032, a reminder that even as the Ducks settle deeper into Big Ten life, there is still room for an in-state matchup that carries meaning well beyond the standings.
Dan Lannings support for bringing the series back matters because he framed rivalry games as part of what makes the sport worth following, and he also pointed to the practical appeal of an in-state road trip amid the grind of Big Ten travel. For Oregon State, the return of the series is the kind of development that keeps the rivalry from drifting too far into uncertainty, even if the full shape of those future meetings is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]