Colorado’s path into its Oct. 3 matchup with Texas Tech may have gotten a little clearer, and it all turns on Tommy Castellanos.
The Buffaloes were already entering the game as underdogs, with Deion Sanders preparing for the possibility of facing two quarterbacks while Colorado settles on backup Isaac Wilson. But an Oct. 2 ruling from the Kentucky Court of Appeals changed the picture. Castellanos has been deemed ineligible, according to multiple reports, after the court action dissolved the temporary injunction that fifth-year college athletes had been granted, including the Florida State transfer quarterback.
That leaves Texas Tech with a decision to make. As college football insider Pete Nakos of On3 wrote, "But with no injunction allowing him to play, the decision comes down to Texas Tech on whether they will play the quarterback on Saturday," wrote college football insider for On3, Pete Nakos.
Nakos also relayed a comment from attorney Ryan Downton that pointed toward eligibility under the current NCAA manual: "As long as he did not have any professionalism issues, they should certify him as eligible under the NCAA Manual as it exists today. And play him," Downton told Nakos.
Even with that, Nakos noted that the final call would still rest with Texas Tech’s compliance office.
Castellanos had been part of a wider group of players looking to extend their college careers into 2026 under the new fifth-year eligibility rule, which allowed high school graduates from the 2022 academic year to get an extra season. The former Boston College and Florida State dual-threat quarterback tried to use that ruling, including filing a TRO against the NCAA to open the door to his next school.
If Texas Tech does choose to play him, it takes on a major gamble. The timing of the ruling could force head coach Joey McGuire and the Red Raiders to sit Castellanos while the athletic department untangles the situation. Texas Tech has already dealt with a high-profile offseason controversy involving former quarterback Brendan Sorsby and a gambling investigation, which ultimately led to Sorsby leaving the Red Raiders and pursuing the NFL Supplemental Draft.
That makes the optics and the distractions around Castellanos harder to ignore. The Red Raiders could also be left leaning more heavily on a Wildcat look or an RPO package behind center if he ends up available, but the uncertainty alone puts them in a difficult spot.
Colorado, meanwhile, has its own quarterback wrinkle. Wilson is expected to take the starting job over week one starter Julian Lewis, but that call surfaced nearly three days before kickoff at Folsom Field. In that sense, the Buffaloes may have one less thing hanging over them than Texas Tech.
If Castellanos sits, McGuire may have to ask Will Hammond to throw more instead of relying on his legs, and Colorado will have a chance to test him. Hammond threw three interceptions against Sam Houston State, and defensive coordinator Chris Marve has already shown he can disguise Colorado’s blitzes and coverages effectively.
The biggest thing to monitor now is the mental side, especially for Texas Tech. If Castellanos’ status keeps hanging over the Red Raiders, Colorado could be in position to turn the uncertainty into an upset.
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