NCAA Grants Montana LB 9th Season of Eligibility

Solomon Tuliaupupu will join rare club of players with 9-year college careers.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The NCAA has approved Montana linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu for a ninth season of college football eligibility, allowing him to join tight end Cam McCormick as one of the few players in history to have a 9-year college career. Tuliaupupu first enrolled at USC in 2018 but missed several seasons due to injuries before transferring to Montana in 2025, where he had a standout season.

Why it matters

Nine-year college football careers are extremely rare, with only a handful of players ever achieving this feat. Tuliaupupu's perseverance and ability to overcome multiple injuries to play at a high level for nearly a decade is an impressive accomplishment that highlights the NCAA's willingness to grant extended eligibility in certain cases.

The details

Tuliaupupu first arrived at USC in 2018 but missed that season and the following one due to a foot injury. A knee injury in 2020 kept him out that year, and he didn't play for the Trojans in 2021 after missing spring practice. He finally saw action in 2022, making 10 tackles, including 2.5 sacks, in 14 games. Another training camp injury cost Tuliaupupu the entire 2023 season, but he returned to play nine games for USC in 2024, registering 13 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery. Tuliaupupu then transferred to Montana for the 2025 season, where he played in 14 games, producing 43 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles.

  • Tuliaupupu first arrived at USC in 2018.
  • He missed the 2018 and 2019 seasons due to a foot injury.
  • A knee injury in 2020 kept him out that year.
  • He did not play for USC in 2021 after missing spring practice.
  • Tuliaupupu played 14 games for Montana in 2025.

The players

Solomon Tuliaupupu

A linebacker who will play a rare 9th season of college football after being granted additional eligibility by the NCAA.

Cam McCormick

A tight end who is one of the few players to have a 9-year college career, playing for Oregon from 2016-2022 and Miami in 2023-2024 before becoming a scouting assistant for the New England Patriots.

Dylan Jemtegaard

An offensive lineman at Montana who was also cleared by the NCAA to play a sixth season of college football in 2026.

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What’s next

The NCAA will monitor Tuliaupupu's progress and performance during his 9th season at Montana to see if any other players may qualify for similar extended eligibility in the future.

The takeaway

Tuliaupupu's remarkable journey to a 9-year college career despite multiple serious injuries showcases the NCAA's willingness to grant exceptions in unique cases and the perseverance of student-athletes who refuse to give up on their dreams of playing at the highest level.