Report: NCAA Will Not Count Bowl Games Toward Redshirt Status

Players have been able to appear in up to four games without losing a season of eligibility since 2018.

As first reported by ESPN’s Cole Cubelic, the NCAA issued a one-time blanket waiver on Friday afternoon that will not count postseason participation at the Football Bowl Subdivision level toward a player’s redshirt status.

NCAA has issued a one-time blanket waiver, in FBS football, to exempt postseason participation from the limit of 4 contests a student-athlete may participate in w/o using a season of competition. The blanket waiver is applicable to FBS postseason gms that occur after Dec 15, 2022

— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) December 16, 2022

That means that any Ohio State player who has appeared in exactly four games this season will not lose their ability to redshirt if they play in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Georgia and/or the national championship should the Buckeyes advance.

Players have been able to appear in up to four games while maintaining a full season of eligibility since 2018, but with an influx of players in the transfer portal and others opting out to prepare for the NFL Draft, teams now have some much-needed roster flexibility.

The waiver will impact several Buckeyes, including fifth-year senior linebacker Teradja Mitchell, who played in just four games before entering his name into the transfer portal last week. He already planned to remain with the team through the playoff, but can now play without losing his eligibility.

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Freshman offensive tackle Tegra Tshabola and freshman cornerback Ryan Turner also appeared in four games this fall, but could now figure into Ohio State’s postseason plans without the coaching staff having to worry about hurting their redshirt status.

Freshmen defensive end Kenyatta Jackson and freshman defensive tackle Hero Kanu appeared in three games, meanwhile, but could now see action in two postseason games. They wouldn’t have been able to play in more than one and keep their redshirt season without the waiver.  

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