U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) has once again weighed in on the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act which appears to be headed for a vote in the Senate.
A federal judge ruled last Friday that the NCAA must declare eligible any high school Class of 2022 athlete who used up their four seasons of eligibility this past spring — timing that couldn’t have been much worse for lawmakers, who were right in the middle of negotiating with the Big Ten and SEC over a version of the bill the mega conferences could actually live with.
Tuberville wasted no time pointing to the Protect College Sports Act, arguing the ruling is proof the eligibility loopholes — and the endless litigation that comes with them — are only going to get worse if lawmakers don’t act.
College sports has become a complete clown show with endless waivers and lawsuits for eligibility.
The Protect College Sports Act put forth by my colleagues will only make this problem worse.
We need a NARROW eligibility bill with ZERO waivers or wiggle room. That will resolve… https://t.co/kfU58T2OKq
— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) August 1, 2026
“College sports has become a complete clown show with endless waivers and lawsuits for eligibility,” Tuberville wrote on X. “The Protect College Sports Act put forth by my colleagues will only make this problem worse. We need a NARROW eligibility bill with ZERO waivers or wiggle room. That will resolve a majority of the issues in college sports today.”
At the eleventh hour on Friday, both the SEC and Big 10 voted to support the PCSA which could potentially lead to a vote this week, but there are still a number of hurdles to clear.
Tuberville is not the only one speaking out against the PCSA either, as conservative political activist Riley Gaines — who gained notoriety for pushing back against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas being allowed to compete against biological females — says the litigation limitations from within the PCSA would prevent female athletes from being able to hold the NCAA legally accountable for Title IX violations.
Really great piece on how the Protect College Sports Act prevents the NCAA from being held legally accountable for Title IX violations.
Athletes should be able to fight the @NCAA when their rights are violated !!! https://t.co/LOKBio4TKs
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) August 2, 2026
Tuberville does have his own piece of legislation which is much narrower and focuses on eligibility and one-time transferring, the Student Athlete Act of 2026, but the PCSA has been the focus for lawmakers instead.
With the Senate set to take its August recess at the end of this week, it remains to be seen if any piece of legislation is going to be voted on, let alone have a chance to pass. Ultimately, it may not matter either way to curb the chaos of college sports if Tuberville proves correct.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
