Ahead of one of the biggest games of the Big 12 Conference’s non-conference slate, Brent Brennan and the Arizona Wildcats will be without a key player vs. No. 14 Kansas State in Week 3.
According to a report from 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Arizona will be without their starting running back, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, due to eligibility concerns.
“Starting running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt is expected to miss the game as the Wildcats wait on the NCAA to make a determination on Croskey-Merritt’s eligibility,” Zenitz said. “It stems from Croskey-Merritt’s freshman season at Alabama State in 2019 and questions whether Croskey-Merritt actually redshirted that season. It’s a bit complicated (and weird).”
The full breakdown of Croskey-Merritt’s eligibility discrepancy stems from his 2019 season at Alabama State, which he and the university claim was a redshirt season. ESPN’s stats show that Corskey-Merritt suited up and took the field in eight games, four more than the minimum allowed to take a redshirt.
However, Alabama State believes that Croskey-Merrit played in the four games he was allowed to play and then switched numbers with a fellow running back partway through the season, who went on to play four more games, which caused the confusion.
After suiting up in Week 1 against his former team, New Mexico, Croskey-Merritt was held out of the Wildcats’ Week 2 win over Northern Arizona while waiting for the NCAA to investigate the situation and determine a ruling on his status for the 2024 college football season.
Kansas State and Arizona kick off FOX’s Big Friday matchup at 7:00 p.m. CT, from Manhattan, Kansas.
