Clemson wideout Tristan Smith’s fight with the NCAA over a fifth year of eligibility is still not over.

The NCAA has filed an appeal of the TRO that a Pickens County judge granted in June, which allowed Smith to play a fifth season. The appeal was filed on Tuesday.

“I would say the process went really smooth,” Smith said during fall camp. “I had all the coaches, my lawyer, my agent — I had all of them in my corner. Even while I was going through my court case, I was still lifting weights. I was still doing everything with the team, so I was still on the team, not away from the team, so I didn’t really think nothing of it.”

Despite the appeal, Smith will remain eligible unless the court overturns the TRO. Smith logged five snaps in the season-opening loss to LSU.

Smith spent his first two years of college at the JUCO level before moving to Southwest Missouri State, an FCS school, in 2024. He then transferred to Clemson for the 2025 season. Smith’s decision to seek a fifth year stemmed from those JUCO seasons and the NCAA granting other players extra seasons of eligibility due to their time at the JUCO level.

Smith requested a waiver for an extra year of eligibility, but was denied by the NCAA late last year. The Clemson receiver filed a complaint against the NCAA on January 21 in Pickens County after the NCAA’s decision. While the TRO wasn’t issued until June, Smith was still allowed to practice in the spring and take part in team activities, although he did miss some time with an ankle injury.

Last year, the 6-foot-5 receiver caught 24 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown. He played in all 13 games for the Tigers, including four starts.