Could Cam Rising be eligible for Season 8 of college football?

Utah quarterback Cam rises is currently in his seventh season of college football after completing three redshirt seasons in his career. He has only played in three games this year and did not play due to a finger injury.

Rising returned and started the game against Utah in Week 7 Arizona Statethrew three interceptions. Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham announced Monday that the quarterback is out indefinitely with a lower leg injury. It is unknown if he will return this season.

Because of the injury, Rising could attempt to secure a medical redshirt and return to college football for his eighth season. That would mean sitting out the rest of the season. The other option is to get back on the field and enter the field NFL Draft.

“We have to think about it, I'm not sure Cam has thought about it,” Whittingham said Monday about Rising's return for its eighth year.

Injury issues have plagued Cam Rising's college football career. The quarterback was granted a medical redshirt for the 2023 season after opting out Rose bowl with a serious knee injury. A former one Texas After his transfer, Rising redshirted his first season with the Longhorns in 2018 and at Utah in 2019. The 25-year-old quarterback played in just one game with the Utes during COVID-19 2020 due to a shoulder injury

Rising has played in just three games for Utah this season. NCAA rules state that players can play in four regular-season games and still redshirt. Postseason games do not count toward redshirt eligibility.

The Utah quarterback could try to get a medical redshirt exemption. According to the NCAA handbook, an athlete “may be granted an additional year of competition by the conference or the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement for 'hardship' reasons.”

The waiver is subject to the following conditions:

+ The student-athlete took advantage of one of his four competitive seasons
+ The injury must occur before the end of the first half of the season – 8th competition
+ The quarterback did not play in 30% of the maximum number of games – 4
+ Provide medical documentation that he cannot keep up with

“Any request for a waiver will be considered on a case-by-case basis, subject to a complete record of factual information,” the NCAA said.

Rising has had injuries throughout the season and has met the halftime requirement. He did not play in the 30% maximum number of games, which takes into account the Utes' 12 games and the national championship.

Wearing a medical redshirt has become a trend in college football. Oklahoma State quarterback Alan Bowman is in its seventh season after previous stints with Texas Tech And Michigan. Miami tight end Cam McCormick became eligible for a ninth year in January. McCormick began his career at Oregon in 2016 and was injured at different times in four consecutive seasons. He also redshirted and had a COVID year in 2020, which allowed him to apply to the NCAA for an unprecedented ninth season of eligibility.

If Rising goes this route, it is unknown whether he will return to Utah for an eighth season or enter the transfer portal for a second time. Because the NCAA changed its transfer rules, the quarterback was able to enter the portal and play for a new school in 2025-26 without receiving a waiver.

The former four-star recruit threw seven touchdowns and three interceptions with a 51.5 completion percentage in 2024.