[Ratmandoo]

If I were a Stanford football player with a reasonable chance at playing in the NFL, I can absolutely see the rationale for taking a relatively light load my 4th year, taking the minimum the fall of my 5th year, THEN getting my degree, and then focus on getting ready for the draft.

I wonder how this plan would work if the team ended up in the National Championship game. If a player graduates in the fall quarter but the national championship game doesn't take place until the beginning of winter quarter, would the player be eligible?  I know there is a weird practice rule that will impact this year's game (and did the same last year). Clemson's winter quarter has started already but Alabama's semester hasn't. So Clemson can only practice 20 hours this week in preparation for the game because school has started. Alabama, however, has no such restrictions because classes haven't started for them yet. This happened last year with Oregon already having classes and Ohio State didn't.

My guess is in ColoradoTree's scenario, a player who had graduated already and is no longer enrolled wouldn't be eligible. I wonder if this will ever come up. 

[Ratmandoo]

If I were a Stanford football player with a reasonable chance at playing in the NFL, I can absolutely see the rationale for taking a relatively light load my 4th year, taking the minimum the fall of my 5th year, THEN getting my degree, and then focus on getting ready for the draft.

I wonder how this plan would work if the team ended up in the National Championship game. If a player graduates in the fall quarter but the national championship game doesn't take place until the beginning of winter quarter, would the player be eligible?  I know there is a weird practice rule that will impact this year's game (and did the same last year). Clemson's winter quarter has started already but Alabama's semester hasn't. So Clemson can only practice 20 hours this week in preparation for the game because school has started. Alabama, however, has no such restrictions because classes haven't started for them yet. This happened last year with Oregon already having classes and Ohio State didn't.

My guess is in ColoradoTree's scenario, a player who had graduated already and is no longer enrolled wouldn't be eligible. I wonder if this will ever come up.