It looks Matthew Baldwin will not be eligible to play for TCU this season as the NCAA has denied the former Buckeye quarterback's waiver for immediate eligibility, according to Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Baldwin entered the transfer portal in April after the conclusion of Ohio State's spring practice, reportedly with a desire to move closer to his home in Austin, Texas and ultimately landed at TCU a few weeks later.
TCU is expected to file an appeal on the eligibility decision this week, Davison reports, but if the appeal is unsuccessful, Baldwin will have to sit out the 2019 season and will be eligible in 2020.
Even if Baldwin were granted immediate eligibility this season, he faced stiff competition for the starting quarterback spot. TCU added graduate transfer quarterback Alex Delton from Kansas State this offseason, and has former top-50 prospect Justin Rogers, four-star quarterback Max Duggan and one-time starter Mike Collins on the roster as well.
Baldwin's denial comes in contrast to two other quarterback eligibility waivers involving Ohio State as Georgia transfer – and now presumed Buckeye starter – Justin Fields received immediate eligibility this season as did Ohio State transfer Tate Martell at Miami.
The NCAA updated its transfer waiver guidelines in June to increase the requirements for players to receive a waiver, however, and Baldwin's request reportedly fell under the updated guidelines.
