LAS VEGAS -- When USC redshirt senior cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson saw that Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia had successfully beaten the NCAA in court to receive an extra year of eligibility for the time he spent in junior college, Nicholson saw a path to extending his own college football career.

Nicholson, who spent this past season at USC after spending his first two years at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and then two years at Mississippi State, had exhausted his eligibility until this development opened a new door.

Five days after a federal judge in Tennessee granted an injunction to allow Pavia to an additional year of eligibility next fall, which the NCAA is appealing, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors on Monday announced a waiver granting an additional year of eligibility to all former JUCO transfers for 2025-26 if their eligibility would have otherwise expired this year.

Nicholson, who played 238 defensive snaps this season in a mostly reserve cornerback role, could have a chance at a larger role in USC's depleted secondary in 2025. He's been active on Twitter expressing his desire to take advantage of this waiver.

Coach Lincoln Riley was asked about it Thursday and said the Trojans would indeed like to have Nicholson back.

"The JUCO ruling, I think we're all trying to figure that out right now. Obviously, the waiver came out right around Christmas day, so the NCAA, they don't always answer the phone anyway but they damn sure don't on Christmas day, so we're going to dive into it," Riley said. "Obviously, we hope it works out for DeCarlos. He's certainly expressed a desire to come back and play another year -- we would love to have him and if that works out that'd be fantastic."