NCAA reduces, but doesn't rescind suspension of Tennessee LB Arion Carter over $427 plane ticket

While a player who signed an NFL contract, participated in training camp and suited up for a preseason game is returning to play college football at LSU, Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter remains suspended for a $427 plane ticket bought by an agent that he paid back.

The NCAA initially suspended Carter for two games over what it deemed as a Level III violation. It announced that discipline in July. On Tuesday, Tennessee athletic director Danny White told On3 that Carter’s suspension had been reduced to one game.

Carter will miss Tennessee’s season opener against Furman on Sept. 5, but he will now be eligible to play on Sept. 12 against Georgia Tech.

Carter, a senior, finished third on Tennessee with 76 tackles last season. He considered entering the 2026 NFL Draft and accepted a $427 plane ticket from an agent for travel as part of the pre-draft process.

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He injured his foot during a workout and opted not to enter the draft and instead returned to Tennessee. Carter reportedly repaid his agent for the flight after the decision to return to school, but the NCAA opted to suspended because of a rule stating that players and their families are not permitted to take material benefits from agents, including transportation.

The NCAA reportedly initially intended to suspend Carter for three games before opting for a two-game ban in July. The announcement of that suspension prompted an outcry from Tennessee head coach Josh Huepel, who called the ban “bulls***.”

“The ruling that came out from the NCAA, the two-game suspension, I truly believe is bullshit,” Heupel said in July, per On3.

He offered a more formal reaction to the suspension in a statement a day later.

“We disagree with the NCAA’s ruling on punishing Arion with a multi-game suspension this fall,” Huepel’s statement from July reads. “Arion made the right decision for his future health and well-being.

“He will proudly graduate from Tennessee in public health with Dean’s List honors in August. Our team stands behind AC and his family, and we can’t wait to be on the field with him during training camp this week.”

“We disagree with the NCAA’s ruling on punishing Arion with a multi-game suspension this fall,” Huepel’s statement from July reads. “Arion made the right decision for his future health and well-being.

“He will proudly graduate from Tennessee in public health with Dean’s List honors in August. Our team stands behind AC and his family, and we can’t wait to be on the field with him during training camp this week.”

Carter’s suspension, while reduced, remains intact in a college sports landscape where player have agents for NIL negotiations of multi-million deals.

LSU, meanwhile, reportedly has an agreement with tight end Dae’Quan Wright, who hired agent Drew Rosenhaus, signed an NFL contract with the Philadelphia Eagles and was recently waived by the Cleveland Browns after participating in their training camp and suiting up for a preseason game.

Wright is one of several athletes from the college class of 2025 seeking to return for a fifth year of eligibility. As of now, he’s been granted that eligibility thanks to a court ruling in his favor from a Baton Rouge judge.

While conferences including the SEC are pushing back against pros returning to college teams, there’s nothing as of now preventing Wright from joining LSU, much less a suspension in store.

Carter, meanwhile, will miss the Furman game on Sept. 5. As of the time of this article, there was no word from Heupel on his thoughts on Carter’s now one-game ban.