TJ Finley Joins Incarnate Word, Marks Seventh School in Seven Seasons

TJ Finley is headed to Incarnate Word, an FCS program in San Antonio, marking the seventh stop in a college career that began at LSU in 2020. On3’s Pete Nakos reported the move, and the transfer illustrates how pandemic eligibility waivers, traditional redshirts and medical redshirts can extend playing windows and funnel experienced FBS talent to the FCS level.

Finley’s path reads like a football road map. He broke in at LSU as a 2020 true freshman, passing for 941 yards with five touchdowns and five interceptions while starting five games during the pandemic-affected season. He transferred to Auburn and appeared in nine games in 2021, totaling 827 yards and six touchdowns, then played four games in 2022, including a 137-yard, two-touchdown outing in Auburn’s 24-22, four-overtime loss to Alabama before an injury led to a redshirt. The quarterback’s best statistical season came at Texas State in 2023 when he threw for 3,439 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions while adding five rushing scores.

A season-ending injury at Western Kentucky in 2024 brought a medical redshirt. Finley then spent a brief stint at Tulane, participating in winter work but never taking the field after an arrest and subsequent indefinite suspension. He moved to Georgia State for 2025, completing 127-of-201 passes for 1,244 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions in seven games while a shoulder issue limited his availability.

The legal episode tied to the Tulane stop involved an arrest related to possession of stolen property over an item valued at about $25,000. The vehicle in question was a Dodge Ram. Finley’s lawyers said he purchased the truck on Facebook Marketplace and was the victim of a scam. After a court appearance, he entered a diversion program and later transferred to Georgia State. Tulane suspended him indefinitely and he never played for the Green Wave.

Eligibility mechanics explain how Finley, a 6-foot-7, 23-year-old father of three from Ponchatoula, Louisiana, can suit up again. The NCAA awarded extra eligibility to players whose 2020 seasons were disrupted by COVID-19; combined with a 2022 redshirt and a 2024 medical redshirt, Finley retains the ability to play a seventh season in 2026. Finley framed the decision personally, saying he set a high standard of what he wants to do and what he wants to accomplish in his life.

Finley’s arrival is part of a broader trend: experienced FBS quarterbacks are using the portal and lingering eligibility to recalibrate careers at different levels, and FCS programs gain veteran signal-callers who can impact wins, recruiting and attendance. For Incarnate Word, the immediate question is how Finley’s arm and experience translate to Southland Conference competition and spring practice. Fans will be watching the Cardinals’ spring depth chart and any official roster announcement to see whether Finley can turn his journeyman résumé into a late-career reset.