Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order Tuesday allowing the state's colleges and universities to let athletes who graduated from high school in 2022 play a fifth season, defying a new NCAA eligibility rule.

What they're saying: "When the rules change, fairness has to remain part of the equation," DeWine said.

"We want Ohio's student-athletes to have the same opportunity as student-athletes in other states." RELATED: College Football Playoff expansion: CFP, ESPN continue talks on 24-team model Dig deeper: The NCAA rule excludes athletes who have already played four seasons.