Despondency of university players? (5)
I believe the answer is:
blues
'despondency of university players?' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both states of affairs as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I can't see?
This is all the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for blues that I've seen before include "Gloom" , "Australian redheads" , "Depression - music" , "Melancholy music of Black American origin" , "State of depression" .)