The entire college football world was focused on Louisiana on Thursday as the SEC and college football were put to the test. After the SEC passed rules to punish teams who roster any players who were on an NFL roster, plaintiffs in Louisiana sought an injunction against the NCAA and the conference.
When a decision was handed down on Thursday Night, the players won their battle, seemingly clearing a path for players like Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to play for LSU. Following the ruling, Dae'Quan Wright spoke with the media, where he declared that he expected to play in LSU's season opener against Clemson.
Daquan Wright speaking about his return to play for LSU and Lane Kiffin pic.twitter.com/UIT6vJoWGl
— Michael Cauble (@Cauble) September 4, 2026
Friday Night was the deadline for LSU to add players to the roster for the opener, but any enrolled students could be added at a later date. While Wright had high hopes for his LSU debut, it looks like he may be stuck waiting his time.
LSU did not add former NFL players to opening roster
As the deadline to add players to the roster inched closer, ESPN's Pete Thamel broke the news that Lane Kiffin and LSU did not add Dae'Quan Wright or Zxavian Harris to their roster, but submitted a roster with two holes that could be filled by the duo down the line.
Sources: LSU has not added Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to the team’s roster for the Clemson game. They could potentially be added later in the year, as both are enrolled in school. LSU has 103 players on the roster submitted, and that leaves them two spots. pic.twitter.com/aLJ797WKhJ
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 5, 2026
The decision by Lane Kiffin and LSU is fascinating, as the Tigers seemed certain to play the two as soon as possible. The Tigers are clearly anticipating a tough fight in the lawsuit the SEC filed against LSU on Thursday, and may be waiting to see if they're going to face consequences for rostering the two.
The interesting part is that the Tigers did list Notre Dame transfer Junior Tuihalamaka to the roster as he was also given a fifth year, but he never signed a deal with an NFL team.
Each ruling that's handed down in this case seemingly won't be the last, and as long as the SEC can dangle potential punishment over LSU, it's going to be tough for the Tigers to take the risk. The SEC's lawsuit is seemingly the next important date to watch, and it should provide more insight into if the players will ever appear for the Tigers.
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