Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers found themselves at war with the SEC this week after they attempted to add former NFL camp attendees to their roster. The SEC, along with the other Power 4 conferences, all passed rules to try to punish any schools that attempted to roster the players. The issue for the SEC is that the decision created a showdown in court as the players sought an injunction against the league.
After a day of both sides making their cases, including SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey taking the stand, the judge announced a ruling would be handed down in the same day. On Thursday Night, a historic ruling was handed down as the judge ruled in favor of the players, clearing a path for them to play next season.
NEW: Former Browns TE Dae'Quan Wright, Saints DL Zxavian Harris and several others have been granted a preliminary injunction against the NCAA and SEC, @walexander reports.
— On3 (@On3) September 4, 2026
Wright and Harris are currently eligible to play for LSU, if the Tigers decide to roster them.… pic.twitter.com/neieZRSw5a
The SEC reveals next step after crushing loss
After the decision was handed down, the SEC released a statement declaring their disappointment with the ruling while talking about their next steps.
"We disagree with the court’s decision, the SEC’s presidents and chancellors unanimously adopted a clear and reasonable standard: member universities should not place former professional athletes on their rosters. The conference and its member universities have the right to establish, through agreed-upon governance procedures, the rules under which they voluntarily compete and to expect those rules to be followed.SEC Statement
The SEC will continue to defend this standard, the principle of fair competition, and the conference’s authority to govern competition among its member universities."
The conference and the NCAA clearly have no plans to let LSU or any other teams get away with it, as the SEC filed suit against LSU on Thursday.
Here it is, in all its glory, the SEC's lawsuit against LSU
— Ben Portnoy (@bportnoy15) September 3, 2026
"Defendants waged a deliberate and coordinated campaign to recruit professional athletes to play football for LSU during the 2026-27 season..." pic.twitter.com/4aVCakRIKR
Eventually, winning this case is of major importance not only for the SEC, but for the NCAA as a whole, as this decision could open the floodgates. Players in other states or other conferences could follow suit, and we could end up seeing a few players returning grow to hundreds of players trying to return after brief stints in NFL camps.
Greg Sankey and the SEC have clear plans to combat this ruling, as they've already announced plans to appeal the decision right after it was handed down. The lawsuit against Lane Kiffin, LSU, and the other members of the school should serve as another deterrent, especially if the SEC wins the case.
Nothing in this case will seem definite, and it's almost certainly going to carry well into the season, and possibly into the offseason.
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