LSU has not even played its first game under Lane Kiffin, and the Tigers have already reached the stage where their own conference is suing them.
The SEC filed a federal lawsuit Thursday seeking to stop LSU from using former NFL players, only for a Louisiana judge hours later to grant a preliminary injunction clearing a path for Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to return to college football. Kiffin has defended pursuing the players, and the rest of the league is not exactly enjoying the show.
SEC Fans Turn on LSU Over NFL Returnees
The anger has stretched beyond whether Wright and Harris should be eligible. For some SEC fans, LSU’s willingness to fight the conference has become the bigger problem.
PREDICT THE CFB SEASON: PFN’s Free CFB Playoff Predictor
“LSU Is Becoming a Pariah,” one fan wrote.
LSU is becoming a pariah like tt when they ignorantly tried to force the Sorsby fiasco.
— Gordon Reina (@ForeTX) September 4, 2026
Another response went further: “Kick Them Out, It’s An Embarrassment,” the user added.
They pay them like pros….you made this bed
— Micheal Fair (@FairMicheal) September 4, 2026
The criticism kept coming as LSU’s dispute moved from conference meetings into courtrooms, with another supplied reaction joining the backlash.
One fan said, “They pay them like pros….you made this bed.”
Another user added, “Get seven figures and be a seventh year senior banned by the NCAA: NO PROBLEM. Get $190 for gas and never play a professional down of football and come back for a fifth year: WE MUST BAN THESE PROFESSIONALS! Get real.”
Get seven figures and be a seventh year senior banned by the NCAA: NO PROBLEM. Get $190 for gas and never play a professional down of football and come back for a fifth year: WE MUST BAN THESE PROFESSIONALS! Get real.
— Josh Roberie (@JoshRoberie) September 4, 2026
The fury is not coming out of nowhere. SEC leaders have discussed severe measures against LSU, including probation, game boycotts, and even expulsion. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr also urged the league to consider “all measures available” if the Tigers moved forward with former professionals.
Kiffin has framed the situation around doing what helps his roster. Earlier this week, Kiffin said LSU’s player leadership committee supported adding the returnees, telling him, “If they can help us win, bring ’em.”
Kiffin argued that court orders granting athletes another year of eligibility cannot simply be ignored because a conference dislikes the result.
LSU Wins Latest Court Battle With SEC
Thursday’s court ruling gave LSU the immediate legal victory. East Baton Rouge Parish Judge William Jorden granted a preliminary injunction clearing the way for Wright and Harris to join the Tigers while the eligibility fight continues.
The SEC strongly disagreed and said it would continue defending its governance rights. The conference also filed a separate federal lawsuit in Alabama naming LSU, Kiffin, university president Wade Rousse, and athletic director Verge Ausberry as defendants.
DIVE IN: PFN’s Free CFB HQ — Team and Player Stats, Info, and More
Wright and Harris both played for Kiffin at Ole Miss in 2025 before brief NFL stints. Wright finished No. 20 nationally with an 80.6 PFN’s CFB TE Impact grade last season, giving LSU another proven option if he ultimately takes the field.
That explains why LSU wants the extra help. It also explains why rival programs care so much about where the eligibility line gets drawn.
No. 11 LSU hosts Clemson on Saturday. Before Kiffin coaches his first snap in Baton Rouge, he has already turned roster management into a conference-wide legal fight.
