LSU · SECLSU holds Wright and Harris out despite court clearance
The Tigers kept two former Ole Miss players off the Clemson roster while weighing SEC penalties and a federal eligibility fight.
SEP 6, 2026
The Pate State · Editorial IllustrationSEC vote banning former professionals
LSU’s 2025 record, overall and SEC
LSU’s preseason AP ranking
01 · The NewsLSU Holds Out Wright, Harris
LSU left former Ole Miss players Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris off its roster for Saturday, Sept. 5, against Clemson, Brandon Marcello of CBS Sports confirmed, despite a Louisiana judge clearing both players to compete before the opener.
The ruling gave LSU the option to use them; it did not require the school to make either roster move. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr had urged the SEC to use “all measures available,” including suspension or expulsion, if LSU played former professional athletes.
That leaves LSU balancing two experienced additions against possible game forfeitures or harsher SEC penalties while the league’s federal lawsuit moves forward. The school has not said whether Wright or Harris will join the roster later in the 2026 season, but its decision to hold them out keeps the dispute alive without immediately putting either player on the field.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney called the return of former NFL players to college football “embarrassing” Tuesday. LSU’s choice meant Clemson did not face Wright or Harris in the season opener.
02 · The StakesWhy This One Matters
The SEC filed a federal lawsuit against LSU and coach Lane Kiffin on Thursday, seeking authority to enforce its ban on former professional players returning to college football. SEC members approved that ban by a 15-0 vote, and the league has discussed game forfeitures among the possible penalties. The dispute now reaches beyond two roster spots. LSU could gain experienced players, but using them could expose the Tigers to conference punishment while the federal case remains unresolved. The SEC has not announced whether it will penalize LSU or what action it might pursue. Wright used his final Ole Miss season before spending time with the Eagles and Browns. Harris finished his Ole Miss eligibility before spending time with the Saints. LSU coach Lane Kiffin pursued them after other players who had completed four college seasons gained a path toward a fifth season under new NCAA eligibility rules. The decision came before a meeting of two teams that went 7-6 in 2025. LSU went 3-5 in SEC play and opened 2026 ranked No. 11 in the AP Top 25; Clemson went 4-4 in the ACC and entered the season No. 23 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
03 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
The preliminary injunction cleared LSU to play Wright and Harris, but it did not eliminate the SEC’s challenge or the possibility of sanctions. By leaving both off the opener roster, LSU avoided forcing the conference to respond to either player appearing in an LSU uniform while preserving the option to add them later.
That is why the courtroom win did not produce an immediate football decision. LSU can continue its case against the SEC while deciding whether the players’ on-field value justifies the risk of forfeitures or other conference action.
“The return of former NFL players to college football is “embarrassing”
Dabo Swinney04 · The PersonnelNext Man Up
There was no roster move to replace Wright or Harris for the opener. LSU played Clemson without either former Ole Miss player, and the Tigers’ next scheduled game is against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Sept. 12. LSU has not said whether it will add Wright, Harris or both before that game. It also has not said whether either player would play in a later game if added.
05 · The ThesisThe Pate State Read
LSU won the immediate court fight and then chose not to test the SEC’s response on the field. That protects the Tigers from an immediate dispute over a game already played, but it leaves the central decision unresolved: whether the school will use the players the injunction cleared it to use. The SEC, meanwhile, is asking a federal court to reinforce a rule its members approved unanimously. The next LSU roster decision could turn a legal argument into a live conference fight. Watch LSU’s roster after the Clemson opener for Wright or Harris. Watch the federal case for the SEC’s effort to enforce its ban. And watch for any conference penalty before either player appears. For Wright and Harris, the court opened a path LSU has not yet chosen.
06 · The Watch ListWhat We're Watching
Will LSU add Wright or Harris?
Watch LSU’s roster after the Clemson opener for Wright or Harris.
Will the federal case move the dispute?
Watch the federal case for the SEC’s effort to enforce its ban.
Will the SEC penalize LSU?
And watch for any conference penalty before either player appears.