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Ivory CoastSEC Frustrated as LSU Seeks Dismissal in Ongoing Roster Battle
The SEC expressed disappointment after Louisiana officials filed to dismiss the federal lawsuit regarding LSU football roster moves.
Louisiana Moves to Dismiss
The Southeastern Conference expressed deep disappointment on Friday after Louisiana officials moved to dismiss a federal lawsuit against LSU. Louisiana Attorney General Elizabeth Murrill filed the motion in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. She requested that the court dismiss the complaint with prejudice and at the expense of the league.
Murrill argued that the conference has no personal jurisdiction over the defendants. The named defendants include Murrill, football coach Lane Kiffin, LSU president Wade Rousse, athletics director Verge Ausberry, and members of the LSU Board of Supervisors. Murrill noted that each defendant is a state official protected by sovereign immunity, adding that the league failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.
Origins of the Roster Dispute
The conflict began after Kiffin planned to place former NFL players on the LSU roster. The players in question were tight end Da'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, both of whom spent time in NFL training camps before returning to school.
On Sept. 8, the conference filed an amended complaint and prepared to hold a meeting regarding the matter. League presidents were set to vote on whether to expel the Tigers. That vote never took place because LSU decided not to add Wright or Harris. Kiffin then placed two injured players on the squad to complete his 105 man roster for the 2026 season.
Arguments Over Conference Harm
Murrill argued in her filing that recent events proved the legal action was unwarranted. She stated that the LSU roster is now full and closed, and that a planned Sept. 10 meeting occurred without disruption. Because of this, Murrill argued the league faces no immediate harm.
Murrill also addressed the conference claim of First Amendment harm from forced association, calling it self inflicted. She stated that LSU is just one member of a 16 member unincorporated association and has no power to force the league to do anything.
The SEC Prepares Court Response
Both sides held discussions this week to find a resolution, but league officials said the dismissal motion arrived while those talks were active. The conference stated that concerns about shared governance and adherence to league rules remain unresolved.
The league announced it is preparing a formal response in court to protect its standards. Under conference bylaws, presidents hold broad authority over league affairs, and a vote of at least two thirds of the presidents is required to remove a school from the conference.
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