Full Breakdown
LSU Locks 2026 Roster, Excludes Former NFL Players Amid SEC Legal Clash
9/9/2026, 8:03:00 AM
Final Roster Decision
LSU announced that cornerback Aidan Anding and defensive end Gabriel Reliford were added Tuesday night, bringing the football roster to the NCAA-mandated 105-player limit. The move locked the roster for the remainder of the season and left former Ole Miss players Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris off the list, ending their attempt to return to college play this year.
Legal and Conference Context
The SEC has a rule barring athletes who have signed NFL contracts from competing for member schools. After a Louisiana judge granted a preliminary injunction that would have permitted Wright and Harris to play, the conference filed a federal lawsuit in the Northern District of Alabama seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) to enforce its rule and preserve its governance authority. The SEC’s amended complaint accuses LSU of “lack of institutional control” over head coach Lane Kiffin and the athletic department. A vote by the conference’s presidents and chancellors is scheduled for Thursday, with the possibility of expelling LSU if the required 11 supportive votes are obtained.
Coach Lane Kiffin’s Rationale
He expressed sympathy for the players, noting that “that wasn’t easy, as much as I feel for the players,” but emphasized his responsibility to protect the program’s interests. Earlier, Kiffin said his relationship with Wright dated back to their time at Ole Miss, but he declined to detail the specific reasons for the roster exclusion.
Official Statements & Responses
- LSU has not issued a formal public rebuttal beyond Kiffin’s media comments, and the university’s legal team has not publicly responded to the SEC’s expulsion threat.
Data & Statistics
- Roster cap: 105 players (maximum allowed by the NCAA).
- Players added: Aidan Anding (cornerback) and Gabriel Reliford (defensive end).
- Players excluded: Dae'Quan Wright (tight end) and Zxavian Harris (defensive lineman).
- LSU’s season-opening win over Clemson: 51–10, moving the Tigers from No. 13 to No. 8 in the Coaches Poll.
- SEC expulsion threshold: 11 of the 16 member schools must vote in favor, according to a September 9 report.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the likelihood of an SEC expulsion. Additionally, the precise legal effect of the Louisiana injunction remains unclear; the judge barred the NCAA and SEC from punishing LSU, yet the SEC’s separate federal suit continues to challenge the players’ eligibility.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We established our First Amendment right for freedom of association, so that our conference can make decisions and our members can make decisions about membership,” — Greg Sankey, featured SEC commissioner
- “Because I get it, even if we won close and ugly, the whole story would have been, 'Man, I screwed the team up by doing this," Kiffin noted.” — Lane Kiffin, LSU head coach
- “That wasn't easy, as much as I feel for the players,” — Lane Kiffin, LSU head coach
- “I probably am in the minority of how I make decisions and probably not what most coaches do,” — Lane Kiffin, LSU head coach
