SEC Accuses LSU of ‘Stubborn Refusal’ to Follow Rules

The SEC is not backing down from its legal dispute against LSU.

In court filings Tuesday night, the SEC confirmed it would continue its lawsuit against LSU over the football program’s failed attempt to roster players who had signed NFL preseason contracts. 

In the 41-page document, the SEC argued the lawsuit was still valid because LSU appeared to continue to attempt to roster former pros on its men’s basketball program. It also argued the case aimed to answer the ultimate question about whether a conference had the legal right to enforce sanctions against a member school, including kicking that school out of the conference.

“This case addresses a broader dispute,” the SEC wrote. “Defendants’ complete lack of institutional control over LSU’s athletic programs, their ongoing defiance of the Conference’s Professionalism Rules, and the very real threat—reiterated in Defendants’ briefing—that Defendants will interfere with any effort to terminate LSU’s membership in the Conference. That dispute remains live.”

The dispute stemmed from one of many lawsuits challenging the implementation of the NCAA’s age-based eligibility policy, which gives players five years to complete up to five seasons of eligibility (up from four), starting when players enter college or turn 19, whichever comes first. Because the NCAA opted not to grandfather in players who started college in 2022 and already exhausted four years of eligibility, many have begun to sue. Pyburn v. NCAA, filed in Louisiana state court, was one of these lawsuits—but it made waves because two plaintiffs, Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, had gone through the NFL Draft process and signed preseason contracts. 

After LSU said it would scoop up both players, the SEC passed a rule barring schools from rostering players who signed pro contracts in football or basketball. It then formally sued LSU (including coach Lane Kiffin himself). The suit argued LSU was infringing on the SEC’s First Amendment rights by defying rules all other conference members complied with, and asked the court to stop LSU from rostering these players and interfering with a scheduled meeting to vote on terminating LSU conference membership. 

As a result, Kiffin did not roster Wright or Harris this season. The school later filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit altogether, arguing the points were moot given that the players didn’t get rostered and the meeting came and went without incident (and a vote to kick out LSU never took place).

But the SEC isn’t backing down.

The league argues LSU continues to flout its professionalism rule. Court documents specifically cite the fact that the LSU men’s basketball program intended to sign RJ Luis Jr., a former G Leaguer who had signed two NBA contracts, but sued this summer to return to college. In addition, the court documents noted “LSU has also recruited international professional basketball players whose eligibility remains in question,” potentially referring to Senegalese player Saliou Niang, who was chosen 58th overall in the 2025 NBA draft before going overseas, and didn’t properly withdraw as the SEC’s professional rule requires.

Neither player is currently listed on LSU’s roster. Head coach Will Wade said Tuesday that Luis had not been rostered and didn’t travel to the team’s first exhibition game. He added LSU would follow all SEC guidelines. 

The SEC also raised the concern that LSU could interfere in the future, and asked the judge to allow the case to move forward so the conference could establish its legal right to sanction LSU (or any other rogue school). 

“What Defendants do not say in their brief—much less through any sworn affidavit or declaration—is that they will refrain from interfering with the SEC’s exercise of its undisputed right to terminate LSU’s membership in the Conference,” the SEC wrote. “Indeed, they suggest the opposite, insisting that termination ‘is not—and was never—warranted.’” 

The SEC continued: “That is not the language of an institution prepared to accept the consequences of its stubborn refusal to follow rules fundamental to the Conference’s purpose and mission. It is the statement of an institution preserving its ability to obstruct any effort by the SEC to disassociate—the very obstruction that this lawsuit seeks to prevent.”

Louisiana attorney general Liz Murrill, who was the lead counsel on LSU’s motion to dismiss, rebuked the SEC’s filing in a statement Tuesday night. “The new response by SEC lawyers proves that the Commissioner was never acting in good faith,” she said. “LSU has broken no rules, and the case is moot. The lawsuit was garbage from the start and should be dismissed.”

LSU has until Oct. 20 to respond, according to the court docket.