The LSU Tigers have been trying to add former NFL players to the roster for the last couple of weeks. Lane Kiffin has not apologized for his decision. In fact, he has doubled down on it, claiming everyone on his team is okay with the practice.
However, the rest of the SEC does not like this move. The conference voted to outlaw the practice. Now, the conference has decided to sue the Tigers over their attempt to do this for the 2026 season. What does that mean for them moving forward as they navigate Kiffin’s first season?
How the SEC Lawsuit Will Affect LSU This Season
While SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey was on the stand in Louisiana fighting a state injunction to allow the NFL players to play, the SEC announced the lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, the Tigers’ “conduct has already harmed the Conference and threatens to cause further substantial harm if not curbed.”
So what does this mean for LSU moving forward this season? As of right now, the SEC is searching for an injunction to keep the Tigers from being able to roster these players. They are also seeking an injunction to allow the conference to levy punishments if LSU decides to do so.
This might not be the only action that the SEC takes. There have been rumors that the rest of the conference could decide to vote on kicking the Tigers out of the conference completely. That would be a wild turn of events, and that would likely end up in court, as well.
With the House deciding to cancel the final two weeks of them being in session, the Save College Sports Act is unlikely to pass in September. That means that the mess that college football has on its hands will likely continue. Kiffin has brought all of this upon his program in just a matter of months.
Winning Is the Only Thing That Can Save Lane Kiffin
The only way that Kiffin is able to make all of this mess worth it is winning a national title. That doesn’t have to occur this year, but fans and boosters will demand a title within in the next two or three years. This year, despite their high AP ranking, might not be very fruitful.
LSU plays the 10th-hardest schedule in the country, according to ESPN’s strength of schedule metric. That starts by taking on Clemson this Saturday. Of course, they also play a tough schedule within the SEC that has only gotten tougher after this whole mess.
The Tigers must play Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Alabama, and Texas this season. While only two of those games are on the road, that is not an easy path to navigate in order to make the College Football Playoff. That might even be too much for Kiffin to navigate.
A failure to make the CFP this season would likely make Kiffin’s seat extremely hot heading into next season. If he fails at LSU, another program might not be willing to take a chance on him.
What the SEC Lawsuit Means For the LSU Tigers This Season