SEC 'deeply disappointed' as LSU moves to dismiss lawsuit — SkimNews
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- Elizabeth Murrill, Louisiana's attorney general and named defendant, filed a motion Friday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama seeking dismissal of the SEC's complaint with prejudice and at the SEC's cost.
- The SEC said it was 'deeply disappointed' by the filing, noting it came amid ongoing resolution talks and that 'concerns remain unresolved' about LSU's commitment to conference rules and shared governance.
- LSU coach Lane Kiffin had planned to add former NFL players Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to his roster, prompting the SEC's Sept. 8 amended complaint and a scheduled presidents' vote on expulsion.
- That expulsion vote never occurred after LSU opted not to add Wright and Harris, instead filling the 105-man roster for the 2026 season with two injured players — a move that appeared to defuse the standoff.
- Murrill argued the SEC lacks personal jurisdiction over defendants, the complaint 'fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted,' and the state-official defendants are 'cloaked with sovereign immunity.'
- Murrill contended the SEC faces no imminent harm: the players weren't rostered, LSU's football roster is full and closed for 2026-27, and the Sept. 10 meeting 'came and went without a problem.'
- Under SEC bylaws, expelling LSU as a member institution would require a two-thirds vote of all member presidents.
Why it matters: The SEC's lawsuit threatened to expel LSU — a founding member — over a roster move that ultimately never happened. By filing to dismiss mid-negotiation, Louisiana's AG escalates while signaling the dispute has lost its original urgency, leaving broader governance concerns unresolved.
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