The SEC filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against LSU and head coach Lane Kiffin, escalating its fight to keep former NFL players off the school’s roster.

The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, landed the same day a Baton Rouge judge held a preliminary injunction hearing to decide whether a temporary restraining order allowing the players’ return to LSU would stay in place.

The news was first reported by Pete Nakos of On3.

BREAKING: The SEC has filed a lawsuit against LSU and head football coach Lane Kiffin, @PeteNakos reports.

"Defendants waged a deliberate and coordinated campaign to recruit professional athletes to play football for LSU during the 2026-27 season." https://t.co/pxJ1TtVnI5 pic.twitter.com/HKsOSFnQ8Z

— On3 (@On3) September 3, 2026

In the complaint, the SEC requests of the court that they “enter a preliminary and permanent injunction prohibiting Defendants from violating the Conference’s First Amendment rights by compelling the Conference to associate with conduct that is contrary to the Conference’s purpose and mission.”

“Defendants waged a deliberate and coordinated campaign to recruit professional athletes to play football for LSU during the 2026-27 season, including players who had signed NFL contracts with the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers,” the complaint read.

After it was ruled in court that the NCAA could not enforce its eligibility rules, the SEC was one of several conferences to make its own rule banning pro players from returning, but the temporary restraining order in Louisiana prevented enforcement from the conferences and forced the SEC to take drastic action.

All offseason long, talks of potential self-governance among conferences and an SEC breakaway from the rest of the NCAA have only intensified, with the LSU situation being a perfect example as to why it would be beneficial. Without rule enforcement, there simply aren’t any, and Greg Sankey and the SEC are taking an important step here to try to address it.

With rosters due to the league office before the weekend, it remains to be seen how things will play out, but it’s safe to say this controversy is far from over.