A Louisiana court ruling improved the prospects of former professional players returning to college football, but it did not produce the LSU roster outcome suggested by the earliest headlines. Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris ultimately were not included when the Tigers filled their 105-player roster.
Updated September 14, 2026: This chronology separates the initial September 3 ruling from subsequent roster decisions and conference responses. It does not characterize the entire legal dispute as finally resolved.
September 3: Interim relief in Louisiana
The Associated Press reported that East Baton Rouge Parish Judge William Jorden granted a preliminary injunction against the NCAA after a lengthy hearing. The ruling concerned athletes seeking another college season after pursuing professional opportunities. Wright and Harris were the two players most immediately connected with LSU’s plans.
WAFB separately reported that court protections also prevented the SEC from enforcing its rules against member schools in connection with the affected players while the case continued. The conference opposed the decision and defended its restriction on rostering former professionals.
Those accounts describe interim protections and continuing disagreement, not a final settlement accepted by every party. The NCAA eligibility issue and the conference’s authority were related, but should not be collapsed into a single claim that LSU had permanently won every legal question.
September 5: Neither player was on the Clemson roster
Before LSU’s opener, AP reported that Wright and Harris were not listed on the game roster. Lane Kiffin discussed the decision on ESPN’s College GameDay, acknowledging the players’ circumstances while explaining that he also had to consider consequences for the wider program.
The distinction between court relief and participation had become concrete. A ruling that improves a player’s eligibility position does not itself establish that a school has added him to its roster or selected him to play. FSN’s roster-decision report examines that separate step.
September 8–9: LSU filled the available places
Field Level Media, via Reuters, reported that LSU reached its 105-player limit on September 8 without either Wright or Harris. The choice closed the remaining roster openings rather than leaving them available for a later addition of the two players.
In a September 9 letter described by WAFB, university president Wade Rousse told SEC commissioner Greg Sankey that the roster was locked and argued LSU had complied with conference rules. His description of the issue as moot was LSU’s position; it should not be reported as a court order dismissing every claim.
September 10: No sanctions were announced after the meeting
Reuters published Field Level Media reporting that the conference’s presidents and chancellors concluded their meeting without deciding on sanctions. The SEC’s statement said discussions would continue and did not rule out future action.
The supported conclusion is therefore narrower than either an imminent expulsion or a complete legal victory: the players were left off the roster, and the meeting ended without an announced penalty. Future court orders or conference decisions require their own reporting.
For the distinction between the Louisiana proceedings and the separate federal action, see FSN’s LSU court-and-conference explainer. Continuing team coverage appears on the LSU hub.
Corrected and expanded September 14, 2026: The original account blurred different forms of interim relief, overstated what the ruling meant for participation and incorrectly described Clemson’s ranking. This revision attributes the court reporting and adds the subsequent roster and conference developments. Original publication date and URL retained.