Greg Sankey and the SEC are still keeping LSU squarely in the crosshairs.
Lane Kiffin and other LSU decision-makers backed off on adding professional players, but that doesn’t mean the conference is ready to move on. An SEC meeting on Thursday could still bring punishment for Kiffin or for LSU itself.
Kiffin may have believed his choice not to roster professional players was just a brief stumble. He showed no regret, either, after alarming the rest of the SEC by signaling that expelling LSU from the conference had already been seriously considered.
What’s clear now is that the SEC was not bluffing. The league has amended its federal court lawsuit against LSU, and it is set to meet again on Thursday to discuss discipline for the school.
In the TRO request tied to the lawsuit, the SEC said Lane Kiffin was working with Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. Even more damaging for LSU was the conference’s claim that LSU’s "executive officers" have "no meaningful control over Coach Kiffin or the football program at LSU."
That appears to be the heart of the issue for Sankey and other SEC leaders. They seem to view that lack of institutional control as a bigger problem than the attempt to roster professional players. As Justin Williams reported, Thursday’s SEC meeting will consider "whether to terminate LSU as an SEC member institution."
Will the SEC expel LSU? The short answer is probably not. But the longer answer is that the conference looks determined to hit LSU with something meaningful.
It would take a two-thirds vote of the SEC’s presidents and chancellors to remove LSU. Still, the conference made its position plain in the TRO request, saying: "Today's filing is necessary to defend that right and preserve the Conference's ability to govern competition among its members."
There’s also a broader possibility here. Over the last several months, the SEC has seriously discussed a self-governance structure. LSU’s situation could become the spark that pushes that conversation over the edge.
In Other News...
Alabama Faces An Early SEC Test It Can't Afford To Sleepwalk Through
Alabama got through its Week 1 tune-up against East Carolina, but the rhythm of the season changes fast now that SEC play arrives. The Crimson Tides first conference test comes against Kentucky, a team that brings a different look than the usual early-September opponent and one that has already spent the offseason reshaping itself on the sideline and at quarterback.
Will Stein is in place as the Wildcats new head coach, and Kentucky also added a transfer quarterback who was impressive in the opener. That combination is enough to make this more than a routine league game for Alabama, which cannot afford to treat it like a soft landing after the nonconference schedule. The Tide will need to be sharp from the start if they want to avoid turning an early SEC roadblock into something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Just Sent A Confusing Early Message In The Polls
The first full college football polls of the regular season offered an early read on where the sports powers stand, and Alabama got a mixed one. Ohio State stayed No. 1 in both the AP and Coaches polls, LSU surged to No. 8 after a convincing win over Clemson, and Michigans split showing in the rankings underscored how quickly the first month can reshape a rsum.
For Alabama, the picture was less clean. The Crimson Tide climbed to No. 12 in the AP poll after handling East Carolina, but the Coaches poll told a different story by placing them one spot lower. It is still early, of course, but the discrepancy is the kind of small signal that tends to matter in September, especially for a program used to being evaluated with very little margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Is In ESPNs Playoff Picture But The Early Message Is Clear
Following Week 1 of the college football season, ESPNs 11-person panel updated its College Football Playoff predictions, and Alabama remained in the mix. LSU, Georgia and Texas drew unanimous support, but the Crimson Tide were among the other teams to pick up votes as the first national snapshot of the race started to take shape.
The early message, though, is that Alabama has some work to do to separate itself from the pack. Along with Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, the Tide were part of a crowded second tier in the panels projection list, which showed how little margin there is at the moment between being viewed as a contender and simply being in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]