Dabo Swinney didn’t exactly bury the lead on Tuesday when asked about LSU’s push to bring in former NFL players for the 2026 season. He took a clear shot at Lane Kiffin’s side of the whole mess, calling it “embarrassing” while Clemson prepared for its Week 1 meeting with LSU.
With Kiffin still defending his team’s effort to add undrafted NFL rookies such as former Ole Miss tight end Dae'Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, Swinney made it clear he wants no part of that style of roster building. He also couldn’t resist a little wordplay when talking about the situation.
"All that outside stuff, we just kind of, no pun intended, we just stay in our lane here at Clemson, try to," Swinney said.
The jab landed because of the timing. Clemson and LSU are set to meet Saturday night in Baton Rouge, and Swinney’s comment added another layer to a game that already has plenty of attention around it. The coach has long been one of the more outspoken skeptics of the NIL and transfer portal era, and Clemson has been known for steering away from building its roster through the portal.
So while the idea of former NFL players returning to college is not something Swinney appears to embrace, his mention of Kiffin gave the whole conversation a little extra edge. Whether Wright and Harris end up eligible after their short NFL stints this summer or not, the subject has already become part of the buildup.
Clemson faces LSU on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
In Other News...
LSU Just Got Pulled Into A Roster Fight With Real Stakes
LSUs offseason has taken on a legal edge, with the SEC filing a lawsuit against the school, its Board of Supervisors, president Wade Rousse, athletic director Verge Ausberry and head coach Lane Kiffin over how the program has gone about recruiting former professional athletes. The conferences complaint argues that LSU crossed a line under SEC rules and is asking a court to step in before the dispute grows into something bigger than a roster issue.
The filing is aimed at stopping LSU from being tied to conduct the league says runs counter to its purpose, and the crux of the dispute centers on players who previously signed NFL contracts. At the same time, a separate hearing in Baton Rouge is still working through whether those players should be considered eligible under NCAA and SEC rules, leaving LSU in the middle of a fight with real stakes and no immediate resolution in sight. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Lands In A High Stakes Eligibility Fight Before The Opener
With the opener looming, LSU has been pulled into a dispute that stretches well beyond the usual late-summer roster chatter. The SEC has filed a federal lawsuit against the school, head coach Lane Kiffin and other administrators over the eligibility status of several potential players who spent time on NFL training camp rosters, pushing the issue into court just as teams are finalizing plans for the season.
The conference is seeking injunctions to stop LSU from violating league rules by recruiting and rostering professional athletes, arguing the schools approach is harming the SEC as a whole. A separate state court hearing is also moving forward on the eligibility of specific players, including DaeQuan Wright and Zxavian Harris, adding another layer to a situation that could shape LSUs available options before the first game is even played. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Added A Homegrown Twist To Its Clemson Spotlight
College GameDay is rolling into Baton Rouge with a distinctly Louisiana flavor before LSUs showdown with Clemson, and the guest picker this time is bringing some Bayou State star power with her. Lainey Wilson, the country music artist from Louisiana, will serve in the celebrity role and also perform live on the show as the pregame spotlight gets going at 8 a.m. CT.
The staging only adds to what should already be a packed scene, with Rece Davis hosting, Nick Saban among the analysts and Lane Kiffin set for a live appearance as the Tigers build toward kickoff. LSU and Clemson are scheduled to meet later that night at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, giving the campus a full day to lean into the moment. [Read more 🡒]