College football is in a strange spot right now, and LSU is the first team to run straight through the opening.
After court developments in Louisiana and Kentucky opened the door, the Tigers moved quickly to add defensive tackle Zxavian Harris and tight end Dae’Quan Wright through the transfer portal. Wright’s case stands out even more because it marks the first time in the sport’s history that a player has appeared in an NFL game and then returned to college football. Harris was waived by the New Orleans Saints on August 8.
That move has drawn the attention of Paul Finebaum, who wants the SEC to step in before this becomes the new normal. Finebaum called on commissioner Greg Sankey to take what he described as extreme measures, drawing a comparison to the Brendan Sorsby controversy, while also saying the league needs to respond the way the Big 12 eventually did with Texas Tech and Sorsby.
“[Sankey] is a very meticulous, careful, individual … I have no doubt that he is trying to convene all of his presidents, with the exception of the renegade school, LSU, and try to come up with a statement that they feel like sends a message, but holds up in Louisiana court … Remember the [Brendan] Sorsby situation… everyone was outraged. And finally, the Big 12 came together and found a way out.
That’s what the SEC has to do.” Finebaum said on First Take.
Whether the SEC can actually do anything is another matter. In theory, the conference could try to impose its own restrictions in a way that mirrors the Big 12’s response. In practice, time is working against it, and LSU has already added both players.
The underlying problem is easy to see. Harris and Wright went through the NFL Draft process, signed NFL contracts, and Wright even played in an NFL preseason game.
Now, under a court ruling, they are eligible to head back to college football. That path did not exist before.
Any attempt by the SEC to draw its own line could invite another legal fight, which leaves Sankey with very little room to maneuver while LSU is already taking advantage of the ruling.
However this plays out, college football has crossed another major threshold. What started as an eligibility dispute has pushed the sport closer to a point of no return, with the line between college and professional football getting harder to recognize.
In Other News...
Former LSU QB Michael Van Buren Just Landed Another Starting Shot
Michael Van Buren is getting another chance to run an offense, this time at South Florida, where he has been named the Bulls starting quarterback for 2026, according to ESPNs Pete Thamel. For LSU fans, his path is familiar: he was at Mississippi State in 2024, then arrived in Baton Rouge for 2025 and wound up taking over as the starter when Garrett Nussmeier was sidelined by injury.
Now Van Buren heads to a program under first-year head coach Brian Hartline with a clear opening and a fresh start. Its the latest turn in a young career that has already sent him from one SEC stop to another, and his next move will be watched closely by anyone still tracking how LSUs quarterback room and its recent departures continue to shape the wider college football picture. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs No. 13 Now Carries One Of The Teams Biggest Storylines
Jersey No. 13 has become a small but noticeable thread in LSUs latest roster chatter, and it now points in a couple of different directions. On one side is running back Dilin Jones, who is starting to emerge as a potential starter and gives the number a fresh spotlight on offense. On the other is defensive back Faheem Delane, a recent transfer from Ohio State whose arrival adds another layer to how LSU is trying to sort out its secondary.
The number also ties into the broader LSU storyline beyond the current roster, with former quarterback Garrett Nussmeier now in the NFL after being drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs. He is working through a backup quarterback competition, which only adds to the sense that LSUs No. 13 has ended up attached to players at very different stages of their careers, each carrying a little more weight than the number itself suggests. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Is Chasing Another Unusual Lane Kiffin Roster Addition
Lane Kiffin is at it again, and this time LSU could be the destination for a pair of former Ole Miss players whose college futures unexpectedly reopened after brief NFL stops. Zxavian Harris and DaeQuan Wright were both waived by pro teams, and their status has put them back in the center of the eligibility conversation as the Tigers look to continue piecing together their roster for the season ahead.
The twist is that both players are part of a legal case that has given them a fifth year of college eligibility, creating a path back to the college game even after they moved on to the NFL. Kiffin has defended the pursuit, pointing to the court rulings that make them eligible to play, but the situation still adds another layer to LSUs roster-building as the Tigers track whether the move can actually come together. [Read more 🡒]