SEC backs down from LSU expulsion vote as Tigers comply with roster rules

The Southeastern Conference is no longer expected to vote on whether to expel LSU from the league on Thursday, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The dramatic reversal comes after LSU quietly resolved the dispute that had threatened the founding member's place in the conference. LSU President Wade Rousse sent a pointed letter to SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey on Wednesday, declaring that the university had complied with league rules and that "the point is moot."

"LSU filled its two remaining roster spots with eligible student-athletes," Rousse wrote in the letter, which was obtained by ESPN through a public records request. "The roster is now locked for the season. LSU complied with SEC rules."

The conflict centered on first-year LSU coach Lane Kiffin's attempt to roster two players who had signed NFL contracts as undrafted rookies this past offseason. Tight end Dae'Quan Wright had spent part of the offseason with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns, while defensive lineman Zxavian Harris worked with the New Orleans Saints. Both players previously played for Mississippi when Kiffin coached the Rebels.

Rousse revealed in his letter that he called Sankey on the afternoon of September 4 to give advance notice that Wright and Harris would not be placed on the football roster. LSU submitted its roster that evening, and on Tuesday filled the final two spots with Aidan Anding and Gabriel Reliford, bringing Kiffin's team to the 105-player limit.

A federal court hearing scheduled for Wednesday in the SEC's lawsuit against LSU was continued to an undetermined date, one day after the school removed the disputed players from consideration. The SEC had filed the lawsuit as part of its enforcement action against LSU over the roster dispute.

Thursday's meeting still on schedule

The conference's presidents and chancellors will still meet on Thursday under Section 3.1.5 of the SEC constitution, which allows them to terminate a member school by a two-thirds vote. However, the vote on LSU's membership is no longer expected to occur.

Rousse addressed the meeting in his letter, writing that LSU had never threatened to upset it and would not "challenge, disrupt or seek to cancel or postpone" the proceedings. He called that issue moot as well.

Pete Thamel of ESPN reported on "Get Up" Wednesday morning that the league was not expected to follow through with the expulsion vote, though he noted that SEC Commissioner Sankey had previously indicated the conference would proceed.

LSU is a founding member of the SEC, which was formed in 1933. The prospect of expelling such a charter member over a roster dispute had raised eyebrows throughout college football, particularly given the university's prominent role in the conference's history and success.

The dispute highlighted the ongoing tensions between conferences and member schools as college athletics continues to evolve. Kiffin's attempt to roster former NFL players tested the boundaries of SEC eligibility rules in an era of increased player movement and changing roster construction strategies.

With LSU now in compliance with SEC rules and its roster locked for the season, the immediate crisis appears to have passed. The Tigers can focus on their upcoming season under Kiffin's leadership without the cloud of potential expulsion hanging over the program.