Clemson Warns LSU Over Former Pros in Season Opener

Clemson's general counsel notified LSU that playing former professional players in Saturday night's season opener could breach the schools' game contract.

Clemson general counsel W.C. (Chip) Hood Jr. sent an email Friday afternoon to LSU's general counsel putting the school on notice that rostering former professional players in Saturday night's season opener in Baton Rouge could breach the game contract between the two schools. Clemson officials had spent several days reviewing the agreement, which includes an article prohibiting the participation of ineligible players.

Per The New York Times, the game agreement between the schools is dated July 13, 2018, and includes a provision stating that "the eligibility of student-athletes and coaches to participate in the Game(s) shall be determined by the rules of the NCAA, applicable conference(s) [if any] and the respective institutions in effect on the date of each Game." Hood wrote in the email that Clemson "supports the position of the NCAA and our conferences regarding the eligibility of professional athletes returning to play college football." Saturday's game is the second leg of a home-and-home series, with the host school paying the visitor $500,000 per game, The New York Times reports. LSU beat Clemson 17-10 on the road to open the 2025 season.

The warning lands hours after a Louisiana judge, William Jorden, granted roughly 40 former college athletes a preliminary injunction for a fifth year of eligibility — including players who signed professional contracts. Among them are tight end Dae'Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, ex-Ole Miss players who signed NFL contracts as undrafted free agents this offseason and told reporters Thursday they expect to be on LSU's official roster.

The conflict extends well beyond the game contract. On Thursday, the SEC filed a federal lawsuit against LSU, its president, board and athletic director in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, seeking injunctive relief to enforce its rules against LSU if the school rosters professional athletes. Per Yahoo Sports, the SEC claims LSU and coach Lane Kiffin "orchestrated [a] campaign to recruit professional athletes" and that Commissioner Greg Sankey spent more than three hours on the stand at the injunction hearing. The league recently approved penalties for playing former pros, including suspending the head coach for half a season, fines, and loss of voting privileges, The New York Times reports. LSU president Wade Rousse said the school "respects the judicial process" while reviewing the order.

Kickoff in Baton Rouge is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on ABC, and Clemson intends to travel and play despite the dispute. LSU had until the end of Friday to finalize its 105-man roster for the College Sports Commission, though teams can add players during the season if they left roster spots open under an SEC bylaw adopted in April, according to Yahoo Sports. A final roster decision was not known at publication. The SEC plans to appeal the Louisiana ruling, and Yahoo Sports reports league presidents have explored measures against LSU including a boycott, probation, suspension and expulsion — a test of the conference's league-only governance model. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson warned of "total chaos and anarchy" if courts, not conferences, set eligibility rules.