SEC officials set to vote on LSU's membership in conference amid legal battle over player eligibility

BATON ROUGE — SEC officials are meeting on Thursday to "decide whether to terminate" LSU as a member of the conference, an amended filing of a lawsuit filed against Louisiana's flagship university says. According to the amendment filed Tuesday, two-thirds of the conference's CEOs must vote yes to terminate a school's membership in the conference. The SEC also filed a motion for a temporary restraining order that, if granted, would prevent anyone from interfering with the meeting of the conference CEOs. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Alabama, came amid a legal battle concerning eligibility for players who have already gone pro, with news of the lawsuit breaking during a hearing in Baton Rouge court where a judge ultimately ruled in favor of allowing players to have a fifth year of eligibility. The SEC says that the fight harmed the conference and created a "competitive imbalance," as well as disrupting student-athletes' expectations. The conference claims one of the 'most fundamental' rules in the SEC is that players rostered on professional teams cannot compete in collegiate sports. 'College athletics is reserved for students who are actively pursuing an education while competing for their universities,' the initial suit said. The lawsuit lists LSU's entire Board of Supervisors, as well as Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, LSU President Wade Rousse, Athletic Director Verge Ausbverry and head football coach Lane Kiffin, as defendants. Despite being allowed to add the players to its roster by the 19th JDC decision, former Cleveland Brown Dae'Quan Wright, former New Orleans Saint Zxavian Harris and former Denver Bronco Blake Cotton were not added to the team's roster ahead of its season opener against Clemson over the weekend. LSU ended up winning the game 51-10.