PRESS PICKS: So you think the clash between the SEC and LSU is over? Think again
STAFF REPORT
So, you think all the stink between the Southeastern Conference and its wayward member Louisiana State is over?
Guess again.
Yeah, it looks like both parties took a step back and made concessions. LSU filled the remaining two spots on their roster with non-NFL players. The SEC officials backed off their threats of expulsion. Letters were sent. Everybody looks like they did the right thing and all are happy again.
Only this wasn’t about the use of NFL players and more than likely, this is only the beginning.
Other schools are looking into bringing former pros to their rosters and not just in football. Remember Will Wade? He has built almost an entire LSU team on former pros. One of the players in question, RJ Luis, Jr. was part of the lawsuit filed in a Louisiana court that brought out the SEC head honchos to take their argument to federal court.
No word has been given regarding his or any other former professional athlete’s availability to an SEC team. Chances are pretty good Wade and LSU are hoping commissioner Greg Sankey has moved on from this week’s festivities and will concentrate on the new ideas behind the 24-team CFP proposal that seems to be gaining ground and could be in place by 2027.
Fact is we are nowhere near a solution to this problem. For now, everybody has put down the knives and forks and are playing footsie under the table in hopes nobody will bring up this squabble anytime soon.
But it will pop up again when Luis shows up at an LSU practice. Chances are we will go through the same procedures once again.
It’s funny listening to the state’s government officials and LSU fanboys (actually they are one in the same) mock the league stating they backed off - or worse, the threat was too much for the league to take and was well aware they had no chance in court.
A previous court battle between Texas Tech and the Big 12 says otherwise. It’s the main reason why the SEC filed the lawsuit in Alabama.
It was actually the president of the university who coerced a decision out of Lane Kiffin to drop the NFL players from any ideas of placing them on the team. That actually happened before the Tigers’ romp over Clemson on Saturday. It carried over to this week when the final two spots on the roster were filled (and some inside the LSU admin offices have said, they were already on the list but hadn’t been officially signed). According to NCAA rules (as if they matter to LSU) all players on the roster must be approved prior to the first game of the season.
So, here we are with the SEC office quietly doing what needed to be done and getting raked over the coals by certain media members when, in fact, Sankey and Co. tried to stay above board and knock out this quarrel without too much bloodshed.
If you pay attention to what the blowhards from the LSU side has to say, the SEC wilted.
Nope, they just decided to play the “slow game.”
Sankey knows we haven’t heard the last of this and in turn keeps the federal lawsuit in “continence” when they need it…. and it will again come November when basketball season begins.
2026 Standings (Last week)
1. Rosie Langello 35-5 (13-2) .875
2. Michael Butler 32-8 (13-2) .800
3. Lindsey Bonner 31-9 (13-2) .775
4. Graham Dunn 30-10 (13-2) .750
5. Doug Amos 29-11 (11-4) .725
Tim Gayle 29-11 (11-4) .725
Wesley Lyle 29-11 (11-4) .725
Mike Peacock 29-11 (12-3) .725
9. Barry McKnight 26-14 (12-3) .650
10. Mike Tankersley 24-16 (11-4) .600
11. Rick Hendrick 22-18 (9-6) .550
Rosie Langello (WSFA Ch. 12 New and Sports)
35-5 (13-2) .875
Prattville at Hoover - Prattville
Carver at Dothan - Carver
Russell Co at Wetumpka - Russell County
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore Co at Holtville - Holtville
Alabama at Kentucky - Alabama
Southern Miss at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama St at Troy - Troy
Oklahoma at Michigan - Oklahoma
Ohio St at Texas - Ohio St
Tennessee at Ga Tech - Tennessee
Arizona St at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at Minnesota - Miss St
Missouri at Kansas (Fri) - Missouri
Memphis at Boise St - Memphis
Michael Butler (WTLS 101.1&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
32-8 (13-2) .800
Prattville at Hoover - Prattville
Carver at Dothan - Carver
Russell Co at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore Co at Holtville - Holtville
Alabama at Kentucky - Alabama
Southern Miss at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama St at Troy - Troy
Oklahoma at Michigan - Oklahoma
Ohio St at Texas - Texas
Tennessee at Ga Tech - Tennessee
Arizona St at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at Minnesota - Minnesota
Missouri at Kansas (Fri) - Missouri
Memphis at Boise St - Boise St
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
31-9 (13-2) .775
Prattville at Hoover - Prattville
Carver at Dothan - Carver
Russell Co at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Alabama Christian
Elmore Co at Holtville - Holtville
Alabama at Kentucky - Alabama
Southern Miss at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama St at Troy - Troy
Oklahoma at Michigan - Oklahoma
Ohio St at Texas - Ohio St
Tennessee at Ga Tech - Tennessee
Arizona St at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at Minnesota - Miss St
Missouri at Kansas (Fri) - Missouri
Memphis at Boise St - Boise St
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
30-10 (13-2) .750
Prattville at Hoover - Prattville
Carver at Dothan - Dothan
Russell Co at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore Co at Holtville - Holtville
Alabama at Kentucky - Alabama
Southern Miss at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama St at Troy - Troy
Oklahoma at Michigan - Oklahoma
Ohio St at Texas - Texas
Tennessee at Ga Tech - Tennessee
Arizona St at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at Minnesota - Minnesota
Missouri at Kansas (Fri) - Missouri
Memphis at Boise St - Boise St
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
29-11 (11-4) .725
Prattville at Hoover - Prattville
Carver at Dothan - Carver
Russell Co at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore Co at Holtville - Holtville
Alabama at Kentucky - Alabama
Southern Miss at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama St at Troy - Troy
Oklahoma at Michigan - Oklahoma
Ohio St at Texas - Texas
Tennessee at Ga Tech - Tennessee
Arizona St at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at Minnesota - Miss St
Missouri at Kansas (Fri) - Missouri
Memphis at Boise St - Boise St
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
29-11 (11-4) .725
Prattville at Hoover - Prattville
Carver at Dothan - Carver
Russell Co at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore Co at Holtville - Holtville
Alabama at Kentucky - Alabama
Southern Miss at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama St at Troy - Troy
Oklahoma at Michigan - Michigan
Ohio St at Texas - Ohio St
Tennessee at Ga Tech - Tennessee
Arizona St at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at Minnesota - Miss St
Missouri at Kansas (Fri) - Missouri
Memphis at Boise St - Boise St
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports)
29-11 (11-4) .725
Prattville at Hoover - Hoover
Carver at Dothan - Carver
Russell Co at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore Co at Holtville - Holtville
Alabama at Kentucky - Alabama
Southern Miss at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama St at Troy - Troy
Oklahoma at Michigan - Michigan
Ohio St at Texas - Texas
Tennessee at Ga Tech - Tennessee
Arizona St at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at Minnesota - Miss St
Missouri at Kansas (Fri) - Kansas
Memphis at Boise St - Boise St
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports/ASU Hornets Radio analyst )
29-11 (12-3) .725
Prattville at Hoover - Prattville
Carver at Dothan - Dothan
Russell Co at Wetumpka - Russell County
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore Co at Holtville - Holtville
Alabama at Kentucky - Alabama
Southern Miss at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama St at Troy - Troy
Oklahoma at Michigan - Oklahoma
Ohio St at Texas - Texas
Tennessee at Ga Tech - Tennessee
Arizona St at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at Minnesota - Miss St
Missouri at Kansas (Fri) - Missouri
Memphis at Boise St - Boise St
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
26-14 (12-3) .650
Prattville at Hoover - Prattville
Carver at Dothan - Carver
Russell Co at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore Co at Holtville - Holtville
Alabama at Kentucky - Alabama
Southern Miss at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama St at Troy - Troy
Oklahoma at Michigan - Oklahoma
Ohio St at Texas - Texas
Tennessee at Ga Tech - Ga Tech
Arizona St at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at Minnesota - Miss St
Missouri at Kansas (Fri) - Missouri
Memphis at Boise St - Boise St
Mike Tankersley (River Region Sports/WTLS contributor)
24-16 (11-4) .600
Prattville at Hoover - Prattville
Carver at Dothan - Dothan
Russell Co at Wetumpka - Russell County
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore Co at Holtville - Elmore Co
Alabama at Kentucky - Alabama
Southern Miss at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama St at Troy - Troy
Oklahoma at Michigan - Oklahoma
Ohio St at Texas - Texas
Tennessee at Ga Tech - Tennessee
Arizona St at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at Minnesota - Miss St
Missouri at Kansas (Fri) - Kansas
Memphis at Boise St - Boise St
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
22-18 (9-6) .550
Prattville at Hoover - Hoover
Carver at Dothan - Carver
Russell Co at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore Co at Holtville - Holtville
Alabama at Kentucky - Alabama
Southern Miss at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama St at Troy - Troy
Oklahoma at Michigan - Oklahoma
Ohio St at Texas - Texas
Tennessee at Ga Tech - Tennessee
Arizona St at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at Minnesota - Miss St
Missouri at Kansas (Fri) - Missouri
Memphis at Boise St - Boise St