BREAKING: Louisiana AG Backs LSU, Renews Bid to Dismiss SEC Lawsuit
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has answered the SEC’s latest filing with a blunt request: end the case. The reply, filed Tuesday, October 20, 2026, supports LSU’s motion to dismiss the conference’s lawsuit and directly disputes the claim that LSU has refused to follow SEC eligibility decisions. The federal judge has not ruled.
Quick Answer
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill filed a reply on October 20, 2026, asking the federal court to dismiss the SEC’s lawsuit against LSU. The filing argues that LSU followed the conference’s direction by not rostering quarterback RJ Luis after he was not cleared, disputes the SEC’s institutional-control narrative, and renews challenges to jurisdiction, venue and the SEC’s First Amendment theory. No dismissal ruling has been issued.
What did Louisiana file for LSU on October 20?
Murrill’s office filed a reply in support of LSU’s pending motion to dismiss. According to WBRZ’s report on the new filing, the state called the SEC’s continuing claim “demonstrably false” and again asked the court to terminate the case.
The October 20 reply brief is the latest answer in the fast-moving federal dispute. It responds to the SEC’s opposition filing, which accused LSU of lacking institutional control. TigerHype covered that earlier position in the SEC’s October 13 court filing.
Verified fact: the new document asks for dismissal. It does not itself dismiss the lawsuit, erase the SEC’s claims or determine who is right. Only the court can do that.
Why does RJ Luis matter to LSU’s argument?
The reply points to LSU’s handling of quarterback RJ Luis as evidence that the university complied with the SEC rather than defied it. Murrill cited head coach Will Wade’s September 23 statement that LSU would follow the conference’s instructions, then emphasized that LSU did not place Luis on the roster after the SEC declined to clear him.
That sequence matters because the SEC’s case rests in part on its portrayal of LSU as unwilling or unable to enforce conference eligibility decisions. LSU’s side is arguing that the actual roster decision cuts the other way: when the conference said no, LSU did not roster the player.
The broader fight did not end with Luis. The eligibility dispute also touched former LSU defensive lineman Zxavian Harris before the NFL restored Harris’ eligibility after his attempted LSU return. Those player-specific developments remain separate from the federal court’s decision on whether the SEC’s lawsuit can proceed.
What legal grounds does LSU’s side raise?
The reply renews three threshold arguments: that the court lacks jurisdiction over the dispute, that the SEC filed in an improper venue, and that the complaint does not state a viable First Amendment claim. Those are dismissal arguments aimed at whether the case belongs in this court and whether the SEC has pleaded a legally sufficient claim.
That distinction is important. A ruling for LSU at the motion-to-dismiss stage could end or narrow the litigation without a trial on every factual disagreement. A ruling for the SEC would allow the case to continue; it would not automatically prove every allegation in the complaint.
What happens next in the LSU–SEC lawsuit?
The briefing now gives the federal court both the SEC’s opposition and LSU’s latest reply. The next major event is a ruling from U.S. District Judge Annemarie Carney Axon on the motion to dismiss or another court order setting the path forward. As of publication, no dismissal order had been issued.
For the full sequence—from player eligibility decisions to expulsion threats, lawsuits and the latest briefs—see TigerHype’s complete LSU–SEC legal timeline. That timeline remains the canonical hub for the dispute.
What does the filing mean for LSU Football right now?
There is no immediate roster reversal or game-status change in this filing. Its importance is institutional: LSU’s side is trying to stop the SEC’s lawsuit before discovery, extended litigation or a trial can deepen the conflict between the university and its conference.
For LSU fans, the sharpest factual point is also the simplest. The SEC says LSU lacks control; Louisiana’s reply says LSU obeyed the conference’s instruction on RJ Luis. The court must decide whether the SEC’s complaint survives—not which side won the news cycle.
Key facts
Filed: October 20, 2026
Filing: Reply supporting LSU’s motion to dismiss the SEC lawsuit
Central factual response: LSU did not roster RJ Luis after the SEC declined to clear him
Legal arguments renewed: Jurisdiction, venue and failure to state a viable First Amendment claim
Current status: The federal judge has not ruled on dismissal
LSU–SEC lawsuit FAQ
Did the court dismiss the SEC’s lawsuit against LSU?
No. Louisiana asked the court to dismiss the case, but the federal judge had not issued a dismissal ruling as of October 20, 2026.
What did Liz Murrill file on October 20?
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill filed a reply supporting LSU’s motion to dismiss the SEC’s lawsuit.
Why is RJ Luis central to the new reply?
The filing cites LSU’s decision not to roster RJ Luis after the SEC declined to clear him as evidence that LSU followed the conference’s instruction.
What happens next in the case?
The court can rule on the motion to dismiss, issue another procedural order or allow the litigation to continue. No final outcome was announced with the reply filing.
Comments