Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch is weighing in on a multi-state dispute over the prospect of LSU and Lane Kiffin fielding professional football players this season.
Fitch on Thursday said she, in her capacity as the state’s chief legal officer, will back policies that are in the best interest of Ole Miss and Mississippi State. It’s worth noting that the Rebels are scheduled to host LSU on Sept. 19 and the Bulldogs will play the Tigers on Oct. 17.
“College athletics is for college players. Period. The University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University run two of the very best football programs in the country. I support their right to do what is necessary to protect the integrity of their programs and the integrity of the sport,” Fitch stated. “I support their right to promote the best interests of their student-athletes. As Mississippi’s Chief Legal Officer, I stand with Ole Miss and Mississippi State.”
College athletics is for college players. Period.
The University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University run two of the very best football programs in the country. I support their right to do what is necessary to protect the integrity of their programs and the…
— Lynn Fitch (@LynnFitchAG) September 3, 2026
The statement by Fitch follows similar sentiments espoused by attorney general colleagues in Georgia and South Carolina as it relates to LSU potentially allowing players who signed pro contracts, two of whom played at Ole Miss last season, to compete at the collegiate level. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson have both publicly backed the SEC in its effort to enforce a newly adopted rule that bars pro players from returning to the conference.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill supported the players’ efforts and accused NCAA and SEC officials of selectively enforcing rules. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry took things a step further and lashed out at the Georgia and South Carolina officials.
“Calling them ‘NFL players’ is at best disingenuous, and at worst intentionally deceptive,” Landry wrote on X, while tagging the Georgia and South Carolina attorneys general. “They are not professional football players circling back after years in the NFL. They are college players who were told, by the NCAA, that they were done. So they took the only door that was open — only to watch the NCAA change the lock behind them.”
The SEC has since filed a federal lawsuit against LSU and Kiffin, arguing that the school “waged a deliberate and coordinated campaign to recruit professional athletes to play football for LSU during the 2026-27 season.” Fitch, while not specifically naming the SEC in her remarks, retroactively supported the conference by stating that she is backing two of its member institutions.
Notably, all 16 SEC programs signed off on the league’s new rule, though LSU abstained when it came time to vote for the penalties attached to violations. Penalties could involve a head coach facing a half-season suspension and the school facing a fine equal to 50% of the sport involved in a rules violation’s operating budget.
As things stand, former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright and Rebel defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, among others, are protected by a court order and can compete for the time being. Wright and Harris are both in Baton Rouge and have been involved with LSU’s preseason activities.
The SEC, however, has taken to a federal court in Alabama to challenge LSU’s alleged attempt to circumvent the conference’s ability to enforce its rules. The SEC is not alone in this effort, as Fitch and two of her colleagues have gone on record backing the conference’s efforts.