Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said Thursday she will back policies that protect the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University as the Southeastern Conference pursues legal action over LSU’s effort to field players who signed professional contracts this season.
Fitch, in her capacity as the state’s chief legal officer, tweeted that “College athletics is for college players. Period.” She said she supports the schools’ right “to do what is necessary to protect the integrity of their programs and the integrity of the sport” and that she stands with Ole Miss and Mississippi State. The tweet was posted Sept. 3, 2026.
The statement follows similar support for the SEC from Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who backed the conference’s effort to enforce a newly adopted rule barring pro players from returning to the league, the attorneys general said. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill publicly supported the players and accused NCAA and SEC officials of selective enforcement, the statement said.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry criticized the Georgia and South Carolina attorneys general on X, writing that calling the athletes “‘NFL players’ is at best disingenuous, and at worst intentionally deceptive,” and saying the players were “college players who were told, by the NCAA, that they were done,” according to his post.
The SEC has filed a federal lawsuit against LSU and coach Lane Kiffin, alleging the school “waged a deliberate and coordinated campaign to recruit professional athletes to play football for LSU during the 2026-27 season,” the conference said. All 16 SEC programs approved the league’s new rule, though LSU abstained on votes concerning penalties that could include a coach suspension of half a season and a fine equal to 50% of the sport’s operating budget, the SEC said.
Two players, former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, are protected by a court order and have participated in LSU preseason activities in Baton Rouge for the time being. The Rebels are scheduled to host LSU on Sept. 19, and Mississippi State is set to play the Tigers on Oct. 17, according to team schedules.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
