Kennedy, however, appears to have little patience for the idea that LSU could face removal from the conference it helped establish nearly a century ago.
Speaking to Fox News about the possibility of the SEC taking such drastic action, Kennedy delivered a characteristically colorful response.
“Bone deep down to the marrow stupid,” Kennedy said. “I’ve got rocks in my driveway that are smarter than that.”
Kennedy then issued an unmistakable warning about what could happen if conference officials move against LSU.
“They’re not going to throw LSU out of the SEC. Let me tell you something, I and a lot of other people in the United States Congress will be on them like a hobo on a ham sandwich,” he added.
The controversy stems from a legal fight involving college athletes seeking an additional year of eligibility.
Judge William Jorden granted LSU a preliminary injunction preventing the SEC and NCAA from penalizing schools for allowing the 42 athletes covered by the Louisiana case to compete.
That put LSU in an extraordinary position.
The university was operating under a court order, while the SEC was simultaneously attempting to enforce its own eligibility standards.
The conference ultimately took the dispute into federal court.
For Kennedy, LSU’s position is straightforward: universities cannot simply disregard decisions handed down by courts because an athletic organization dislikes the outcome.
“LSU hasn’t done anything wrong,” Kennedy said. “It’s called a court of law. God made courts to decide disputes. We didn’t just do stuff. We went to court, and we’re going to abide by the court’s decision.”
Louisiana’s other Republican senator, Bill Cassidy, has also entered the controversy.
Cassidy chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, giving him a particularly important position as Washington debates the future of college athletics.
Cassidy has focused attention on what critics describe as an inconsistency in SEC eligibility rules.
The conference restricts athletes who have signed contracts with professional organizations such as the NFL, NBA, or WNBA.
But athletes with experience in certain professional leagues outside the United States can potentially remain eligible for college competition.
“The SEC is threatening LSU while the same conference allows athletes who spent YEARS competing professionally in foreign leagues to play immediately,” Cassidy said.
Sankey was questioned about the distinction during proceedings in Baton Rouge.
According to the testimony described in the dispute, the SEC “simply hasn’t had time” to research overseas leagues.
That explanation is unlikely to satisfy critics who believe the conference is enforcing rules unevenly.
Two players at the center of the controversy, Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, were not established NFL stars attempting to return to college after lucrative professional careers.
Both went undrafted before receiving opportunities in the NFL.
Wright spent time with the Cleveland Browns, while Harris had an opportunity with the New Orleans Saints.
After those NFL opportunities ended, the players sought to return to college football and continue their collegiate careers.
LSU and head coach Lane Kiffin were prepared to give them that opportunity.
The Louisiana court battle then gave the athletes legal protection to pursue additional eligibility.
What began as a dispute over eligibility rules could now have much larger consequences for college sports.
Congress has already been debating legislation that could reshape the relationship between athletes, universities, conferences, and the NCAA.
Senator Ted Cruz and the Senate Commerce Committee have been heavily involved in efforts surrounding federal college-sports legislation, while Cassidy’s HELP Committee gives Louisiana another powerful avenue for congressional scrutiny.
That makes Kennedy’s warning particularly significant.
The SEC is no longer dealing exclusively with athletic departments, coaches, or players. Its actions are now drawing the attention of lawmakers with the ability to hold hearings, demand testimony, propose legislation, and scrutinize the governing structure of college athletics.
The timing makes the confrontation even more unusual.
LSU reportedly reached the 105-player roster limit using two other players, meaning Wright and Harris would not occupy roster spots for the current season.
In practical terms, that development substantially reduced the immediate dispute surrounding the two players.
Yet the broader confrontation between LSU and the SEC has continued, including discussion of potentially severe action against the university.
LSU has been part of the Southeastern Conference since its creation in 1933.
Attempting to expel one of the league’s founding institutions would therefore represent an extraordinary escalation — particularly over an eligibility dispute already being fought through the courts.
Sankey may have intended to defend the SEC’s authority over its membership.
Instead, the confrontation could strengthen calls for Washington to become more involved in determining how college sports are governed.
Kennedy has now made his position unmistakable.
If the SEC goes after LSU, the conference may discover that its fight is no longer confined to Baton Rouge or the football field.
It could be headed straight to Capitol Hill.
