India, Sept. 6 -- LSU will open its 2026 NCAA college football campaign under head coach Lane Kiffin on Saturday night when the Tigers welcome Clemson to Baton Rouge.

However, a major talking point ahead of the matchup has been Kiffin's decision to leave two former NFL players off LSU's roster for the Clemson game.

LSU has opted not to include tight end Dae'Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris on its roster for the season opener, despite a recent Louisiana court ruling that cleared the way for the pair to return to college football.

Kiffin addressed the decision while appearing on ESPN's College GameDay, acknowledging that leaving Wright and Harris off the roster was not an easy call.

The LSU coach said he had to consider t...