Ole Miss Could Strike Down on Two LSU Football Players With Lawsuit

The Ole Miss Rebels and LSU Tigers continue to add more drama to what's budding into one of the SEC's most interesting rivalries.

Per reports from the Clarion Ledger, the Rebels and athletic director Keith Carter are considering filing lawsuits against LSU two former Ole Miss football players, Princewill Umanmielen and Devin Harper, due to unpaid buyouts following their decision to transfer to Baton Rouge.

Both players followed former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin to LSU this offseason, but it remains unclear as of now it the lawsuit will be filed against the LSU football program or the players specifically. On3's Pete Nakos reports that a lawsuit could be filed "within the next two weeks."

LSU Could Owe Ole Miss Nearly $1 Million in Buyout Money

LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin speaks at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On3 previously reported that the combined buyouts for Umanmielen and Harper could be worth around $1 million, with the individual amounts being an estimated $590,000 and $407,000, respectively.

Umanmielen, a defensive end, is set to be a major piece of LSU's defense next season after a career-best year at Ole Miss in 2025 where he posted 45 total tackles, nine sacks and an interception. He was a coveted player in the transfer portal but chose to stick with Kiffin and head to LSU.

Harper, an offensive lineman, only appeared in six games as a true freshman last season with Ole Miss, his contract represents how highly the Rebels coaching staff viewed him as a potential building block of the future in Oxford.

But he joined Ole Miss under Kiffin's tenure, and like many other Rebels, his departure wasn't too surprising.

What This Lawsuit Could Mean for Ole Miss

Some college football fans might view a potential Ole Miss lawsuit against LSU as a petty way to "get back" at Kiffin for his messy depature. But while it's no secret that there might be some personal feelings involved, Ole Miss has the right to the money it is owed.

Getting back $1 million might not seem like much for a program like Ole Miss, but that money could play a significant part in boosting the current NIL contracts of some of the team's top players along with potentially being used next offseason when Pete Golding and staff begin building the 2027 roster.

Either way, a win in court could help Ole Miss stack more wins on the field.

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