​Baton Rouge was slated to be the center of the college football universe this weekend long before the lawsuit that turned college football upside down. The debut of controversial coach Lane Kiffin has drawn months of anticipation. But now, Death Valley is shaping up to be a bona fide Baton Rouge circus. The entire industry will be watching to see whether Kiffin allows players who participated in NFL preseason—but who won an injunction Thursday night allowing them to play—to take the field against Clemson. Either way, the consequences could be dire. On one hand, LSU could face penalties due to the SEC’s new federal lawsuit against the Tigers, Kiffin, and other LSU officials. On the other, the court could punish LSU itself if it decides not to roster these players.The game is expected to draw not just a record number of media members, but also a sold-out crowd and, possibly. a web of politicians who have involved themselves in the drama.“Now, we have the most credentialed game in the history of Tiger Stadium, for two teams that were 7-6 last year,” LSU head coach Lane Kiffin said on a media call Wednesday. “So I think that speaks volumes of the eyeballs on us and people wanting to be around the program and watch the program. I think all that is important.”College Football’s Powder KegThe anticipation began almost a year ago, when LSU abruptly fired Brian Kelly and replaced him with the controversial Kiffin—who made enemies at Ole Miss after leaving in the middle of the Rebels’ historic playoff run. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry wielded significant influence over the process.But with all the off-season drama surrounding Kiffin, nothing compared to the events of the past two weeks. Judge William Jorden, of Louisiana’s 19th judicial district court in Baton Rouge, granted a group of players a fifth year of eligibility in a lawsuit challenging the implementation of the NCAA’s new “age-based” eligibility policy—including two players who had signed NFL contracts, Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, who LSU had scooped up. Amid shock and anger, all four power conferences (and others) implemented policies banning players who participated in NFL training camp and preseason. University officials at rival SEC schools considered harsh penalties, including kicking LSU out of the SEC altogether, sources confirmed to FOS. Multiple attorneys general weighed in, with Georgia AG Chris Carr going so far as to say he supported the SEC kicking LSU out of the conference.But neither LSU nor the players backed down, with players’ attorneys adding the SEC to the original restraining order, and Kiffin allowing players to participate in team practice. It all came to a head Thursday during a nine-hour hearing in a Baton Rouge courthouse. Louisiana district attorneys represented parties on both sides; Louisiana attorney general Liz Murrill herself attended the entire proceeding. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey testified for more than three hour