Metastable nonconfining states in SU(3) lattice gauge theory with sextet fermions

We study the SU(3) lattice gauge theory, with two flavors of sextet Wilson-clover fermions, near its finite-temperature phase transition. We find metastable states that have Wilson line expectation values whose complex phases are near 2pi/3 or pi. The true equilibrium phase at these couplings and temperatures has its Wilson line oriented only towards the positive real axis, in agreement with perturbation theory.