Quarterback Brendan Sorsby seeking injunction to play college football in 2026

Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is fighting to keep his 2026 season alive. As he faces an ongoing investigation into his gambling activity, Sorsby is seeking an injunction to declare him eligible for play.

A Murky Future

Sorsby, who transferred from Cincinnati to Texas Tech this offseason, finds himself in a precarious position following multiple state probes into his betting history. In late April, both Sorsby and Texas Tech announced that the quarterback was seeking treatment for a gambling addiction. Reports indicate he placed thousands of bets via an online app, including at least one instance involving his own team during his 2022 freshman season at Indiana.

The Legal Argument

According to Yahoo Sports, Sorsby’s legal team has notified the NCAA that they intend to challenge any potential suspension. His attorneys are framing his gambling addiction as a “mental health condition,” arguing it should exempt him from standard disciplinary measures.

NCAA Stance and Potential Fallout

While the NCAA has not yet issued a public, formal disciplinary action, the organization typically imposes a “permanent loss of eligibility” for athletes found betting on their own sport. Should the NCAA rule against him, Sorsby would likely target the NFL supplemental draft this summer, though it remains uncertain how the league might handle his situation given their own strict policies on player gambling.

Sorsby’s transition to Texas Tech, which reportedly included a deal worth close to $5 million, followed a standout career where he racked up 7,208 passing yards and 60 touchdowns across 34 games at Indiana and Cincinnati.

No Official Reinstatement Request

The NCAA clarified in a statement to ESPN that it has not yet received a formal request for reinstatement from Sorsby. The governing body emphasized its commitment to protecting the integrity of competition:

“The NCAA has not received a reinstatement request for this case. The NCAA generally doesn’t comment on pending reinstatement requests, but the Association’s sports betting rules are clear, as are the reinstatement conditions. When it comes to betting on one’s own team, these rules must be enforced in every case for the simple reason that the integrity of the game is at risk. Every sports league has these protections in place, and the NCAA will continue to apply them equally because every student-athlete competing deserves to know they’re playing a fair game.”