Bet you didn’t see this coming.
In what is undoubtedly the biggest news of one of the craziest offseasons we’ve seen in the world of college football, it was reported that Texas Tech transfer QB Brendan Sorsby will suit up for the 2026 season after being granted an injunction on Monday morning for his gambling case that rocked everything as we know it.
After years of ongoing debates about how NIL, conference realignment, or changes to the College Football Playoff format are ruining our beloved college football, it seems things have now hit a new low.
And one that not only affects college football but also the entirety of college athletics.
The ruling on Sorsby’s eligibility is truly a dark day for athletics. And I don’t mean that lightly; it’s the god-honest truth because he has committed the cardinal sin of sports and walked away with nothing but a slap on the wrist.
In case you’re not familiar with what I’m talking about, Sorsby was one of the top portal players this past cycle after a very productive two years with the Bearcats at the University of Cincinnati. Being such a hot commodity for all the top programs around the country, he did not come cheaply.
The Red Raiders managed to beat the competition in landing the Texas-born signal-caller after offering a monstrous $5 million contract for his last year. One of the most lucrative deals we’ve seen so far in college football. It was the last piece of the puzzle for Tech to become a true contender for a national championship.
Everything seemed normal until reports in late April came out about Sorbsy being investigated by the NCAA for gambling. Seemed serious, but when details of it slowly kept coming to light, it turned out to be worse than what anyone had imagined.
Over $90,000 of bets placed over 4 years. Both Cincinnati and Texas Tech were aware of his addiction and didn’t report it. Live-betting at the Reds game for bets less than $2.
Oh, and that’s right, I forgot:
Betting on Indiana football games while being a member of the team.
Yes, that’s right: prior to transferring to the Bearcats, Sorsby placed bets on games he was a member of. Regardless of whether he played in those games or not, it’s the ultimate no-no. The one thing you can’t do as an athlete. There is no grey area with this; it’s very much black and white. When that piece of information was revealed, this situation quickly escalated, and rightfully, the NCAA banned Sorsby permanently. Justice was served! Right?
No, because that leads us to today. After the odds were stacked against Sorsby, all it took was a local court in Lubbock that has Tech graduates to grant him an injunction to walk away with a two-game suspension.
Is this really where we are with college athletics? I mean, do I even have to mention how insane the ramifications are going to be because of this decision?
If you somehow fail to understand it, let me spell it out for you. This decision allows for the integrity of sports to be jeopardized and fully thrown out the window. It jeopardizes the validity of outcomes in games. How can those results be trusted? The message being sent here if Sorsby can get away with the ultimate crime in sports, then players can now get away with anything. All that is needed is a good lawyer and a local court to bail you out against any kind of punishment from the NCAA.
So, are there no more consequences in today’s world? Are rules now just a pesky suggestion? Is it finally time for Congress to intervene in college athletics?
The reactions to this decision have been just as what you expect it to be. It’s being said that AD’s in both the Big 12 and Big Ten have begun to informally talk about boycotting games against Texas Tech. Nebraska and Georgia have also begun to talk within their departments to cancel any games against Tech in all sports, all while the NCAA is also stating how it’ll look to combat this decision.
It’s honestly sickening to see college football being dragged into the mud like this, and it’s a joke that an athlete can legitimately put into question the integrity of a sport and find a way to be eligible to participate in that sport.
This story is far from over, but as of right now, Sorsby will be suiting up for the Red Raiders this upcoming season.