Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has won a temporary injunction against the NCAA that allows him to remain eligible even after he acknowledged making thousands of impermissible bets worth at least $90,000 on college and pro sports. Those include some bets on his own team when he was a freshman at Indiana.The court order sent shockwaves through college sports since one of the NCAA’s foundational rules, and one found in many professional sports as well, is the ability to ban players for gambling — especially those wagering on their own team. Big 12 Conference Commissioner Brett Yormark said the decision involving one of the league’s schools had caused “great concern amongst our membership” and scheduled an immediate meeting among athletic directors.The NCAA, which has twice denied Texas Tech’s petition to have Sorsby’s eligibility restored, has already filed notice it will appeal.
What happens nowEven though the NCAA has ruled Sorsby ineligible, the injunction prevents the enforcement of that ban while the case plays out in court. Court records Monday listed a potential final trial date of Feb. 8, 2027, long after the conclusion of what would be Sorsby’s final season.Sorsby, if he abides by certain conditions, can rejoin the team immediately and play for the Red Raiders this fall after serving a two-game suspension proposed by his attorneys and approved by the judge.The NCAA is appealing to a Texas appellate court, seeking an accelerated appeal to overturn the injunction and again make Sorsby ineligible. The primary challenge? Getting a ruling quickly, with Tech’s season opener less than three months away on Sept. 5. The deadline for Sorsby to enter the NFL supplemental draft is much earlier, on June 22.
