The Brendan Sorsby era at Texas Tech is over before it ever began. According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Sorsby and Texas Tech have mutually agreed to part ways as the quarterback’s gambling controversy continues to create legal and public-relations headaches for everyone involved.
The decision comes after weeks of escalating tension surrounding Sorsby’s eligibility. Earlier this spring, Sorsby was ruled ineligible after admitting to placing sports wagers while at Indiana, including bets involving Indiana football.
However, a court later granted Sorsby a temporary injunction that would have allowed him to play during the 2026 season after serving a two-game suspension. The ruling immediately sparked backlash from around college athletics.
No entity pushed back harder than the Big 12.
The conference has repeatedly argued that allowing a player who wagered on his own team to return to the field would damage the credibility and integrity of college sports. Earlier this week, the Big 12 filed its own legal complaint seeking to preserve its authority to enforce conference bylaws, while the NCAA simultaneously pursued legal action aimed at overturning the injunction.
In a statement obtained by On3, the conference reiterated its position that schools should not be permitted to field athletes who have bet on their own team’s games.
The case quickly became about much more than one quarterback. The NCAA warned that allowing the injunction to stand could undermine eligibility enforcement nationwide and encourage future legal challenges to disciplinary decisions.
Now, before the legal battle could fully play out, Texas Tech and Sorsby have apparently chosen a different path.
For the Red Raiders, the move removes a distraction that had begun to overshadow an offseason filled with optimism and enormous expectations. For Sorsby, it marks the latest chapter in one of the most controversial eligibility cases college football has seen in years, if not ever.
Texas Tech is likely to turn to Will Hammond, however he is unlikely to be ready for Week 1. Kirk Francis, a transfer from Tulsa, is the only other quarterback on the roster with significant college experience. Texas Tech opens the season Week 1 vs. Abilene Christian.
