Texas Tech football brought in one of the best transfer portal classes for the second-straight offseason, and the Red Raiders were certainly hoping that it would have similar results. Joey McGuire’s squad was nearly unbeatable in the Big 12 last season, cruising to a conference title before falling in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
Now, however, the most important piece of Texas Tech’s 2026 portal class may not even be on the field for them this fall. Star quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who transferred in from Cincinnati, is under NCAA investigation for gambling and has also checked into rehab for a gambling addiction.
Sorsby has reportedly placed thousands of bets over the last few years, but the timeline of his gambling dates back to his time at Indiana at the beginning of his college career, according to ESPN insider Pete Thamel.
“My understanding of the betting timeline is that it started when he arrived at Indiana in 2022 and went through his time at Cincinnati,” Thamel reported on The Pat McAfee Show. “I don’t know if he had bet at all since he arrived at Texas Tech. That information hasn’t been available to me.
Thamel also reported that Sorsby wasn’t betting large amounts of money on any game and that the bets were small. However, he reportedly bet on an Indiana football game when he was a redshirt there in 2022, making him the subject of the investigation.
Sorsby could have gone pro after last season and would have likely garnered interest in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. Now, he is a potential first-round pick in the 2027 draft, which is loaded with quarterbacks. This investigation, no matter what comes of it, will be a big part of his evaluation. At the moment, there is a chance that Sorsby doesn’t suit up at all in 2026.
The senior QB excelled last season at Cincinnati, completing 61.6% of his passes for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns to just five interceptions. Now, it remains to be seen what his status will be for his final season in college football, if he has one at all.
Texas Tech football brought in one of the best transfer portal classes for the second-straight offseason, and the Red Raiders were certainly hoping that it would have similar results. Joey McGuire’s squad was nearly unbeatable in the Big 12 last season, cruising to a conference title before falling in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
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