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Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby placed at least 40 bets on Indiana football during his time as the Hoosiers’ starter, according to court documents obtained by ESPN. The bets totaled roughly $90,000 over four years, with Sorsby funneling money through a family member and friends who placed the wagers on his behalf.
The NCAA’s investigation into Sorsby went public in April. Texas Tech placed him on indefinite leave shortly after, as he entered treatment for a gambling addiction.
His legal team, led by attorney Jeffrey Kessler, has filed an injunction against the NCAA in an effort to preserve his eligibility for the 2026 season. The filing argues that Sorsby’s gambling addiction has been clinically diagnosed and should be recognized as a mental health condition under NCAA guidelines.
“The NCAA has weaponized his condition to shore up a facade of competitive integrity, while simultaneously profiting from the very gambling ecosystem it polices.”
The NCAA denied Sorsby’s reinstatement request earlier this week. Texas Tech president Lawrence Schovanec pushed back on that decision directly.
“We believe that given the facts and the context of Brendan’s case, the NCAA’s ruling should be reversed or modified. As a generation of college athletes face the legalization and rapid proliferation of sports betting in our country, gambling addiction is rising to the point of epidemic among college aged men in particular. The NCAA’s stated mission includes ‘fostering [student-athletes’] lifelong well-being,’ and they have claimed their goal is to promote a ‘culture of care’ for student athletes’ mental health. Gambling addiction is a clinically recognized behavioral disorder.”
It’s worth understanding where the NCAA draws the line on all of this. Back in November, the organization rejected a proposal that would have allowed college athletes to bet on professional sports. Under current rules, wagering more than $800 on pro sports already costs a player 30% of their seasonal eligibility. Betting on college sports is a different matter entirely; the NCAA holds a zero-tolerance policy there. Any player who bets on their own team, or on any game involving another program within their athletic department, faces permanent loss of eligibility.
That’s the standard Sorsby is up against.
A hearing on the injunction is scheduled for Monday, June 2 in a Lubbock, Texas district court. Beyond the eligibility fight itself, Sorsby’s camp is also watching the calendar closely; they’re hoping to reach a resolution before the June 22 declaration deadline for the NFL Supplemental Draft.
