Big 12 and commissioner Brett Yormark have filed a suit against Texas Tech.
LM Otero/Associated Press
Another week, another legal twist in the Brendan Sorsby saga.
The Big 12 filed a federal lawsuit Monday seeking a declaratory judgement and preliminary injunction that would allow the conference to enforce its bylaws and sanction Texas Tech if it decides to play the quarterback in the 2026 college football season.
The lawsuit is the latest escalation over Sorsby’s eligibility, following a letter from Texas attorney general Ken Paxton last week that warned any sanctions imposed by the Big 12 would be “unlawful” and met with legal action.
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A Lubbock County district court granted Sorsby a temporary injunction on June 8, clearing the way for him to play next season despite his admission he broke NCAA rules by placing at least $90,000 in bets over the course of his college career, including on his own team when he played at Indiana.
Also Monday, the The NCAA asked a Texas appeals court to stay the temporary injunction. In documents filed with the Court of Appeals for the Seventh District of Texas at Amarillo, the NCAA asked for an emergency motion to stay the June 8 injunction and asked for a resolution by Aug. 28.
“The trial court’s temporary injunction sweeps beyond anything Texas law permits,” attorneys for the NCAA wrote. “It undermines the integrity of college sports, rewrites member-adopted rules of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, immunizes Brendan Sorsby from discipline for admitted and serial violations of NCAA anti-gambling rules, incentivizes a run on courthouses across the country to challenge even the most obvious and straightforward student-athlete eligibility decisions and demolishes the status quo.”
In a 47-page complaint filed in the Northern District of Texas, the Big 12 said conference officials, university presidents and athletic directors have requested Texas Tech not play Sorsby, but “TTU has not agreed.” Among the potential penalties, according to the filing, are a postseason ban and restrictions on revenue distributions. The Big 12’s filing lists the Texas Tech University System, chancellor Brandon Creighton, president Lawrence Schovanec, athletic director Kirby Hocutt and Paxton as defendants. The Big 12 is being represented by Sidley Austin.
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Big 12 presidents met Monday to discuss any potential punishments for Sorsby, though immediate action was not expected, according to multiple reports.
“If a vote were to occur, however, some of the potential sanctions the Board could consider under the bylaws include monetary sanctions and/or a ban on competing in the Big 12 Championship Game,” the filing said.
There is “considerable concern” within the Big 12 that the conference would incur “reputational harm and irreparable damage to public and member trust in the integrity of league competitions” if Sorsby plays, according to the filing.
“In an industry that rarely agrees on anything, there is finally an issue that everyone seems to agree on (other than TTU and the Attorney General): universities should not field players who have bet on their own team’s games in college athletics,” the Big 12 wrote in its filing.
Some Big 12 athletic directors have voiced opposition of Texas Tech’s intent to play Sorsby. A few schools from other power conferences have threatened to boycott playing Texas Tech.
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“The Big 12 and its Member Institutions (apparently save TTU) have no interest in being required to endorse or even appearing to endorse unethical and indeed unlawful conduct that strikes at the heart of athletic integrity,” the filing reads.
In the past week, Texas Tech has informed the Big 12 that it plans to play Sorsby this season, according to the filing. Sorsby, one of the top transfer portal quarterbacks this offseason who signed a one-year deal believed to be worth at least $4 million, will miss two non-conference games against Abilene Christian and Oregon State and be eligible to return for the Big 12 opener against Houston on Sept. 18.
At an appearance at the Houston Touchdown Club last week, Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire called it “a stretch” that Sorsby would be ready for a September return amid his recovery from gambling addiction.
Sorsby has admitted he wagered at least $90,000 over the course of his college career, which includes stops at Indiana, Cincinnati and Texas Tech. He made thousands of bets, including at least 300 on college football.by the NCAA in April, later had a request for reinstatement denied, and filed suit on May 18. The NCAA said it plans to appeal the decision by the district court, but any hearing would likely not be held until after the football season.
The Big 12 stated a supermajority of member schools – which would require 12 of the 15 league members, not including Texas Tech – has the power to enforce sanctions, according to the league’s bylaws.
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The Big 12 is not seeking damages or challenging the Texas state ruling against the NCAA.
“To be sure, given the result in the NCAA injunctive relief case, TTU can choose whether or not to compete with Sorsby,” the filing reads. “And TTU can pay him consistent with the law. But the freedom to do so is by no means a freedom from consequences. It is well within the right of the Big 12 to discern and implement an appropriate sanction in response to TTU’s decision to compete with a student-athlete who has extensively, unethically, and unlawfully bet on college football.”
The Big 12’s complaint argues that in addition to “violating the laws of three states” – Indiana, Ohio and Texas – “Sorsby’s conduct contravenes core Big 12 ethical principles.”
Also Monday, Kansas attorney general Kris Kobach released a statement saying the “antitrust claims made by the Texas Attorney General’s Office are incorrect. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and attorney general Derek Brown sent a letter to the Big 12 saying “Sorsby’s court challenge demonstrates an unwillingness to take accountability for his actions and Texas Tech’s support for that challenge suggests that Texas Tech does not fully understand the seriousness of Sorsby’s misconduct.”
A similar letter of support was sent last week from Oklahoma attorney general Gentner Drummond, who strongly urged the conference to suspend Sorsby.
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Texas Tech has been unwavering in its support for Sorsby, including public statements from Hocutt, McGuire and billionaire megadonor Cody Campbell. In a 20-minute video released June 11, Tech officials defended their integrity and reiterated support for the quarterback.
“There’s no reason whatsoever to question the integrity of our athletics department, or the competitive product that we put on the fields or on the courts each and every time that we go out,” Hocutt said. “Integrity of the game is sacred, and that’s why we’ve gone to such great lengths to ensure the monitoring and the compliance measures are in place for Brendan’s return.”