Texas judge grants temporary injunction allowing QB Brendan Sorsby to play for Texas Tech
A Lubbock County judge issued an injunction that permits quarterback Brendan Sorsby to compete for Texas Tech this fall, despite the NCAA's permanent ineligibility ruling for gambling violations.
A Texas judge has issued a temporary injunction that clears the way for quarterback Brendan Sorsby to play for Texas Tech this season, overriding the NCAA’s decision to declare him ineligible for wagering on college sports, including bets on his former team at Indiana.
Judge Ken Curry ruled that Sorsby would suffer a “probable, imminent and irreparable injury” if barred from practicing or playing, and ordered that he may miss the Red Raiders’ first two games as a court-approved penalty. The injunction requires Sorsby to continue counseling for his gambling addiction and to participate in peer-support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous.
The NCAA said it “strongly disagrees” with the ruling and plans to appeal to the Seventh District Court of Appeals in Amarillo. The organization warned that the decision could “undermine and corrupt the integrity of sports.”
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said the ruling could have “broad impacts across college athletics” and that league officials are meeting to discuss the implications. Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt affirmed that a comprehensive support structure, including clinical care and compliance monitoring, will remain in place for Sorsby.
Other schools reacted negatively. Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor called the decision “devastating,” and Nebraska and Georgia announced they will not schedule Texas Tech in any sport.
Sorsby, who acknowledged making at least $90,000 in prohibited bets while at Indiana, Cincinnati and Texas Tech, has been undergoing treatment for a diagnosed gambling addiction and anxiety. His attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, argued that preventing him from playing would harm his mental health and recovery.
The injunction stems from a lawsuit filed in May seeking restoration of Sorsby’s eligibility. The NCAA has previously denied Texas Tech’s petitions to reinstate the quarterback and indicated it will continue to defend its gambling rules.
The case highlights ongoing tensions between the NCAA’s eligibility policies and legal challenges, with the governing body also pursuing legislative support to standardize enforcement of its rules nationwide.
