The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has denied Texas Tech University quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s request for reinstatement, as the athlete remains under investigation for placing over 10,000 sports wagers since 2022.
As a result of the denial, Sorsby has been deemed ineligible to compete in the upcoming 2026-2027 college football season, having transferred from Cincinnati to Texas Tech prior to the spring.
Sorsby hired antitrust attorney Jeffrey Kessler on May 4 in an attempt to maintain his eligibility, with Kessler having served as the lead attorney in the House vs. NCAA case which eventually led to revenue sharing in collegiate athletics after receiving approval in June 2025.
Kessler also represented the NFL Players Association on behalf of athletes such as Tom Brady, Ezekiel Elliott and Adrian Peterson.
Sorsby recently completed a gambling addiction treatment program and took a leave of absence from Texas Tech while under investigation, which found evidence of bets placed on the Indiana football program while he redshirted for the university.
It was previously confirmed Sorsby never placed bets on Indiana to lose a matchup, however, or for the one game he played in against Penn State.
The NCAA forbids athletes from betting on any sport for which the Association sponsors a championship, either collegiate or professional, which eventually led to Sorsby losing his eligibility for the upcoming season.
Sorsby placed wagers on college football and Major League Baseball (MLB) games, including as many as 20 bets per day across a variety of different sportsbooks in multiple states.
If Sorsby’s ineligibility is upheld throughout the college football offseason, he could choose to enter the National Football League (NFL)’s Supplemental Draft, which takes place in early or mid-July.
The US DOJ charged 20 men with illegally fixing NCAA basketball games through an alleged point-shaving scheme on January 15, leading to 29 games having been affected by match-fixing operations
