The Texas Tech Red Raiders have been trying to find a way to make quarterback Brendan Sorbsy eligible for this season. He transferred to the program this summer after entering the Transfer Portal. However, he was found to have gambled on college football games.
That is strictly against NCAA rules. The NCAA immediately ruled him ineligible. In fact, they recently denied his appeal against that decision. Sorby filed an injunction against the NCAA to find a way to play the 2026 season. That was to be heard by a Lubbock-area judge.
Now, the judge has ruled on that, and Sorsby is officially eligible to play in 2026.
GettyCincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby throws a pass in a game. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Texas Tech Red Raiders QB Brendan Sorsby eligible to play in 2026
According to multiple sources, the judge has ruled Sorsby eligible. He will serve a two-game suspension as part of this ruling, which is against two bad teams. Abilene Christian and Oregon State are the first two games that the Red Raiders will play.
In the ruling, the judge claimed that Sorsby would “suffer a probable, imminent and irreparable injury.” Because of that, he has ruled that Sorsby is eligible to play in 2026. This has ramifications not just for Texas Tech, but for the rest of college football moving forward.
This ruling signals that nothing the NCAA puts forth will ever be enforceable. If Sorbsy takes a single snap this season, that means that the most important rule that the NCAA has cannot hold up. This opens the doors for schools to essentially do whatever they want.
At this point, Sorsby will be able to practice and play for the Red Raiders. He has already completed rehab for gambling addiction. Now, with him able to play, Texas Tech immediately becomes one of the favorites to win the Big 12 this season.
GettyCincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby throws a pass in a game. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
The NCAA Releases a Statement After Brendan Sorsby Ruling
After the ruling, the NCAA released a statement.
“The NCAA strongly disagrees with the court’s ruling in Sorsby’s case and is deeply concerned about the damaging, far-reaching, and broadly destabilizing ramifications of this outcome — which undermines and corrupts the integrity of sports. The NCAA is committed to supporting student-athlete mental health but must continue to aggressively defend against actions that defraud college athletics and threaten competitive integrity, such as betting on one’s own sport.”
It’s clear that this ruling does have far-reaching ramifications, which could change the fabric of how college sports are policed. This ruling isn’t just about college football, but about the future of the NCAA. After this ruling, it looks like the NCAA is hanging on by a thread.
As far as the Texas Tech Red Raiders are concerned, they now have a shot to make the College Football Playoff. Sorsby is one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and his play on the field has never been in question.
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