Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Brendan Sorsby got his eligibility for the 2026 season back on Monday, with an injunction being granted in an ongoing lawsuit against the NCAA over a major gambling scandal that dates back years. Sorsby was placing bets on the Indiana Hoosiers and Cincinnati Bearcats during his respective tenures with those programs since 2022, and even set up accounts in other states when he arrived in Texas this year. Texas is a non-mobile betting state.
A court in the 99th District Court in Lubbock County, led by District Judge Ken Curry, who was semi-retired and returned to the profession to make this ruling, gave Sorsby his 2026 season back. Sorsby is reportedly set to make over $6 million in NIL/rev-share from Texas Tech. It feels important to mention that Texas Speaker of the House of Representatives Dustin Burrows, who represents the 83rd district, was on Sorsby's side.
Auburn Undercover's Jason Caldwell was not a fan of the ruling in the slightest, hinting that the rules are in place for a reason and shouldn't have been bent for Sorsby. Per Caldwell, "I’m shocked (sarcasm). Everything is about taking someone to court until you get the answer you want, not following the rules in place."
READ MORE: Texas Tech to the SEC? It's not as crazy as it sounds.
Brendan Sorsby deserves to return to college football
This writer strongly disagrees with Caldwell. In a rapidly evolving world, there are some customs from yesteryear that need to be re-evaluated. Athletes gambling on other sports, or even on their own team, need to be met with criticism and shouldn't be promoted. But if a player didn't intentionally throw the game, then there's no need to ban him for it.
Let's remember the case of Pete Rose. He was the greatest hitter in Major League Baseball's history and was banned from the Baseball Hall of Fame. Rose became a cult hero for being wrongly punished for something that the league openly promotes now. The same would've happened to Sorsby.
The NCAA already has unpopular leadership. While the Sorsby decision, decided in a Lubbock County court, but also negotiated with behind the scenes by the NCAA and other parties who stand to financially benefit from Sorsby playing, if we want to be adults about this, wouldn't have made anything much worse or even much better for them, it could've disenfranchised a burgeoning program and fanbase in the Lone Star State that is beginning to pour millions into its product.
Now, the Red Raiders will play in an even bigger spotlight, and their QB will be one of the most highly publicized players in the country. This worked out as well as possible for Texas Tech. It may even change the laws in Texas. Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta and Dallas Mavericks owner Miriam Adelson want to bring gambling to the Lone Star State via casinos. They just got a major cultural victory with gambling ruled not to be worthy of ending an athlete's "amateur" (pro?) career for partaking.
There are billions of dollars being exchanged over sports. If a player gets sucked into it, rehabbing them and making them see the error in their ways is all that's necessary to curb the problem. If the problem doesn't stop, then consider banning that player. In Sorsby's case, he likely understands what he did wrong and probably won't do it again.
And now you could all bet on his player stat props, besides Week 1 against the Abilene Christian Wildcats and Oregon State Beavers. Sorsby deserves to play, unless the NCAA wants to divest from sportsbooks. Then there's a moral case for him to be banned. Until that day comes, let the man play.
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