A Texas judge ruled on Monday that Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby was eligible to play football this fall despite being declared ineligible by the NCAA after he admitted wagering on college sports.

The temporary injunction issued by the District Court of Lubbock County restored Sorsby’s eligibility, USA Today reported. The decision caused backlash from the NCAA and several of Texas Tech’s potential opponents, who are contemplating dropping the Red Raiders from their schedules in protest.

[ Read more trending news  ]

Sorsby has admitted to thousands of bets on sports, including 40 on his own team while he played at Indiana, ESPN reported.

Sorsby will miss the Red Raiders’ first two games of the 2026 season under a penalty that was proposed by his attorneys and approved by a judge, The Associated Press reported.

The NCAA was alerted to Sorsby’s gambling in March and notified Texas Tech about its probe the following month, according to ESPN.

Texas Tech ruled Sorsby ineligible after he admitted to having a gambling addiction; the quarterback then attended an in-patient rehab center, the calbe sports news outlet reported.

The NCAA said it strongly disagreed with the injunction 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 organization said it would file an appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Seventh District of Texas in Amarillo, the AP reported.

Reaction from several schools and conferences has been negative, ESPN reported.

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said the ruling represents a “horrendous pattern” that is “eroding the integrity of our process.”

Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said he was “stunned” by the ruling.

“As someone who grew up reading about the ‘Black Sox Scandal,’ and seeing what happened to Pete Rose and just understanding how bright that line seemed to be in all of American sports, I’m stunned that there would be a question at the court level that this is acceptable,” Stricklin told ESPN. “That’s not a judgment on the young man. It’s just that was a pretty fundamental tenet of American sports, that if you’re going to participate, you can’t gamble, especially on your own team.”

Some schools are considering dropping Texas Tech from their schedules.

“We’ve had some serious conversation about it,” Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor told Yahoo Sports. “There is still a lot to be discussed. We aren’t scheduled to play them this year, but it’s something we have to look at from a college football perspective. This is greater than the Big 12.”

The Big 12 athletic directors are scheduled to have a conference call on Tuesday. Conference commissioner Brett Yormark said meetings were scheduled for later in the week, the AP reported.

“I think there needs to be serious conversations about not playing Texas Tech in any sports,” Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks, a member of the NCAA Football Oversight Committee, told Yahoo Sports. “This is not about Texas Tech. It’s about protecting our own locker room. We cannot in good conscience put our student-athletes on a field where the competitive integrity of the contest is compromised and overridden by the courts. If a state court wants to dictate eligibility rules, they can play themselves.

“All FBS schools should only take the field against programs operating under a uniform, trustworthy standard of fairness. We’ve officially reached the point of no return.”

Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen confirmed to the AP that his coaches have been told to not schedule Texas Tech in any sport.

Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec wrote an open letter to the NCAA in late May, stating the school believed that the organization’s ruling against Sorsby should be reversed or modified.

Athletic director Kirby Hocutt reiterated those beliefs in a statement on Monday.

“As we have said before, we do not believe that the circumstances of Brendan’s case warranted permanent ineligibilty,” Hocutt wrote. “As he returns to our football program, we remain committed to supporting Brendan’s recovery and ensuring his compliance with the court’s order.”

“I’m very grateful for the endless support I have received throughout this entire process,” Sorsby wrote in a social media post, according to the AP. “I am also grateful for the chance to rejoin my teammates. This opportunity comes with the responsibility to remain focused on my personal growth, the ability to learn from this experience, and to be able to use my situation to help others going forward.”

Court records show that Sorsby has admitted placing bets totaling at least $90,000 during his time at Indiana, Cincinnati and Texas Tech, the AP reported.

Texas Tech opens the season on Sept. 5 at home against Abilene Christian. The Red Raiders then play Oregon State before their Big 12 opener at home on Sept. 18 against Houston.

© 2026 Cox Media Group