Good news? Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has regained his eligibility to play college football in 2026.
Bad news? The Red Raiders could have no one to play against.
Via Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, other Big 12 teams have considered refusing to play Texas Tech, if Sorsby is permitted to play after admitting to making bets on Indiana games when he was a member of the Indiana football team.
“We’ve had some serious conversation about it,” Kansas State Athletic Director Gene Taylor told Dellenger. “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.”
Taylor, who was on the record, pulled no punches.
“It’s fucking bullshit,” Taylor told Dellenger. “I know the kid has a problem. Well, get well and focus on your problem. It is absolutely devastating for him to be able to play when every other sport, no matter the level, deems an athlete ineligible or they are punished severely for betting on their team.”
Georgia Athletic Director Josh Brooks has taken it a step farther.
“I think there needs to be serious conversations about not playing Texas Tech in any sports,” Brooks told Dellenger. “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.”
A decision by individual teams to refuse to play Texas Tech would have wide-ranging repercussions and ramifications. Would those teams forfeit the games, giving Texas Tech a slew of wins?
There would also be the issue of refunds of tickets and TV rights for games that aren’t played. More litigation would be inevitable.
Our guess is that other Big 12 teams may huff and puff, but they won’t blow Texas Tech’s house down. Because they’d possibly be blowing their own house down, too.
Still, the blowback could impact the inevitable appeal of the initial ruling. These calls are discretionary, and the four page ruling is very light on analysis and reasoning.
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