Oklahoma AG urges Big 12 to sanction Texas Tech over Sorsby eligibility
The Oklahoma Attorney General has written to Big 12 officials demanding the suspension of Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby and sanctions against the university, arguing that a state court injunction does not shield the conference from enforcing its own rules.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has formally urged the Big 12 Conference to suspend Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby and impose sanctions on the university, rejecting legal warnings from Texas officials that the move would expose the league to liability. In a letter sent to Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark and Board Chairman Douglas Girod on Friday, Drummond argued that the conference retains the authority to enforce its bylaws despite a temporary injunction granted to Sorsby in Texas state court.
The intervention follows a ruling by Lubbock District Judge Ken Curry, who permitted Sorsby to practice and play this fall after serving a two-game suspension. This decision came despite the NCAA declaring Sorsby permanently ineligible for placing thousands of impermissible bets on college and professional sports over the past four years, including wagers on games involving his own team. The NCAA is currently appealing the injunction, with the case not scheduled for trial until February.
Drummond’s correspondence explicitly dismissed threats from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who had warned that the Big 12 faced substantial liability and antitrust exposure if it sanctioned Texas Tech for following the state court order. Drummond countered that the preliminary injunction applies only to the NCAA and that the conference, as a private association, possesses a contractual relationship with its members sufficient to support its enforcement authority. He stated that the citation to generic antitrust law held no weight and that any claims by Texas Tech would fail.
Citing Big 12 Bylaw 3.6, Drummond recommended the conference take action if a supermajority of directors agree that a member has engaged in conduct materially adverse to the best interests of the league. He described Texas Tech’s actions as a "shameful chapter" that prioritised winning over integrity, noting that the university had shirked responsibility by pursuing a "bogus claim" in a friendly court. The letter emphasised that the Big 12’s enforcement efforts were aimed at upholding fair play among its membership rather than causing damage to the institution.
The Big 12 executive board met on Thursday to continue deliberations, with Commissioner Yormark confirming that all options remained on the table ahead of a meeting with the full board of presidents and chancellors on Monday. The league’s other 15 universities have unanimously opposed Texas Tech playing Sorsby this season. Meanwhile, Texas Tech released a video defending its handling of the case and reiterating support for Sorsby’s recovery from a gambling addiction, as the conference navigates the legal and administrative complexities of the dispute.
