Sorsby seeks judicial injunction to overturn NCAA ineligibility ruling

Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has filed a lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in a Lubbock district court, seeking an injunction to restore his eligibility for the 2026 college football season. The legal action, reported by Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger on Monday, 18 May 2026, aims to secure Sorsby’s participation in what is his final year of eligibility.

The suit admits that Sorsby is currently ineligible to play for Texas Tech due to violations of NCAA gambling rules. Specifically, the former Cincinnati quarterback placed a wager on the Indiana Hoosiers in 2022 while he was a redshirt freshman at the University of Cincinnati. Under NCAA regulations, placing a bet on one’s own team can result in permanent ineligibility, a provision that has now barred him from the upcoming season.

Sorsby’s legal team characterises his gambling disorder as a clinically diagnosed mental health condition and notes that he has been undergoing treatment for a gambling addiction. The complaint alleges that Sorsby has made numerous small-dollar bets in recent years, framing the issue within the context of health rather than solely as a regulatory breach.

A central argument in the lawsuit is that the NCAA’s position on sports betting is deeply hypocritical. This claim arises against a backdrop of recent regulatory shifts, where the NCAA moved to allow athletes to bet on professional sports late in 2025. However, member schools pushed back on the initiative and overturned the change, maintaining the ban on pro betting.

The outcome of the lawsuit remains uncertain, with the judge yet to determine whether to grant the requested injunction. The specific details of the small-dollar bets and the exact timeline of Sorsby’s treatment have not been fully disclosed in available reports.