In an absolutely stunning decision Monday morning, Lubbock County (Texas) Judge Ken Curry granted Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby a temporary injunction that paves the way for him to play college football in 2026. As a condition of the injunction, Sorsby will be suspended for the first two games of the season.
The Red Raiders open the year at home vs. Abilene Christian before playing at Oregon State in Week 2. They host Houston in Week 3.
DraftKings and FanDuel had Texas Tech installed as a 12.5-point home favorite vs. the Cougars before the court’s ruling. FanDuel has now taken the game off the board, but DraftKings adjusted the Red Raiders to -14.5 and had it available Monday afternoon. The line was taken down by early Tuesday, though.
The NCAA will probably appeal the ruling, but multiple reports indicate that any formal legal case regarding this matter is unlikely to take place until after Texas Tech’s season has been completed.
The NCAA issued the following statement after the court’s ruling:
“The NCAA strongly disagrees with the court’s ruling in Sorsby’s case 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 NCAA is committed to supporting student-athlete mental health but must continue to aggressively defend against actions that defraud college athletics and threaten competitive integrity, such as betting on one’s own sport.”
Sorsby had been ruled ineligible by the NCAA after an investigation discovered that he had wagered $90,000 on college and pro games over a four-year stretch, including 40 bets involving his 2022 Indiana Hoosiers team when he was a freshman.
For those wondering about Judge Curry’s potential ties to Texas Tech, he doesn’t appear to have any. Curry went to undergrad at UT-Arlington and attended law school at Houston. He lives in Fort Worth.
Curry ruled that Sorsby’s lawyers demonstrated that he would suffer “probable, imminent and irreparable injury” if he’s unable to play for Texas Tech in 2026.
Sorsby announced in late April that he was leaving Lubbock to seek treatment for a gambling addiction. He spent 35 days at an in-patient program at Algamus in Arizona for diagnosed gambling and anxiety disorder.
Sorsby reportedly inked a $5 million contract to play for the Red Raiders. 247Sports had Sorsby as a five-star transfer ranked as the #2 overall player in the portal.
In 31 starts across 34 games in four seasons Indiana and Cincinnati, Sorsby produced 7,208 career passing yards with a 60/18 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He also has 1,305 career rushing yards, 22 TDs and a 4.1 yards-per-carry average.
Before Sorsby’s announcement to seek treatment in late April, most books had him listed with odds in the 20/1 to 25/1 range to win the Heisman Trophy. Those odds were immediately taken down.
FanDuel has put his name back on the Heisman board Monday at 22/1 odds. However, that number had been moved to 50/1 by early Tuesday afternoon.
DraftKings had him at 18/1 early Monday afternoon, but it is now using 25/1.
FanDuel had Texas Tech with 20/1 odds to win the College Football Playoff last week, but that number was adjusted to 15/1 on Monday. The book was using 16/1 by Tuesday afternoon.
In recent weeks, FanDuel had the Red Raiders’ season win total at 10.5 with the juice toward the ‘over’ at a -170 price. That price has been elevated to -300. Bettors looking to take ‘under’ 10.5 wins can get a +235 payout.