Big 12 Weighs $40 Million Sanctions on Texas Tech Over Ineligible QB Brendan Sorsby
Updated
Updated · Sports Illustrated · Jun 14
Big 12 Weighs $40 Million Sanctions on Texas Tech Over Ineligible QB Brendan Sorsby
3 articles · Updated · Sports Illustrated · Jun 14
Summary
A 16-member Big 12 board meeting Monday is set to consider punishing Texas Tech for using Brendan Sorsby, whose NCAA gambling ineligibility was temporarily overridden by a court injunction.
Options under discussion include forfeits, stripping Tech victories from the conference race, blocking a Big 12 title-game path, or withholding roughly $36 million to $40 million in annual media-rights revenue.
Brett Yormark said all options remain on the table, while Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton warned sanctions would be unlawful and Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond urged the league to proceed.
The NCAA told Division I commissioners Friday that the Protect College Sports Act would strengthen its hand in cases like Sorsby’s, even as the SEC and Big Ten push back on other parts of the bill before a Senate markup this week.
Could a new price-fixing lawsuit dismantle the billion-dollar settlement meant to stabilize college sports?
When a booster's law could sideline his team's star quarterback, who really controls college football's future?
As top conferences threaten to create their own playoff, is college sports heading for a permanent fracture?
NCAA vs. Texas Tech: The $90,000 Gambling Scandal and the Fight for Control in College Athletics
Overview
Brendan Sorsby admitted to betting $90,000 on sports, including his own team, leading the NCAA to ban him. However, a Texas judge granted him a temporary injunction, allowing him to play for Texas Tech. This court decision forced the Big 12 Conference presidents to meet and consider sanctions against Texas Tech under Bylaw 3.6. The NCAA responded by announcing plans to appeal the injunction, making it clear that the legal fight over Sorsby’s eligibility is ongoing. This situation highlights the growing conflict between state courts, athletic conferences, and the NCAA over who controls college sports.