Brendan Sorsby’s long eligibility battle finally ended with a win on Monday. The Texas Tech QB received an injunction allowing him to play in 2026 after he openly admitted to placing bets of thousands of dollars, including about 40 on Indiana while he was on the roster. For many in college sports, the ruling was controversial. For former Iowa wrestler Nelson Brands, it was something deeper.

“And three $5 bets on Iowa Football got me BANNED???” Nelson Brands wrote on X while sharing ESPN’s report on Brendan Sorsby’s case.

Back in the spring of 2023, the state of Iowa investigated sports wagering among school students using geolocation activities on their cellphones. Brands, a former Iowa wrestler, accepted placing multiple $55 bets on Iowa football to go over the points total in games. He claimed not to place wagers on any other sports in the NCAA. However, the final results did not go in his favor.

He was suspended by the NCAA in December 2023 for a season. Brands was among three other Iowa wrestlers and multiple Iowa and Iowa State athletes who were also penalized. But he finally pursued a hardship waiver and the NCAA finally granted it.

“I lost all of it because I was betting on the over for Iowa because I’m a fan and I want Iowa to do well,” he told ESPN in 2024. “It was one of those situations where I was going against the norm because I’m a fan and I wanted them to win.”

In May 2024, Brands returned to the Iowa Hawkeyes for his final year after the NCAA had granted him an additional year of eligibility. The former Iowa wrestler was a star, a two-time NCAA champ who also earned All-American honors at 174 pounds during the 2022-23 season. While he continued his college career after a season-long gap, his frustration with Sorsby’s case is understandable.

Brendan Sorsby admitted to thousands of wagers and secured eligibility through the courts.

Retired Fort Worth judge Ken Curry granted Brendan Sorsby the injunction after taking over the case when Lubbock County judge Phillip Hayes recused himself. Under the decision, the Texas Tech QB becomes eligible for the 2026 season after serving a two-game suspension, as appealed by his school earlier. 

“I’m very grateful for the endless support I have received throughout this entire process,” he wrote on X. “I am also grateful for the chance to rejoin my teammates. This opportunity comes with the responsibility to remain focused on my personal growth, the ability to learn from this experience, and to be able to use my situation to help others going forward.”

Still, even with the court victory, the story may not be finished. Reports indicate the NCAA is expected to appeal the ruling, meaning another legal chapter surrounding Brendan Sorsby’s case could be coming. 

Meanwhile, Nelson Brands has moved on and joined Cal Poly’s coaching staff. Still, seeing athletes like Brendan Sorsby receive favorable rulings raised questions. It will be worth seeing if this ruling will stand or if it will be the last nail in the NCAA’s coffin.