Unfortunately, gambling stances continue to plague college athletics. However, in most cases except one, the NCAA put down its hammer. Just last year, Mykell Robinson, Jalen Weaver, and Steven Wasquez from Fresno State were permanently barred from playing basketball because they bet on their games. A similar case was with six players from New Orleans, Mississippi Valley State, and Arizona State last year.

Most banned athletes are no longer enrolled or competing in their NCAA sports. Programs have distanced themselves from their actions, and the players are facing the consequences. But that one exception is Brendan Sorsby, who got an injunction from a Texas court to play in the 2026 season. As per NFL HoFer Shannon Sharpe, it is setting a bad precedent.

“In order for someone to learn a lesson, they had to have suffered some level of consequence. He (Sorsby) suffered nothing. He gets to play. Even after admitting that he bet almost $90,000,” Sharpe said on his Nightcap podcast 4 days ago.

His co-host then asked Sharpe whether Texas Tech would keep Sorsby on the roster if the criticism got louder. “I do believe it,” he said, adding, “Who put the money up for the appeal to be heard? They (Texas Tech) got the money down there.”

Court records showed that the Texas Tech QB1 placed more than 9,000 sports wagers worth around $90,000 during his college career. The bets came over four years through sportsbook accounts belonging to friends and family members. Most troubling to the NCAA, Sorsby admitted to making at least 40 bets involving Indiana while he was a player there in 2022.

Even though he did not bet against Indiana or wager on games in which he played, NCAA rules consider betting on your team a violation that carries permanent loss of eligibility. The college sports regulator ruled Sorsby permanently ineligible. He appealed and lost. However, the case took a dramatic turn when Sorsby sued the NCAA in Texas.

On June 8, Judge Ken Curry granted a temporary injunction, saying Sorsby would suffer “probable, imminent, and irreparable injury” if he were prevented from playing the 2026 season. Instead of upholding the ban while the trial was underway, the court imposed only a two-game suspension and ordered the QB to continue his counseling and addiction treatment.

Despite the verdict, the broader consensus is that the punishment is insufficient. And what’s unique about the case is Texas Tech’s open support for a QB who has already admitted in court to betting on his own team’s games. Shortly after the ruling, various programs and college football entities released strongly worded statements against Texas Tech. Even then, the program didn’t budge; in a panel composed of the program’s AD, President, and head coach Joey McGuire, it issued a statement supporting Sorsby. But even that backfired.

“They held some sort of panel discussion where they said some of the most ignorant things I’ve ever heard, trying to defend Brendan Sorsby,” Sports commentator Jason Whitlock said on his podcast on June 13. “Gambling on sports used to be forbidden and taboo, and everybody knew it was a bad thing. Texas Tech, in its desire to win a national championship, is rewriting people’s mentality. They’re removing the taboo.”

The university, however, argues that this is a case involving addiction and rehabilitation, not a player trying to fix games. Athletic director Kirby Hocutt defended Sorsby and said the school did not believe his circumstances deserved permanent ineligibility. “As we have said before, we do not believe that the circumstances of Brendan’s case warranted permanent ineligibility,” Hocutt said. He added that Texas Tech would continue providing clinical care, monitoring, and compliance support. For others, though, Sorsby’s case could set a dangerous precedent.

Why does Texas Tech desperately want Sorsby playing this year?

The Red Raiders’ public backing of Sorsby may entirely be an act of player welfare. However, there is more to the story. The program reportedly spent $5 million to acquire him from Cincinnati. He fills a key hole that got exposed in their Orange Bowl loss (0-23) to Oregon last season. QB Behren Morton had a poor game and threw two interceptions.

Sorsby’s arrival in Lubbock gives Texas Tech a legitimate chance to win the Big 12 championship and make a deep run into the playoffs. And unless the NCAA wins its appeal, it’s likely he will play in the Red Raiders’ third game of the season. That would further erode the authority of a governing body already facing questions from all sides. On the bright side, it may accelerate federal reforms in college athletics.