While Brendan Sorsby has moved on from college football, the story of what exactly transpired in his battle with the NCAA is still being uncovered. A new report has uncovered a donation from Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell to the state attorney general, made just before the latter intervened in the scandal.

According to The Texas Tribune’s July 15 report, Campbell made a $274,300 donation to Ken Paxton’s political campaign. This happened on June 10, a day before the Texas attorney general sent a letter to the Big 12 Conference with a warning that any action to sanction the Red Raiders would be “unlawful.”

The money donated by Campbell was for the “Paxton Victory” joint fundraising committee to support his ongoing U.S. Senate bid.

Campbell has been one of Sorsby’s main advocates against the NCAA’s decision to rule him ineligible. In May, the governing body informed the program after an investigation into the quarterback’s betting activities during his time at Indiana and Cincinnati. In total, he placed a total of $90,000 in sports bets. They also included bets on Indiana games while he was on the roster at Bloomington.

The QB appealed the decision in a Texas court and got a favorable ruling last month. However, it backfired. Voices across college football spoke against the Lubbock court’s decision to allow Sorsby to play college football next season. The NCAA said that it would appeal the decision. But another battle was also being fought at the Big 12 level.

On its part, Texas Tech has held that it was not at fault in how the whole controversy panned out. The program said it only supported the QB’s rehabilitation. Sorsby entered a residential treatment program for his gambling addiction.

“The bottom line is that Texas Tech did absolutely nothing but act with complete integrity through this entire process,” Campbell said in a letter last month. “We broke no rules, no laws, and crossed no ethical lines. We are proud to represent a university that supports its students the way that we do.”

Big 12’s response to Paxton’s warning

The Big 12 did not take this threat and came back with a rather strong contention to Paxton’s legal warning. They filed a federal lawsuit against the Texas Attorney General, Texas Tech University, and its top administrators. They argued that Paxton was violating the conference’s First Amendment rights. As a private association, they have the right to enforce their own bylaws to protect football’s integrity.

“The Big 12 and its member institutions have no interest in being required to endorse or even appear to endorse unethical and indeed unlawful conduct that strikes at the heart of athletic integrity,” the Big 12 complaint said.

The Big 12’s aggressive federal lawsuit dramatically changed the situation. Faced with the prospect of an expensive, multi-year federal battle and potential athletic isolation from rival schools, Texas Tech capitulated. Just hours after the Big 12 filed the suit, Brendan Sorsby formally withdrew from the university to enter the NFL supplemental draft, ending the legal gridlock.

The QB couldn’t enter the NFL via that route, as the league said it won’t hold the supplemental draft this year. The CFL also blocked his entry. However, the NFL has also opened the door for him to try next year. For now, Sorsby is preparing for the 2027 NFL draft.