The Brendan Sorsby saga just got a lot more complicated. The Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, has now stepped in, and he is pointing directly at the Big 12 Conference.

Paxton's office sent a formal letter to Big 12 officials on Thursday, June 11, threatening legal action if the conference sanctions Texas Tech Red Raiders for supporting Sorsby. On3's Pete Nakos first reported the letter.

"This letter serves to notify the Big 12 that any such action would be unlawful and would expose the Conference to substantial liability," Paxton's letter reads.

This came after reports noted that the Big 12 is weighing the possible application of Bylaw 3.6 to sanction Texas Tech for adhering to the court order and maintaining its support of Sorsby as a student-athlete.

The letter did not just threaten legal action. It put a number on it. Paxton warned the total exposure for the Big 12 and its member schools combined would be "substantially more than $200 million." That covers lost football revenues, alumni contributions, recruitment damages, and attorney fees.

The reasoning behind the threat was antitrust law. Paxton was clear on the legal angle. He argued that punishing Texas Tech for following a court order breaks federal and state antitrust law. His office made it plain that if the Big 12 moves forward, Texas will fight it.

The letter arrived on the same day the Big 12 executive committee sat down to meet. Yormark was there. So were the Kansas, Kansas State, and BYU presidents. All of them are trying to figure out what they can actually do.

The full Big 12 Board of Directors is scheduled to meet next week to vote on any potential sanctions. That timeline has not changed.

Kansas State Athletic Director Gene Taylor summed up the mood after the injunction ruling earlier this week. "This is greater than the Big 12," Taylor said.

Sorsby placed over $90,000 in bets across four years. More than 40 of those were on Indiana football games while he was on the team. A judge reversed the NCAA's permanent ban on June 8.

What Big 12 Bylaw 3.6 Actually Allows

The Big 12 has been looking at Bylaw 3.6 as a way forward. It lets 12 of the 15 conference presidents vote to sanction a member school. Texas Tech does not get a vote on its own case.

But there is a catch. They have to prove Texas Tech acted against the best interests of the conference. Paxton's letter says that following a court order cannot be used as a justification.

The sanctions on the table are serious. Postseason bans. TV restrictions. Revenue cuts. Recruiting limitations. All of that is now sitting in legal no man's land with Paxton involved.

The trial over Sorsby's case is set for February. That is after the 2026 season ends. The NCAA's appeal over his eligibility could still come before the season kicks off, though.

What do you think of the Texas attorney's strict action for the Big 12? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar