The NCAA said no to Brendan Sorsby on May 26. The Texas Tech quarterback asked for his eligibility back for 2026 and was denied, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel. After the blow, Joey McGuire and the Raiders are taking action to support their quarterback.

Texas Tech is fighting back. University president Lawrence Schovanec wrote to the NCAA directly.

"We believe his [Sorsby] vulnerability deserves to be met with the full weight of this institution's support," he said as reported by analyst Ross Dellenger. "Our foremost priority in contemplating Brendan's future with Texas Tech is his continued health and wellbeing."

This came right after Sorsby got out of a 35-day rehab program for gambling addiction at Algamus in Goodyear, Arizona.

The quarterback admitted he bet on sports going back to his freshman year at Indiana in 2022, including on his own team's games. He transferred to Cincinnati before moving to Texas Tech this offseason on a deal reported to be worth $5 million.

Seeking a return for the upcoming season, Sorsby reportedly filed a lawsuit against the NCAA on May 18, arguing that his gambling disorder diagnosis should be considered as part of the reinstatement process.

According to the court filing from Sorsby’s legal team, the NCAA appears to be taking a contradictory position. While the organization profits from the rise of legalized sports betting, it still imposes strict punishments on athletes for participating in gambling activities that are legal outside of NCAA rules.

Earlier, too, college football programs have appealed to the NCAA. For example, despite two appeals from Iowa State University, the NCAA declined to reinstate Hunter Dekkers’ eligibility.

Dekkers remained sidelined in 2023, played junior college football the following season, and signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2025.

Sorsby Opens Up After Completing His Treatment Program

He accepted accountability for his actions after finishing the rehab.

“While I accept responsibility for my behavior and know that I have a lot of work ahead of me, for the first time in many years I feel more free and no longer fully at the mercy of my addiction," he said.

Sorsby's legal team includes sports attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who took on the NCAA in both the Alston case and the House case and won both times.

They have filed a lawsuit in Lubbock County District Court, and a temporary injunction hearing is set for June 1. The deadline to declare for the NFL Supplemental Draft is June 22.

What are your thoughts on the NCAA's decision to deny Brendan Sorsby's request for reinstatement? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar