When quarterback Brendan Sorsby transferred from the University of Cincinnati to Texas Tech, it looked like one of the best pickups of the offseason. No one could’ve imagined the immense swirl that would follow after Sorsby admitted to placing nearly $90,000 worth of bets during his college career, including wagers on his own team at the time.
While it appeared that Sorsby would be ruled ineligible in 2026, a judge gave him just a two-game suspension with the ability to play after, and college football officials are furious.
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College Football Officials React to Brendan Sorsby’s Suspension
Speaking to Yahoo Sports today, Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor said, “It’s f****** bulls***. I know the kid has a problem. Well, get well and focus on your problem. It is absolutely devastating for him to be able to play when every other sport, no matter the level, deems an athlete ineligible or they are punished severely for betting on their team.”
Taylor has a point.
Back in 2023, Iowa Hawkeyes defensive tackle Noah Shannon was suspended for the entire season after placing a bet on the Hawkeyes’ women’s basketball team during their national championship run.
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Despite it being an isolated incident with a minuscule betting amount, Shannon was not shown any mercy.
Now, with Sorsby placing thousands of bets totaling around $90,000 during his college career, including wagers on an Indiana Hoosier team he was playing for at the time, he’s been given a two-game slap on the wrist.
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Based on the previous precedent set by the NCAA, Taylor and other college football officials have the right to be upset.
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Having an impact player like Sorsby largely available in 2026 changes the entire landscape of the conference.
In 2025, for Cincinnati, he threw for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns to only 5 interceptions.
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While leading the Bearcats to a 7-6 record, he earned an 88.2 QB impact grade according to PFSN, ranking 10th in the nation.
Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks, also a member of the NCAA Football Oversight Committee, said, “This is not about Texas Tech. It’s about protecting our own locker room. We cannot in good conscience, put our student-athletes on a field where the competitive integrity of the contest is compromised and overridden by the courts.”
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Another anonymous Big 12 athletic director relented that it’s the “lowest point in my time in college sports” and said Texas Tech “should be ashamed of itself.”
While the top brass of college football are clearly outraged, NCAA President Charlie Baker has encouraged Congress to rule everyone fairly.
How that will happen is unclear, but the troubles will continue to plague the NCAA until a clearer framework addressing student-athlete wagering is established.
