Big 12 Faces Legal Warning in Brendan Sorsby Dispute
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has warned the Big 12 over potential sanctions against Texas Tech in the Brendan Sorsby case.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The warning turns the quarterback’s NCAA gambling dispute into a broader legal fight involving college sports governance, conference bylaws and the financial stakes tied to major football programs. Texas Tech is backing Sorsby after a Texas district court granted him a temporary injunction allowing him to play while his challenge to the NCAA’s eligibility ruling continues.
The dispute follows Sorsby’s injunction in the NCAA gambling case, which temporarily blocked the NCAA from enforcing its permanent eligibility ban. The NCAA has said it plans to appeal the ruling to the Court of Appeals for the Seventh District of Texas.
Paxton Warns Big 12 over Possible Sanctions
Paxton’s office sent a letter to Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark and Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod, who chairs the conference’s board of directors. The letter warned that any move to punish Texas Tech for following the court order could expose the conference to substantial liability.
The letter specifically referenced Big 12 Bylaw 3.6, which allows the conference to sanction a member school if it is found to have acted against the best interests of the conference as a whole. The attorney general’s office argued that using that bylaw against Texas Tech for playing Sorsby could violate federal and state antitrust laws.
Paxton’s office also warned of possible breach of contract and tortious interference claims if sanctions led to canceled, forfeited or altered games. The letter said the Big 12 and its member schools could face exposure tied to lost football revenue, alumni contributions, recruiting damage and legal fees.
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Conference Says All Options Remain Open
The Big 12’s executive board met Thursday to discuss the issue and is expected to take it up again with the full board next week. Yormark said the conference received the legal warning shortly before the executive board meeting and is reviewing the state’s concerns with counsel.
The conference has not announced any formal action against Texas Tech. Yormark said sentiment among the executive board matched what conference athletic directors had expressed earlier in the week, after reports that other Big 12 schools opposed Sorsby playing for the Red Raiders this season.
Some athletic directors have suggested that teams could refuse to play Texas Tech if Sorsby is on the field. That possibility has added another layer of legal and competitive risk, as Texas Tech’s position is that it is acting within the court order and supporting a student-athlete while litigation continues.
Gambling Case Becomes Conference-Wide Test
Sorsby was declared ineligible by the NCAA after acknowledging gambling activity that included bets on his own team while he was at Indiana. Texas Tech has said he completed a month-long inpatient treatment program and will continue receiving support and monitoring.
The case has already triggered sharp debate across college sports because NCAA rules call for permanent loss of eligibility when an athlete wagers on his own team. The court order did not resolve the underlying gambling issue, but it temporarily changed the practical question facing Texas Tech, the Big 12 and future opponents.
Sorsby transferred to Texas Tech in January after playing at Cincinnati and Indiana. He had been expected to be the Red Raiders’ starting quarterback after Texas Tech won its first Big 12 title last season and reached the College Football Playoff.
The next major step will come when the Big 12’s full board meets and when the NCAA appeal moves forward. Until then, the Sorsby case has become more than an athlete eligibility dispute. It is now a test of how far a conference can go when a court order conflicts with the expectations of rival schools, NCAA enforcement and gambling integrity rules.
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