NCAA Closes Cincinnati Inquiry with Sorsby Given Level III Gambling Violation

CINCINNATI – The NCAA has closed its inquiry into Cincinnati over former quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s prohibited sports betting, with no school penalties.

The decision clears the university, its coaches and other athletes of sanctions while assigning a Level III violation and related penalties solely to Sorsby.

The outcome closes an investigation that became public in July, when Cincinnati received an NCAA letter of inquiry concerning Sorsby’s two seasons with the Bearcats and what the university knew about his gambling activity. Cincinnati said Sept. 2 that NCAA enforcement staff had completed the review.

Sorsby Receives Level III Violation

Sorsby was found to have committed a Level III violation for prohibited wagering while at Cincinnati. The NCAA defines Level III violations as isolated or limited in nature, providing no more than a minimal competitive or other advantage and no more than a minimal impermissible benefit.

“All penalties for this violation are attached to the student-athlete and not the institution or other coaches, staff members or student-athletes,” Cincinnati said in a statement. The finding follows a wider NCAA investigation into Sorsby’s betting that ultimately ended his remaining college eligibility.

Court filings from Sorsby’s subsequent legal challenge showed that he placed more than 9,000 sports wagers totaling at least $90,000 during his college career. Those included at least 40 wagers involving Indiana football while he was with the Hoosiers and at least 165 bets while attending Cincinnati.

The Cincinnati wagers represented roughly 500 individual selections when parlay legs were included and totaled at least $38,000, according to the filings. NCAA rules continue to prohibit student-athletes from betting on sports in which the association sponsors championships.

Cincinnati Had Disputed Claims It Knew of Betting

Questions about Cincinnati’s handling of Sorsby intensified after his agent, Ron Slavin, alleged that the university had known about his gambling for two years. Cincinnati disputed that claim and maintained that athletics officials and staff were not aware of impermissible sports wagering.

Sorsby did trigger an alert through Cincinnati’s gambling-integrity monitoring system in August 2024 while attempting to place a UFC wager. The university’s compliance department interviewed him afterward and provided additional education about NCAA gambling rules, according to court filings.

The NCAA’s decision not to penalize Cincinnati resolves the institutional question that prompted the July inquiry. It does not alter the separate sanctions against Sorsby or the consequences of the broader gambling investigation.

Sorsby Now Preparing for 2027 NFL Draft

Sorsby later abandoned his legal challenge and gave up plans to play for Texas Tech as he attempted to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft. The NFL ultimately declined to hold a supplemental draft in 2026.

The league, NFL Players Association and Sorsby later reached an agreement confirming that he will instead be eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft. That ended the immediate uncertainty over his route into professional football following the NCAA eligibility dispute.

A separate financial dispute remains unresolved between Cincinnati and Sorsby over a reported $1 million buyout connected to his transfer to Texas Tech. The NCAA inquiry into Cincinnati, however, is now closed with no penalties assessed against the university, its coaches or other athletes.

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