Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby won a significant courtroom battle on Monday, June 8, 2026, after a Texas judge granted a temporary injunction restoring his athletic eligibility for the upcoming college football season. Lubbock County District Judge Ken Curry issued the ruling, legally blocking the NCAA from enforcing its lifetime ban and allowing Sorsby to immediately rejoin the Red Raiders for team practices and gridiron action this fall. The decision directly overrides the strict wagering penalties enforced by the collegiate governing body amid a broader national environment of shifting sports gambling compliance.
Sorsby faced a permanent lifetime ban from college sports after admitting to placing hundreds of sports wagers over a four-year period, which included betting on his own team during his freshman season at Indiana University. According to a report by the AP News, the newly granted injunction implements a modified penalty structure originally proposed by Sorsby’s own legal representatives. Under these specific terms, the quarterback will serve a two-game suspension to start the schedule, missing matchups against Abilene Christian on September 5 and Oregon State before becoming fully eligible to play on September 18 against the Houston Cougars.
The legal outcome fundamentally alters the offensive outlook for Texas Tech, where Sorsby is attached to a name, image, and likeness deal valued at an estimated $6 million after transferring from Cincinnati. Sorsby and high-profile sports attorney Jeffrey Kessler filed the lawsuit on May 18, shortly after Texas Tech officials disclosed that the player had voluntarily entered a residential treatment program for gambling addiction. Winning the injunction allows Sorsby to completely bypass the upcoming June 22 deadline for the NFL Supplemental Draft, which professional evaluators previously flagged as his only alternative path to playing football in 2026.
The governing body of college sports quickly condemned the courtroom outcome. In an official public statement, the NCAA voiced sharp opposition to Judge Curry’s decision, arguing that judicial intervention directly compromises the competitive integrity of college athletics. Representatives for the organization confirmed they intend to challenge the injunction in a higher Texas appellate court. For now, Sorsby remains legally cleared to take the field for summer preparations, as noted in a legal tracking update from NBC Sports.