Brendan Sorsby was Texas Tech's missing piece. Gambling case puts its CFP hopes in limbo

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Brendan Sorsby was Texas Tech's missing piece. Gambling case puts its CFP hopes in limbo

Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Mon, Apr 27, 2026 ·

3 min read

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Texas Tech can still win the Big 12 and reach the College Football Playoff without quarterback transfer Brendan Sorsby , whose availability this season is in doubt amid an NCAA investigation into a report thousands of bets the senior placed on an online app, including on games involving Indiana when he was a freshman reserve for the Hoosiers.

The Red Raiders did just that last season, rolling through the conference with just one loss despite missing former starting quarterback Behren Morton for all or parts of three games.

Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby runs with the ball during the team's spring game, Friday, April 17, 2026, at Jones AT&T Stadium.

But Sorsby was acquired from Cincinnati to help Tech reach the next level after being bullied by Oregon in last season's playoff quarterfinals at the Orange Bowl. Any extended absence dramatically weakens the Red Raiders' chances of being more than the best team in what could be the weakest conference in the Power Four.

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Sorsby will be out indefinitely after checking himself into a treatment program for gambling addiction, according to an ESPN report .

His availability for this season may come down to how the NCAA interprets guidelines that went into place in 2023 and raise the possibility of a permanent loss of eligibility for "student-athletes who wager on their own games or on other sports at their own schools."

Texas Tech is already short sophomore backup Will Hammond , who tore his ACL last season and is expected to be out until the start of league play, coach Joey McGuire said earlier this month.

Hammond was a key piece behind last year's conference championship, starting twice in place of Morton and throwing for seven touchdowns against three interceptions. Sorsby developed into a top-level NFL draft prospect during a 2025 season that saw him throw for 2,800 yards and run for another 580 yards with 36 total touchdowns.

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Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths

Defensive back Tony-Louis Nkuba #21 of the Arizona State Sun Devils celebrates by jumping into an inflatable bowl of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes after intercepting a pass against the Duke Blue Devils during the first half of the Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl game at Sun Bowl Stadium on December 31, 2025 in El Paso, Texas

(Sam Wasson, Getty Images)

Tony the Tiger stands on the field after the coin toss before a football game between Duke and Arizona State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
(Gaby Velasquez/ El Paso Times)

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) greats the Pop-Tarts mascots before the Pop-Tarts Bowl against the BYU Cougars at Camping World Stadium.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Pop-Tarts mascots celebrate with BYU Cougars after beating Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl mascots perform on the field before a game between the Michigan Wolverines and Texas Longhorns at Camping World Stadium.
(Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

Louisville Cardinals players celebrate after defeating the Toledo Rockets in the Boca Raton Bowl at Flagler CU Stadium.
(Jeff Romance, Jeff Romance-Imagn Images)

Washington Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch holds the LA Bowl championship belt presented by Rob Gronkowski after defeating the Boise State Broncos at SoFi Stadium.
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Musical artist/rapper Snoop Dogg holds the championship trophy after the Fresno State Bulldogs defeated the Miami (OH) RedHawks 18-3 to win the 2025 Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl at Casino Del Sol Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Tucson, Arizona.
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Actor Keegan-Michael Key receives the game coin prior to the 2025 Bush's Boca Raton Bowl of Beans game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Toledo Rockets at Flagler Credit Union Stadium on December 23, 2025 in Boca Raton, Florida.
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Army Black Knights head coach Jeff Monken gets splashed with Powerade after Army beat UConn 41-16 in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl at Fenway Park.
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Interim head coach Drew Svoboda of the North Texas Mean Green is doused after his team defeated the San Diego State Aztecs 49-47 in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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Northwestern Wildcats players dump Gatorade on head coach David Braun of the Northwestern Wildcats after defeating the Central Michigan Chippewas in the 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field on December 26, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.
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Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott is doused with Gatorade after winning the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium Saturday December 27, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. Virginia defeated Missouri 13-7.
(Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union)

Fresno State Bulldogs head coach Matt Entz is doused with gatorade after defeating the Miami (OH) RedHawks during the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl at Casino Del Sol Stadium.
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Head coach Clay Helton of the Georgia Southern Eagles receives a Powerade dunk after winning the JLab Birmingham Bowl by beating the Appalachian State Mountaineers 29-10 at Protective Stadium on December 29, 2025 in Birmingham, Alabama.
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Interim Head Coach Terry M. Smith of the Penn State Nittany Lions lifts the championship trophy following the game against the Clemson Tigers during the 2025 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 27, 2025 in New York City.
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BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) and head coach Kalani Sitake are presented a large pop-tart to eat after they beat the against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Camping World Stadium.
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Ken Seals #9 of the TCU Horned Frogs celebrates with teammates after defeating the USC Trojans in the game at the Alamodome on December 30, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas.
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Head coach Willie Fritz of the Houston Cougars celebrates with the Texas Bowl Trophy after defeating the Louisiana State Tigers during the Kinder's Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
(Tim Warner, Getty Images)

Conner Weigman #1 of the Houston Cougars is named Texas Bowl MVP during the Kinder's Texas Bowl against the Louisiana State Tigers at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
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Maverick McIvor #7 of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers reacts as he recieves the MVP trophy after his team defeated the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles to win the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at Caesars Superdome on December 23, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Old Dominion Monarchs hoist the Cure Bowl trophy after beating the South Florida Bulls at Camping World Stadium.
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Jacksonville State Gamecocks running back Khristian Lando (22) hoists the trophy as Troy Trojans take on Jacksonville State Gamecocks during the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. Jacksonville State Gamecocks defeated Troy Trojans 17-13.
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Interim head coach Drew Svoboda of the North Texas Mean Green raises the championship trophy after his team defeated the San Diego State Aztecs 49-47 in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
(Sam Wasson, Getty Images)

Micah Alejado #12 of the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors holds up the Hawai'i Bowl Championship trophy after winning the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl over the California Golden Bears at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex on December 24, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
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NC State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren receives the trophy after beating Memphis Tigers in the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium.
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With Sorsby facing the possibility of a season-long suspension or permanent loss of eligibility and Hammond expected to be sidelined through most of September, the Red Raiders will lean on one of a handful of mostly young and unproven options.

The one exception is junior Kirk Francis , who transferred from Tulsa this offseason after starting 10 games for the Golden Hurricanes and throwing for 3,045 yards and 18 touchdowns. A former walk-on, Francis has enough experience to separate himself from true freshman Stephen Cannon and redshirt freshmen Lloyd Jones III and Holden Phillips.

Francis may give the Red Raiders enough to get through non-conference games against Abilene Christian and Oregon State. But the season kicks into high gear with the conference opener at home against Houston on Sept. 19, with a loss to the up-and-coming Cougars potentially serving as the tiebreaker that keeps the Red Raiders out of the Big 12 championship game.

By that point, Hammond might be back at enough strength to slide back into the starting lineup. Should the Red Raiders get past Houston and then gather steam against Sam Houston State and Colorado, this big-money roster is talented enough to once again out-talent the rest of the Big 12 and book an automatic playoff berth, potentially as one of the top four seeds.

But Sorsby wasn't acquired to get Tech into the playoff; he was brought to Lubbock to get the Red Raiders over the hump and deeper into the bracket, if not all the way to the national championship. His potential unavailability alters the landscape for Tech, the Big 12 and the entire Power Four.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brendan Sorsby gambling looms over Texas Tech's Big 12, Playoff push

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