Brendan Sorsby’s NCAA clock is ticking — and the courtroom is looming
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Any potential eligibility lawsuit from Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby against the NCAA will be heard in the Lubbock District Court, two people close to the process told USA TODAY Sports.
Lubbock District Court serves Lubbock County, where Texas Tech University is located. Should Sorsby ― whose habitual gambling problem was sent anonymously to the NCAA nearly three weeks ago ― need to sue the NCAA, it will continue a trend of players filing against the NCAA in favorable legal situations.
Sorsby, two people told USA TODAY Sports, is still trying to get a favorable answer from the NCAA before using litigation. Because of a compacted timeline, Sorsby needs an eligibility decision soon from the NCAA in case he must petition the NFL to be part of a supplemental draft.
Sorsby, sources told USA TODAY Sports, has hired noted antitrust and sports labor attorney Jeffrey Kessler — who spearheaded the multibillion dollar lawsuit against the NCAA that changed the financial landscape of college sports.
Timing is critical for Sorsby, who allegedly bet on his own team as a freshman at Indiana, but did not play in the game. He has also placed thousands of small bets — mostly $1 and $2 dollar bets, according to multiple people close to the process — on various other sports.
Because the NCAA is notorious for lengthy legal cases, any decision for Sorsby could leak into the 2026 season or worse. Hence, the need to expedite the process, and file with Kessler if needed.
NCAA rules prohibit member institutions from paying for an attorney to sue the NCAA, so Texas Tech will not be paying for Kessler.
USA TODAY Sports reported last week the Cincinnati athletic department was alerted last August of Sorsby’s habitual gambling. The NCAA learned of Sorsby’s problem anonymously earlier this month.
Sorsby left Cincinnati at the end of last season, transferring to Texas Tech for a significant pay raise, and is currently in litigation with Cincinnati over buyout terms.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brendan Sorsby potential NCAA lawsuit would be heard in Lubbock court
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