New Brendan Sorsby Development Has Major Implications for Houston's Big 12 Title Hopes

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Houston football is now entering year three under head coach Willie Fritz, and the Cougars thrived last season with a 10-3 overall record.

With a strong core of returners along with a talented high school and transfer portal class, Houston has the fifth-best odds to win the Big 12 Championship game at the end of the regular season.

Now, with a significant update on Texas Tech's quarterback Brendan Sorsby, Houston's path to a Big 12 Title just became a little clearer.

How Brendan Sorsby's New Ruling Affects Houston's Big 12 Title Hopes

Texas Tech's quarterback Brendan Sorsby transferred to the Red Raiders from Cincinnati this offseason, and it has been anything but a smooth transition.

Over the summer, news broke that Sorsby had placed over 9,000 bets while in college, including placing bets on games he suited up for.

While things didn't look good for Sorsby at first, just last week a local judge made a decision that shocked the entire nation by ruling him eligible after serving just a two-game suspension.

However, a more recent update earlier this week announced that because of the problems with the gambling situation, Sorsby and Texas Tech mutually agreed to part ways and he would enter the NFL supplemental draft later this year.

Why this is big news for Houston is that Sorsby was set to return to play against Houston in week 3 of this season, and he was one of the best players in the entire Big 12 Conference last year.

Also, Texas Tech now has to rely on sophomore quarterback Will Hammond, who is returning from a torn ACL in his right knee.

Multiple reports indicate that he will almost certainly be healthy by the time Texas Tech hosts the Cougars, and he will be heavily relied upon without Sorsby on the roster.

Last season, he threw for 680 yards and seven touchdowns, and he was a highly sought-after recruit coming out of high school.

Why this impacts Houston so much is that if the Cougars beat Texas Tech, they will no doubt be an early favorite to reach the Big 12 Title game.

With the Red Raiders having the most talented roster in the Big 12, Houston is playing Texas Tech at the best possible time, with a team that is trying to find its identity without Sorsby.

The Cougars also have a strong group of returners from last year, which will make the adjustment to a new season a whole lot easier.

With senior quarterback Conner Weigman leading the charge, Houston will have one of the most dangerous offenses in 2026.

Now that the Cougars have a loaded roster with a strong core of returners and a talented high school and transfer class, pair that with a favorable schedule this season and Houston is certainly a team to watch to win its first Big 12 Title this season.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/houston as New Brendan Sorsby Development Has Major Implications for Houston's Big 12 Title Hopes.

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