Brendan Sorsby's chances of ever suiting up for the Texas Tech Red Raiders this season went way up on Monday morning.
The NCAA was investigating the transfer quarterback for gambling as a student-athlete earlier in his collegiate career, and after Sorsby took his case to a Texas court, he was granted an injunction that would make him eligible to play in 2026.
We break down the latest on Sorsby's story and what it means for his Heisman Trophy odds and Texas Tech's National Championship odds below.
The latest on Brendan Sorsby's case
Sorsby's initial ineligibility stems from his admission to betting on Indiana while playing for the Hoosiers in 2022. The NCAA's subsequent investigation into his gambling as a student-athlete could have kept him sidelined for all of 2026. He then entered a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction.
The former Indiana and Cincinnati quarterback took the NCAA case to court in Texas, and ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Monday morning that he was granted an injunction that would allow him to play for Texas Tech, after all.
He will still serve a two-game suspension to start the season, with Texas Tech up against Abilene Christian and Oregon State in those games. He will likely return for TTU's third game against Houston.
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Sorsby's Heisman Trophy chances
Sorsby's eligibility means movement in the college football odds markets, notably to win the Heisman Trophy. He's already reopened at +2200 to win the award after being listed in a similar 20/1 to 25/1 range before being ruled ineligible. Though he's not among the top tier of favorites, he's certainly worth some attention as Texas Tech solidifies itself as an annual title contender.
Still, missing two games against overmatched opponents will dampen his season-long stats, and that could be the difference between winning and losing in a Heisman crowd that includes Arch Manning, CJ Carr, Jeremiah Smith, and more.
In two seasons with the Cincinnati Bearcats, Sorsby threw for 5,613 yards, 45 touchdowns, and just 12 interceptions.
Texas Tech a true title contender?
The bigger story lies in Texas Tech's chances to win it all. The program is giving the Cincinnati transfer a massive NIL package worth up to $6 million, a worthless investment if he were sidelined for the entire season.
Texas Tech's rise as a new-age blue blood can't be overstated. The Red Raiders are coming off a 12-2 season in 2025 and earned a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff before falling to Oregon in Round 2. With Joey McGuire at the helm, that level of success feels replicable, especially in a weaker Big 12 conference.
That's why Texas Tech's title odds shot up from 22/1 to 15/1 at FanDuel after this morning's news. That's the highest of any team in the Big 12 by a large margin.
If Sorsby is to suit up this season (anything can happen), Texas Tech is undoubtedly one of the best teams in the country, and this jump in odds reflects that.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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