Brendan Sorsby's Cincinnati return was circled for months. Then everything changed

When the Big 12 released its 2026 football schedule, Week 8 immediately stood out for Cincinnati fans. The Bearcats were set to host Texas Tech and former quarterback Brendan Sorsby after his transfer to the Red Raiders.

Sorsby transferred after two seasons at Cincinnati, and was one of the most sought-after prospects in the portal. He ultimately landed with the Red Raiders, who were coming off a 2025 College Football Playoff berth. His decision to leave the Bearcats prompted the university to sue Sorsby for a $1 million buyout after he allegedly violated his multi-year NIL revenue-sharing agreement.

Of course, Sorsby’s reunion with Cincinnati is no longer in play — and not because of an injury.

Sorsby is no longer on Texas Tech’s roster after he and Texas Tech mutually agreed to part ways following a high-profile NCAA gambling investigation involving the former Indiana and Cincinnati signal-caller.

Here’s what to know about why Sorsby left Texas Tech before the season even started:

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Why is Brendan Sorsby no longer on Texas Tech’s roster?

Sorsby and Texas Tech parted ways on June 15 after the Big 12 Conference filed a federal lawsuit in Dallas seeking the authority to sanction the school if he played for the Red Raiders. The move came after a Texas judge granted Sorsby a temporary injunction that restored his eligibility while he remained under NCAA investigation related to a gambling addiction.

“I am grateful for the support from my family, my Tech coaching staff, teammates, the community, and so many others who have encouraged me to address and learn more about this important issue,” Sorsby wrote in a post on Instagram. “As my journey continues, I remain fully committed to and focused on being the best I can be, both on and off the field.”

Sorsby declared for the 2026 NFL Supplemental Draft, though the league declined to host for the former college quarterback. As it stands, he cannot enter the league until the 2027 draft.

Brendan Sorsby betting controversy, explained

The NCAA in March received a tip about Sorsby’s betting activity from an online gambling book, which had been informed by law enforcement.

On April 27 the Red Raiders announced Sorsby was checking himself into a residential treatment program in Arizona for a gambling addiction that dated back to his true freshman season at Indiana in 2022. That season, Sorsby placed bets for the first eight games of the season, when he was a member of the Hoosiers’ scout team.

He announced on May 28 that he had completed a 35-day inpatient rehab program in Arizona. The NCAA denied Sorsby’s request for reinstatement for the 2026 season on May 26, which led him to file an injunction against the NCAA in Lubbock County.

The injunction revealed that Sorsby had placed more than $90,000 in bets over four years through accounts registered to the names of family members and friends. Those wagers included at least 40 bets on Indiana when he was a member of the Hoosiers, but also included bets placed on professional sports.

The documents also revealed that, since transferring to Texas Tech, Sorsby sent approximately $5,000 through Venmo or Zelle to an unnamed individual who placed bets on his behalf.

College football risers and fallers: BYU is for real. Alabama, Texas in trouble

His injunction to play for Texas Tech was granted on June 8 by Judge Ken Curry of the 99th District Court of Lubbock County: a decision that merely imposed a two-game suspension on Sorsby for Texas Tech’s first two games of the season against Abilene Christian and Oregon State.

That decision led to an uproar from across the country, with several athletic directors coming out publicly and stating they would not allow their programs to schedule Texas Tech in future contests. It also led to the Big 12 Conference filing a complaint in federal court seeking a declaratory judgment that would allow the league to enforce its bylaws and potentially sanction Texas Tech should the Red Raiders play Sorsby.

The Big 12 considered sanctioning Texas Tech if it played Sorsby, in turn resulting in a legal threat from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton if the conference tried to enforce its rules. Attorneys general in Oklahoma, Kansas and Utah responded, saying they would back up the conference, which ultimately sued Texas Tech in a Dallas court.

Eventually, Sorsby and Texas Tech agreed to part ways as he prepared for the NFL supplemental draft. The NFL announced in June it would not hold a supplemental draft in 2026, blocking a path for Sorsby to compete in the NFL in 2026.

Is Cincinnati under investigation by the NCAA for Brendan Sorbsy?

No. The NCAA inquiry into University of Cincinnati Athletics regarding Sorsby’s gambling was closed on Sept. 2 with no punishments issued to the Bearcats.

Sorsby’s agent, Ron Slavin, claimed in a Dallas radio interview in June that Cincinnati knew about Sorsby’s gambling activity and did not act on it. Cincinnati, however, denied the accusation, saying in a statement that had it known of any impermissible gambling, it would have reported it to the NCAA.

“Earlier this summer, NCAA enforcement staff completed an inquiry into a former Cincinnati student-athlete’s prohibited betting activity during his time at the university. The inquiry is now closed, and the student-athlete was found to have committed a Level III violation,” UC Senior Associate Athletic Director for Communications Zach Stipe said in a statement to The Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network, on Sept. 2.

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