TLDR The Big 12 sued Texas Tech and Texas AG Ken Paxton in federal court on June 14 The dispute centers on QB Brendan Sorsby, who admitted to placing over 2,900 bets totaling $30,000+ The conference wants court confirmation it can discipline Texas Tech without breaking antitrust law Paxton warned the Big 12 that sanctioning Texas Tech could trigger $200 million+ in liability Oklahoma’s AG sided with the Big 12, calling Paxton’s position “facially absurd”
Brendan Sorsby admitted to betting on his own team. Now his eligibility has triggered a federal lawsuit that pits a major college conference against a state attorney general.
The Big 12 Conference filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas on June 14, naming Texas Tech University and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as defendants.
The conference is asking a federal judge to confirm it has the authority to punish Texas Tech for fielding Sorsby this fall.
Who Is Brendan Sorsby?
Sorsby admitted to placing at least 2,900 bets totaling more than $30,000 over four years. Forty of those bets were placed in 2022 while he was a sidelined member of the Indiana Hoosiers roster.
He later transferred to Texas Tech on a name, image and likeness deal worth at least $5 million.
Sorsby sued the NCAA after it refused to reinstate him. A state judge in Lubbock issued a temporary injunction blocking the NCAA from permanently banning him, clearing him to play this fall.
The NCAA asked for an accelerated appeal, but the court set a trial date for two weeks after the College Football Playoff Championship. That timeline left the Big 12 unwilling to wait.
What the Big 12 Is Arguing
The conference is not seeking damages. It wants declaratory and injunctive relief — essentially