Big 12 Board sends clear message on athletes gambling on their own games
Jun 15, 2026, 3:15 PM | Updated: Jun 17, 2026, 9:52 am
SALT LAKE CITY – The Big 12 Conference Board of Directors has made it clear where they stand regarding Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby.
On Monday, the league’s Board, which includes university presidents and chancellors of the member institutions, met to discuss their options regarding Sorsby, who is eligible to play despite gambling on his own team’s games at the University of Indiana in 2022, following a Texas judge’s injunction last week.
No vote or formal decision was made regarding Sorsby by the Board on Monday, June 15.
Still, they acknowledged the 47-page legal complaint they had filed in the Texas District Court against Texas Tech, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Texas Tech University System, the Texas Tech school chancellor, President Lawrence Schovanec, and athletic director Kirby Hocutt.
The complaint seeks an injunction allowing the Big 12 to enforce its bylaws against Texas Tech.
Last week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent the Big 12 a potential legal warning if they imposed any sanctions on Texas Tech University.
Big 12 Board: “Universities should not field players who have bet on their own team’s games in college athletics.”
The statement issued by the Big 12 Board makes it clear where they stand in this matter.
Statement from the Big 12 Board of Directors: pic.twitter.com/rLKoKwlITk
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) June 15, 2026
“Last night, the Big 12 filed a legal complaint asking a federal court to protect the constitutional and contractual rights of the Conference and our member institutions to take actions expressly permitted under our Bylaws. The Big 12 has long spoken out about the dangers of sports wagering by student-athletes and remains committed to protecting the competitive integrity of conference competition. Universities should not field players who have bet on their own team’s games in college athletics.”
Since Sorsby received his injunction from a Texas judge last week, Texas Tech has not stated whether he will play this season. The former Indiana and Cincinnati quarterback is suspended for the first two games of the season, but is cleared to play for the remainder of the year following those two nonconference contests.
On Monday, Attorney Generals from Kansas and Utah publicly expressed support for the Big 12 to enforce its bylaws against Texas Tech.
The Big 12 Board closed out its statement on Monday with the following message: “This situation is evolving with pending legal matters and the upcoming start of the football season, and the Conference hopes for a timely resolution of these issues. The Board continues to keep all options on the table.”
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSL and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
