Judge Grants Temporary Injunction, Clearing Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby for 2026 Season

A judge in Lubbock County, Texas, granted a temporary injunction that prevents the NCAA from blocking quarterback Brendan Sorsby from participating for Texas Tech in the 2026 season. The ruling, issued Monday by District Court Judge Ken Curry, effectively restores Sorsby’s NCAA eligibility while the lawsuit continues, even though the NCAA had determined he was ineligible due to a sports wagering matter.

The decision carries immediate practical consequences for Texas Tech. Sorsby will still be required to miss the Red Raiders’ first two games of the season, according to the terms reported from the court’s order. The injunction also comes with conditions tied to Sorsby’s treatment and recovery process, including continued clinical counseling and participation in peer support, along with ongoing treatment directed at anxiety identified as a driver of the gambling behavior.

The legal fight is rooted in the NCAA’s eligibility determination that followed Sorsby’s admitted and reported involvement with sports betting. Texas Tech previously said Sorsby took an indefinite leave to enter a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction, and the program announcement was framed as part of the university’s commitment to his health and well-being as the compliance dispute played out.

Sorsby’s attorneys sought judicial intervention in time to address the calendar pressure created by NFL draft procedures. Reporting on the case noted that the lawsuit and injunction request were aimed at producing a decision before key dates, including the NFL supplemental draft application deadline, which has been described in coverage as occurring in late June.

The NCAA indicated it would not simply accept the ruling. In coverage of Monday’s decision, the NCAA said it “strongly disagrees” with the court’s outcome and warned that the result raises integrity concerns, even as the organization said it is committed to student-athlete mental health. The NCAA can pursue an appeal, which leaves the eligibility question potentially unsettled beyond the temporary order.

For Texas Tech, the timing is significant because it arrives close to the start of preparations for the 2026 season. Texas Tech’s opener is scheduled for Sept. 5 at home against Abilene Christian, and the injunction means Sorsby could be available to practice and play later than he otherwise would have been if the NCAA’s ineligibility determination had remained in effect throughout the court fight.

Sorsby’s NCAA status also affects how the summer NFL draft conversation may develop. If he is eligible to compete as a college player, the incentives and urgency to pursue the supplemental draft can shift, but he could still weigh his next steps as the case proceeds. What matters now is compliance with the order’s conditions and how any higher-court action or NCAA response unfolds.

Sorsby’s immediate eligibility is now linked to a moving legal target. The next checkpoints to watch include whether the injunction’s conditions are followed without disruption, whether the NCAA appeals quickly, and whether the litigation produces a longer-term ruling that either confirms his ability to play through 2026 or changes course before the season is complete.