On Monday, the sports world learned that former Cincinnati QB Brendan Sorsby had placed thousands of bets on collegiate sporting events, including on his own team.
On Tuesday, we found out that his former school was aware of it.
In an explosive report from USA Today, we learn that the University of Cincinnati was aware of Sorsby’s frequent gambling and did nothing about it. Nor did the school inform Texas Tech before Sorsby transferred to the Red Raiders this offseason after signing a lucrative name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal worth approximately $5 million.
The report claims that Cincinnati became aware of Sorsby’s gambling problem last summer. Which means the quarterback played the entire 2025 season while his team was fully aware of his penchant for illegal gambling. That would put Cincinnati squarely in the crosshairs of the NCAA, which could impose severe penalties on the university, including vacated wins, potential recruiting restrictions, and bowl bans.
While collegiate athletes are permitted to gamble on pro sports, up to $800, gambling on college sports is strictly forbidden. Placing wagers on your own team, as Sorsby is accused of doing while at Indiana, brings with it a penalty of automatic loss of eligibility.
Cincinnati Athletic Director Zach Stipe released a statement saying, “Cincinnati Athletics has no comment at this time.”
Further complicating matters, the legal gambling age in Indiana is 21. Which means that Sorsby made wagers while underage. Another report claims that Sorsby live-bet on balls and strikes while attending Cincinnati Reds games.
Texas Tech, which has now presumably lost its $5 million quarterback, has sued Sorsby for his $1 million buyout clause.
Tech issued a statement following Monday’s news that Sorsby had entered a treatment program for his gambling addiction.
“Texas Tech’s primary focus remains on fostering an environment where student-athletes feel empowered to prioritize their mental health and seek professional assistance,” the statement read. “To protect the integrity of the recovery process, Texas Tech will have no further comment on Brendan’s status or treatment progress at this time.”