Judge Lets Quarterback Play Despite NCAA Gambling Ban

A Texas judge made a big decision about college football. He said that Brendan Sorsby can play quarterback for Texas Tech this fall. This happened even though the NCAA said Sorsby cannot play because he bet money on college sports games. The NCAA is the group that makes rules for college sports.

The NCAA is very upset about this decision. They said the judge's choice could hurt college sports badly. The NCAA thinks betting on games breaks important rules that keep sports fair. They plan to ask a higher court to change this decision.

Sorsby has admitted he has a gambling problem. He made thousands of bets that cost at least $90,000 while he was at different schools. He even bet on his own team 40 times when he played for Indiana University. The NCAA rules say players who bet on their own teams can never play college sports again.

The judge said Sorsby would be hurt badly if he could not play football. Sorsby must keep getting help for his gambling problem. He has to go to counseling and attend support group meetings. He also needs treatment for anxiety, which caused his gambling behavior.

Texas Tech brought Sorsby to their school in January. They paid him millions of dollars to be their starting quarterback. The school wants to win the Big 12 Conference again and make the College Football Playoff. Sorsby will miss the first two games of the season as punishment.

Other college sports leaders are worried about this decision. Some think it could change how college sports work. The Kansas State athletic director said he was disappointed. The Georgia athletic director said his school might not play against Texas Tech in any sports.

Sorsby's lawyer said the young man has a diagnosed addiction. He spent a month getting treatment in Arizona after the NCAA started investigating him. The lawyer argued that not letting Sorsby play would hurt his mental health and recovery.

The NCAA found out about Sorsby's betting from an online gambling company. Law enforcement had told the gambling company about the problem. The NCAA started investigating in March and told Texas Tech about it in April.

This case shows how college sports are changing. The NCAA has lost many court cases recently. Schools and players are challenging old rules about who can play and earn money. Many people think Congress needs to make new laws to help fix these problems.