Brendan Sorsby gambling story involves all of modern CFB. Plus: QB drafts

AlabamaArizonaBYUGeorgiaGeorgia TechHoustonIndianaIowaJames MadisonMiami (FL)MichiganNorth TexasNotre DameOhio StateOklahomaOle MissOregonTexas A&MTexasTexas TechTulaneUSCUtahVanderbiltVirginiaScores & ScheduleStandingsPodcastsNewsletterRecruitingOddsPicksBest Portal Classes2026 CFB PredictionsEarly Top 25Transfer QB RankingsNewsletterBrendan Sorsby gambling story involves all of modern CFB. Plus: QB drafts Ron Jenkins / Getty Images for ONIT Share articleUntil Saturday Newsletter 🏈 | This is The Athletic’s college football newsletter. Sign up here to receive Until Saturday directly in your inbox. Gambling by an athlete, a seven-figure contract dispute, the portal, NIL, the NCAA, a potential bonus round of the NFL Draft and the new starting quarterback of a big-money team that just made its first Playoff. Wait, that’s all the same story? Slow down. The basics, from our news explanation: “Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby will take an ‘immediate indefinite leave of absence’ from the football program as he enters a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction, the school announced Monday. The NCAA is investigating Sorsby’s gambling, industry sources told The Athletic. “Industry sources confirmed an ESPN report saying that Sorsby bet on Indiana football in 2022 while he was a redshirt freshman for the Hoosiers.” 😬 He also placed “hundreds, maybe thousands” of mostly small bets on pro sports, per our reporting. In January, Sorsby, the 2026 portal’s No. 4 QB, arrived in Lubbock after two starting years for Cincinnati. His full Texas Tech deal is expected to be worth more than $4 million, per our reporting, one of the sport’s highest figures. What can the NCAA do about players gambling? From our story: “Players who bet on games involving their own school face potential permanent loss of eligibility. … Betting more than $800 on pro sports could cost a player at least 30 percent of a season.” Last year, the NCAA briefly attempted to allow players to bet on pro sports (presumably in part to limit enforcement headaches), but everyone hated the idea. What will the NCAA do about this, if it finds Sorsby guilty? It’s the NCAA, which means the only limit to potential rulings is your imagination. Wait … wasn’t Sorsby beefing with Cincinnati over money? Also from our story: “His former school is seeking a $1 million buyout in liquidated damages over Sorsby allegedly violating a multiseason revenue-sharing agreement with the university when he transferred to Texas Tech earlier this year. On Monday, the same day that news of Sorsby’s gambling and treatment broke, the quarterback and his legal representation filed a motion to dismiss.” What will Texas Tech do if its starting QB can’t play? Last year’s starter, Behren Morten, is taking coffee orders as a New England Patriot (his words, not mine). Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire said weeks ago that Morten’s former backup, Will Hammond, might be back from ACL recovery by Week 3. Otherwise, the main options are redshirt freshman Lloyd Jones III (five career passes) and 2024 Tulsa starter Kirk Francis. That’s about it. The year’s only portal window is closed, and the NCAA just installed penalties for programs that circumvent the portal, including head coach suspensions and huge fines. The Red Raiders do have the kind of boosters who could afford such fines, I guess. Tech opens against Abilene Christian, Oregon State and Houston. For a deeper breakdown on Sorsby, listen to (or watch) our “The Audible” episode on it wherever you get your podcasts. We’ll have plenty more to come on our site as well. More: Gambling addiction is absolutely a thing, especially since the advent of online betting. 🍀 Spring ball is winding down, with UCF, UCLA and Washington the only powers still to play finale scrimmages. Notre Dame might’ve had this year’s most-attended, another sign that this season has the school’s first “championship-or-bust vibe” in 20 years. 🧢 “I’m like Ricky Bobby. ‘I don’t know what to do with my hands right now.'” Thanks to 2026’s portal season already being done, coaches are free to actually evaluate 2027 recruits in full. So much room for activities! The past couple editions of the NFL Draft produced some concerns about the amount and quality of top quarterbacks making their way to the pros. With college athletes now making real money, sometimes more than they would in the pros, the poor NFL has to wait an extra year for some of the best fruits of its free minor league. 🎻 As we discussed last week, I think keeping top players down here is great. But a few notes: OK, that’s all for today. Email me at untilsaturday@theathletic.com about whatever. Two other things: Love Until Saturday? Check out The Athletic’s other newsletters, too. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms