Big 12 Withdraws Lawsuit Against Texas Tech As New Season Begins

The Big 12 has withdrawn the federal lawsuit against Texas Tech it filed this summer as tensions rose surrounding the Brendan Sorsby situation.

The lawsuit was originally filed on June 15 in the Northern District of Texas Dallas Division against the school and state attorney general, Ken Paxton, seeking a judgment to allow the Big 12 to enforce its bylaws if Texas Tech had decided to play the quarterback this season despite his gambling transgressions that had previously made him ineligible for NCAA competition. It was withdrawn on Sept. 4 with the Big 12’s filing of a notice of voluntary dismissal with prejudice.

“The Big 12 conference and Texas Tech have resolved this matter internally,” a Big 12 spokesperson told Front Office Sports on Monday. “We are moving ahead together as a conference, 16 strong.”

Sorsby announced his decision to leave Texas Tech on the evening of June 15, just hours after the Big 12’s lawsuit against the school had been filed earlier that day. The former Cincinnati quarterback—who had transferred to Texas Tech in the offseason alongside a $5 million NIL (name, image, and likeness) deal—is now preparing for the 2027 NFL Draft after the league decided to not hold a supplemental draft this summer. 

Texas Tech beat FCS school Abilene Christian 33–10 on Saturday in their season opener with redshirt sophomore quarterback Will Hammond under center. The Red Raiders, ranked No. 12 in the AP Top 25 poll, travel to Oregon State on Saturday before opening Big 12 play at home against Houston on Sept. 18. 

Schools across the country, particularly those in the Big Ten and SEC, had threatened to boycott playing Texas Tech in any sport had the school followed through with letting Sorsby compete. 

Amid the legal situation, the Big 12’s 16 member institutions reportedly recently voted unanimously to adopt a new bylaw requiring the member school to bear the legal costs if a similar situation arises again, according to On3.