How Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby’s New Ruling Will Affect The Houston Cougars

The Houston Cougars look for revenge against the Red Raiders this season after suffering a 35-11 blowout loss to Texas Tech last year.

The two teams will face off on Friday, Sep. 18, at 7 p.m., inside Jones AT&T Stadium, in Lubbock, Texas.

With a new ruling on Texas Tech’s quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s eligibility, the Cougars will have a different game plan come September.

How Brendan Sorsby’s Ruling Affects Houston

Houston Cougars head coach Willie Fritz yells out to his team as they play against the ASU Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Oct. 25, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sorsby was a top quarterback in the transfer portal from Cincinnati this offseason, and he ended up signing with the Red Raiders for the 2026 season.

Everything seemed to be going Texas Tech’s way until reports came out that Sorsby was ruled ineligible for the season because of gambling.

He had reportedly made over 2,000 bets, wagering over $90,000, and he even bet on his own team in games he suited up for.

With Sorsby’s future in football being uncertain, that all changed with a judge granted Sorsby a preliminary injunction against the NCAA, which would make him eligible for the 2026 season after serving a two-game suspension.

This affects the Cougars directly because Houston is set to face Texas Tech in Week 3 of next year.

While there is still a long way to go for Sorsby to actually see the field without receiving any penalties for himself, or even for Texas Tech, the Cougars now have to prepare as if he will be the starting quarterback on Sep. 18.

Houston ran into Sorsby one time in his career, and it did not turn out well for the Cougars.

In head coach Willie Fritz’s first season with Houston, Sorsby and the Bearcats ran away with a 34-0 shutout victory at home.

Sorsby went 12-for-15 on passing attempts in the contest, totaling 188 yards and two touchdowns.

Now, the veteran quarterback is even better, and he has grown into one of the best quarterbacks in the country.

As a junior last year, he passed for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns, while only throwing five interceptions.

With a roster as loaded as Texas Tech now with a star quarterback, the Cougars will have their hands full in week 3.

The good news for Houston is that if this ruling stands, the matchup with Texas Tech will be Sorsby’s first game of the season.

Anything can happen in the first few weeks of a season without games under your belt, and with Houston’s strong core of veterans returning, alongside a wealth of young talent and transfers, the Cougars very well could be Texas Tech’s toughest regular-season opponent next season.

Add us as a preferred source on Google