The Big 12 has filed a legal complaint against Texas Tech seeking to confirm its authority to enforce conference bylaws if the school plays quarterback Brendan Sorsby this season, setting up an unusual legal fight between a league and one of its members.
The 47-page complaint, obtained by CBS Sports and filed Monday in the Northern District of Texas, names Texas Tech, the Texas Tech University System, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and several school officials as defendants. The conference is asking for declaratory and injunctive relief to prevent what it describes as outside interference with its governance structure.
At issue is whether the Big 12 can impose internal discipline on a member institution while state officials threaten legal action over that same conduct.
The filing centers on Texas Tech's stated intention to play Sorsby, who previously admitted to wagering on college football games, including games involving his own team while at Indiana. The NCAA had ruled him permanently ineligible before a Texas court issued a temporary injunction allowing him to return to play.
The Big 12 is not challenging that court ruling. Instead, it argues that the legal dispute has created uncertainty around its ability to enforce its own rules. The conference says it is seeking to protect its "right under its bylaws to sanction Texas Tech."
According to the complaint, league leadership has already discussed possible penalties if the school moves forward with playing Sorsby.
"If a vote were to occur, however, some of the potential sanctions the Board could consider under the bylaws include monetary sanctions and/or a ban on competing in the Big 12 Championship Game," the filing states.
The conference also expresses concern about the competitive and reputational impact if Sorsby takes the field. It cites "considerable concern" among member institutions that allowing him to play could result in "reputational harm and irreparable damage to public trust in the integrity of league competitions," and argues Texas Tech could "take a spot" in postseason competition "with a player that has acted contrary" to conference standards.
The filing frames the case as one about governance authority rather than eligibility. It emphasizes that the Big 12 is not attempting to revisit the underlying court decision, but is instead asking a federal court to affirm its ability to enforce internal rules without exposure to state-level legal retaliation.
In one section, the complaint points to broader consensus within the sport, stating: "In an industry that rarely agrees on anything, there is finally an issue that everyone seems to agree on (other than TTU and the Attorney General): universities should not field players who have bet on their own team's games in college athletics."
The lawsuit follows a warning from Paxton's office that any conference sanctions could violate antitrust law and expose the Big 12 to significant financial liability. The conference disputes that interpretation in its filing.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark has said previously that all options remain on the table as league members continue to weigh potential disciplinary action.
The case now shifts to federal court, where the Big 12 is seeking confirmation that it may proceed under its bylaws while separate litigation over Sorsby's eligibility continues.
