Ken Paxton warned the Big 12 it could face major legal exposure if it sanctions Texas Tech over Brendan Sorsby’s eligibility battle.
The Brendan Sorsby fight just got louder, uglier and a lot more expensive.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has put the Big 12 on notice, warning commissioner Brett Yormark and board chairman Douglas Girod that the conference could face “substantial liability” if it punishes Texas Tech for playing Sorsby this season.
That turns an already messy college football controversy into a legal street fight.
Sorsby, Texas Tech’s transfer quarterback, was ruled ineligible by the NCAA after wagering on college sports.
But Texas Judge Ken Curry granted him a temporary injunction Monday, allowing him to practice and play for the Red Raiders while the case moves forward.
The NCAA plans to appeal.
Now the Big 12 is weighing whether it can use Bylaw 3.6 to sanction Texas Tech if the school plays Sorsby.
That bylaw gives the conference power to discipline a member for conduct considered harmful to the league as a whole.
Paxton says the conference should think very carefully before going down that road.
“This letter serves to notify the Big 12 that any such action would be unlawful and would expose the Conference to substantial liability,” Paxton wrote.
According to Paxton, the damages could explode past $200 million when factoring in potential lost football revenue, alumni contributions, recruiting damage and legal fees.
He also raised the possibility of antitrust claims, breach of contract and tortious interference if the Big 12 alters, cancels or impacts Texas Tech’s scheduled games.
That’s not a warning shot. That’s a legal cannonball.
The Big 12’s frustration is real, too. The league’s other 15 schools reportedly oppose Texas Tech playing Sorsby this season, and Big 12 athletic directors already voiced concerns to Yormark earlier this week.
Some league officials have even suggested opponents may refuse to play Texas Tech if Sorsby takes the field.
Sorsby’s attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, also sent a letter to the conference, arguing the Big 12 can’t work around the court order by punishing Texas Tech or encouraging schools to boycott the Red Raiders.
“What does it say about the Big 12 if it decides to lawlessly violate a court order?” Kessler wrote.
Yormark said the conference is reviewing the legal concerns and will meet again with the full board Monday. For now, he said, “all options remain on the table.”
That’s the problem. Every option now looks explosive.
Texas Tech says it’s following a judge’s order and supporting its student-athlete. The Big 12 is trying to protect competitive integrity. Paxton is threatening legal war.
And Sorsby is still right in the middle of it.
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