A surprising development has emerged following a court decision that cleared the way for Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby to compete next season, even after he had previously wagered on his own team – bettors are now flocking to back the Red Raiders for a national title.
BetMGM had Texas Tech listed at +2000 odds before Monday’s court decision. After the injunction was approved, those numbers improved to +1700, with the sportsbook noting that 35% of all championship betting money during that period went toward the Red Raiders.
While they maintain just the 11th-best championship odds, the concentrated betting activity has influenced the overall national title marketplace.
Ohio State continues to lead as the championship favorite with +600 odds, while Notre Dame sits at +700 and both Indiana and Texas hold +750 odds. At DraftKings, Texas Tech remains at +2000, with Ohio State favored at +650, followed by Notre Dame, Indiana and Texas matching BetMGM’s pricing.
The 22-year-old Sorsby started with +2500 Heisman Trophy odds at BetMGM for next season. Those numbers have also improved to +2000, with 3.6% of all Heisman betting money supporting him.
Leading the Heisman race are quarterbacks Arch Manning from Texas and Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, both at +750 odds, with Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss at +900. Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin holds the next-best odds at +1100.
Monday’s court ruling continues to create waves throughout collegiate athletics, as several schools are considering boycotts against competing with the Red Raiders in any sport.
The controversy stems from a temporary court order issued Monday in Lubbock County, Texas, by district judge Ken Curry that reinstated Sorsby’s playing eligibility. The ruling also stated the NCAA cannot stop him from “practicing, playing or otherwise participating on Texas Tech’s football team for the 2026 season.”
This comes after the NCAA had declared Sorsby ineligible following findings that he wagered approximately $90,000 on collegiate and professional sports over four years, including bets on his team while at Indiana in 2022. The NCAA rejected his appeal last Friday.
The NCAA has already filed an appeal of Curry’s decision with the Court of Appeals for the Seventh District of Texas in Amarillo.
