All articles tagged with #big 12
ESPN FPI’s preseason projections place BYU at No. 20 with an 8.5-3.5 expected record, predicting the Cougars will be favored in 11 of 12 games and only underdog against Notre Dame. BYU sits second in the Big 12 title odds behind Texas Tech (16.5%), with a playoff shot of about 25.7%, and a path to a potential College Football Playoff contingent on a strong season.
Big 12 coaches select BYU to win the conference in On3's preseason poll, with Kalani Sitake addressing media during Big 12 Football Media Days.
At Big 12 media day, Brett Yormark dodged a direct answer about Cincinnati’s knowledge of Brendan Sorsby’s gambling in the NCAA probe, prompting the author to demand transparency: if Cincinnati knew and played Sorsby, sanctions should follow; if not, the investigation should be clarified. The NCAA says it received a sportsbook tip (alerted by law enforcement) about Sorsby, while multiple reports and Sorsby’s lawsuit allege Cincinnati knew in 2025. The piece criticizes Yormark’s performative response, questions the tip’s chain of custody, and notes Sorsby’s long gambling history and Cincinnati’s NIL/education defenses and his move to Texas Tech.
At Big 12 Media Day, commissioner Brett Yormark refused to address Brendan Sorsby amid ongoing tensions with Texas Tech, including legal disputes and branding beef, as the league pushes ahead with a 16-team identity.
Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire says the program misread the Brendan Sorsby fallout and would have pursued a veteran quarterback instead, noting strong pushback from other schools and the Big 12; Sorsby remains blocked from NFL/CFL this year while Tech continues to support his recovery and Will Hammond works toward a return from ACL injury.
BYU will send six players to the 2026 Big 12 Media Days at The Star in Frisco, led by LJ Martin and Bear Bachmeier, along with center Bruce Mitchell and defensive veterans Isaiah Glasker, Evan Johnson, and Keanu Tanuvasa. Martin, the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, is back for his senior season after 1,305 rushing yards and 12 TDs; Bachmeier emerged as a standout freshman with 3,033 passing yards. This marks BYU's fourth Big 12 Media Day, as head coach Kalani Sitake—the league's longest-tenured coach—aims for another trip to the Big 12 Championship Game after BYU's 23 wins over the past two seasons.
College freshmen led the night in the 2026 NBA Draft, with 9 of the first 10 picks freshmen and the first 20 selections all from college; AJ Dybantsa went No. 1 to Washington, Michigan produced three top-12 picks, the Big 12 set a first-round record with nine picks, seven teams had two first-rounders, and a new lottery reform will alter odds next season.
The Big 12’s federal lawsuit against Texas Tech over Brendan Sorsby remains active despite Tech pulling the transfer situation and Sorsby securing a court order to play before entering the NFL supplemental draft; the case touches on potential conference liability and who should cover legal fees, with the possibility of future claims or amended filings depending on discoverable communications.
Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby saga sparked a bold legal push after Texas AG Ken Paxton threatened action against excluding Sorsby; the Big 12 united 15 of 16 member schools and moved to sue for a declaratory judgment on First Amendment grounds to defend its bylaw, with commissioner Brett Yormark deftly steering the league’s response. The political dynamics—Paxton, Campbell, and other state officials weighing in—shaped a high-stakes standoff that nudged Sorsby toward the NFL supplemental draft and underscored the Big 12’s willingness to enforce eligibility rules as a defining moment of Yormark’s tenure.
Brendan Sorsby’s eligibility dispute—fueled by a court injunction and a Big 12 lawsuit—pushed Texas Tech to urge him toward the NFL Supplemental Draft due to looming sanctions and a tight deadline, effectively ending his college football career and leaving a strained relationship between the Red Raiders and the Big 12 amid ongoing NCAA governance battles.
The Big 12 says it is monitoring Brendan Sorsby’s eligibility case and has kept all options on the table as the NCAA seeks a stay of the court-granted injunction; the league emphasizes the integrity of competition and says universities should not field players who bet on their own games, while the NCAA argues the injunction oversteps Texas law and should be stayed for a timely resolution ahead of the football season. If unresolved, Sorsby could still play this fall after a two‑game suspension, depending on how the rulings unfold.
Brendan Sorsby has applied for the NFL’s supplemental draft amid ongoing NCAA eligibility litigation and a Big 12 challenge against Texas Tech, with a June 22 deadline looming for the decision.
The Big 12 filed a federal lawsuit to secure the conference’s authority to sanction Texas Tech if quarterback Brendan Sorsby plays in 2026, asking a court to declare its bylaws enforceable and to bar the Texas attorney general from blocking sanctions after Sorsby’s gambling-related eligibility issues; potential penalties include postseason bans or reduced revenue, with Sorsby not named as a defendant and NCAA appeals ongoing in parallel.
The Big 12 filed a 47-page federal complaint in the Northern District of Texas seeking a declaratory judgment and a preliminary injunction to enforce its bylaws and sanction Texas Tech over the Brendan Sorsby situation, without interference from Texas AG Ken Paxton. The suit names Tech officials and Paxton and argues the conference must preserve its sanctioning authority (including potential fines or a ban from the Big 12 Championship) to protect the integrity of competition. The Big 12 emphasizes it is not seeking damages or to overturn the NCAA’s ruling that initially rendered Sorsby ineligible, and the action follows Paxton’s warning that sanctions could violate antitrust law; the case comes as Sorsby, who admitted wagering on Indiana games, was granted a 2026 playing permit by a Texas court injunction despite the NCAA’s ruling.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond urged the Big 12 to suspend Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby even though a court order has restored his eligibility after the NCAA deemed him permanently ineligible for extensive wagering; he argues the order applies to the NCAA, not the conference, and calls for sanctions if Texas Tech won’t act. Supporters say the court order stands unless reversed, so Sorsby remains eligible to play, while critics frame the move as political theatrics tied to broader debates over sports governance and antitrust considerations.