Austin, Texas – Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office has warned the Big 12 Conference that any move to punish Texas Tech University over its handling of football player Brendan Sorsby could bring major legal consequences, including potential liability topping $200 million.
The dispute stems from a June 8, 2026, Temporary Injunction Order in Sorsby v. NCAA. The Texas court order blocked the NCAA from preventing Sorsby from practicing, playing, or otherwise taking part with Texas Tech’s football team during the 2026 season, as long as certain conditions are met. Those conditions include a two-game suspension.
Texas Tech is not a party in the lawsuit. Still, according to Paxton’s office, the university has continued to support Sorsby as a student-athlete while acting in line with the court’s order. The attorney general’s office said it was later informed that the Big 12 Conference and some member schools were considering sanctions against Texas Tech for honoring that injunction.
In response, Paxton’s office sent a letter on behalf of Texas Tech to Big 12 leaders. The message was direct: sanctioning the university for following a valid court order would violate both federal and state law.
The letter argues that any coordinated conference action against Texas Tech would amount to a horizontal agreement among competitors designed to harm one member institution. Paxton’s office described that kind of conduct as textbook per se unlawful behavior under antitrust law.
The financial risk, the office warned, could be steep. Possible damages could include lost football revenue, harm to alumni contributions, recruiting damage, attorneys’ fees, and treble damages under antitrust law. Together, those claims could exceed $200 million.
The warning did not stop there. Paxton’s office also said that any Big 12 action leading to the cancellation, forfeiture, or alteration of scheduled Texas Tech games could amount to a breach of contract. It added that interference with sponsorship deals, ticket commitments, or other business relationships could expose the conference to tortious interference claims.
“Texas Tech acted consistent with a lawful court order and no athletic conference has the right to punish a member institution for respecting the judicial process,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Antitrust laws exist to prevent exactly this type of illegal coordinated effort to harm a competitor. Any attempt by the Big 12 to sanction Texas Tech for honoring the results of a lawsuit it was not a party to would carry serious legal consequences.”
For now, the attorney general’s office has made clear that Texas Tech’s legal position is tied to compliance with the court order — and that any conference response could turn a football eligibility dispute into a much larger legal fight.
