The outrage over a Texas judge granting an injunction to let Brendan Sorsby play for Texas Tech this year, colleges across the country are swiftly working to excise the Red Raiders from their sports.
According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, officials for the Big Ten Conference are discussing a "league-wide mandate" not to play Texas Tech in any sports. Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen has already informed his own staff not to schedule the Red Raiders for any games in any sports moving forward. Now it appears the entire conference is mulling the same thing.
"NEWS: Big Ten officials are expected to discuss in the upcoming days a league-wide mandate to not play Texas Tech in any sports, per three Big Ten sources. This is in the wake of Nebraska AD Troy Dannen informing his staff today that they aren't allowed to schedule Texas Tech," Thamel wrote.
Effective or Performative?
It's hard to tell what the impact of such a decision will be if there even is any. None of the Big Ten teams face Texas Tech in football this year and last year the only matchup they had against the Red Raiders came in the College Football Playoff (Oregon in the Orange Bowl).
Assuming Sorsby leaves Texas Tech at the end of 2026, it's worth wondering whether this decision would be rescinded once he does. At that point, it becomes less about avoiding a player who wagered on sports and more about the principle of the thing.
The phrasing of the decision is also critical: Will the Big Ten truly boycott games against Texas Tech if they're matched up against each other in the postseason?
© Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
As mentioned earlier, Texas Tech reached the College Football Playoff last year, and they've been regulars in the NCAA Tournament for basketball too.
If push comes to shove, will the Big Ten grit their teeth and play against the Red Raiders in those major sports anyway? Or will they truly risk forfeiting a massive games to stand on principle?
We'll just have to wait and see.
