Cincinnati sues ex-QB Brendan Sorsby for $1 million buyout after transfer to Texas Tech
One of the portal's top-rated players is facing a lawsuit from his former school
The University of Cincinnati is suing former quarterback Brendan Sorsby for breach of contract and is seeking a $1 million buyout after his transfer to Texas Tech this offseason, according to court documents obtained by The Athletic. Cincinnati claims Sorsby broke a revenue-sharing agreement with the school and owes the university money under the conditions of the deal.
Per The Athletic, the lawsuit claims Sorsby signed an "18-month, two-season" agreement with Cincinnati that ran through Dec. 15, 2026, with a $1 million buyout due within 30 days if Sorsby "transferred to another university before completion of the agreement's full term."
Sorsby signed with Texas Tech in January on one of college football's most lucrative portal deals -- reportedly worth more than $4 million. Ranked as a five-star transfer and the No. 2 overall player in the portal by 247Sports, Sorsby threw for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns with seven scores on the ground in 2025, his second season as the starter for the Bearcats.
Coming off its first College Football Playoff appearance in program history after winning the Big 12, Texas Tech made Sorsby a priority on the transfer market following the exit of Behren Morton. Texas Tech celebrated the signing of Sorsby with advertisements posted in New York City. Texas Tech posted a welcome message on Times Square's famous digital billboards to flex the gem of its portal haul.
"We're fired up about Sorsby," Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire said in an interview with WFAA last month. "Lake Dallas kid. He's back home in Texas. I think he's an elite quarterback. He'll play on Sundays, and he's going to be a great leader for us."
Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield spoke on Sorby's portal entry in December, saying his numbers led to contact from other programs.
"As we all know, he's had a really good year and he's gotten reached out to by a lot of schools," Satterfield said. "That's the nature of the college football world we're living in right now. Where we are right now ... the adults in the room have created all these rules and these kids are looking at their situations individually and trying to figure out what's the best for me. As coaches, we do the best we can to maneuver this and go through this."
Last month, Duke started a legal dispute with former quarterback Darian Mensah in a similar lawsuit, arguing he broke NIL contract parameters by entering the portal. In a 44-page document, Duke argued that Mensah should not be allowed to enter the portal.
Duke and Mensah eventually settled ahead of a preliminary injunction hearing, clearing the way for him to transfer to Miami. CBS Sports previously reported there was "urgency on Mensah's side to get things done quickly" due to enrollment rules for the upcoming season.
