Samwise College Football Newsletter
Friday, May 1, 2026
Texas Tech QB Sorsby Takes Indefinite Leave as NCAA Gambling Investigation Looms Over 2026 Season
Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has taken an indefinite leave of absence to enter a residential treatment program for gambling addiction, the university announced Tuesday. The NCAA has opened an investigation into Sorsby after discovering he placed thousands of small bets over four years, including a wager on an Indiana game while he was enrolled there in 2022. Under NCAA rules, betting on one’s own institution carries permanent loss of eligibility. Sorsby, who transferred to Texas Tech on a reported $5 million NIL deal, had been projected as a top-12 preseason Heisman candidate. Former Red Raiders starter Alan Bowman has reportedly offered to return to the program.
Sources: Yahoo Sports
What Comes Next for Sorsby? NCAA Ruling Could Send Texas Tech QB Toward NFL Supplemental Draft
As Brendan Sorsby’s NCAA investigation unfolds, the timeline for a ruling and its consequences is coming into focus for Texas Tech and the broader college football landscape. NCAA investigators must first interview Sorsby — which may be delayed by his treatment program — before issuing an eligibility ruling. Precedent suggests players who bet on their own institution face permanent loss of eligibility, an outcome almost certain to trigger a legal challenge. A separate pathway exists through the NFL supplemental draft, but the league reinstated the process with high standards and insiders say approval for Sorsby is unlikely. The Red Raiders’ 2026 season hangs in the balance pending a ruling.
Sources: Yahoo Sports
Texas Claims No. 1 in CBS Sports Post-Spring Top 25 as Texas Tech Tumbles After Sorsby Absence
CBS Sports analyst Brandon Marcello released the sport’s first post-spring top 25 on Wednesday, ranking Texas at No. 1 following a robust spring that highlighted Arch Manning’s return to full health. Ohio State, returning quarterback Julian Sayin and receiver Jeremiah Smith, placed second, with Georgia third and Oregon fourth after the Ducks finished spring with a dominant defensive showing at Autzen Stadium. Texas Tech, which entered the spring as a dark horse national title contender, fell out of the top 10 entirely following Brendan Sorsby’s indefinite leave of absence. The SEC placed ten teams in the top 25, the Big Ten eight.
Sources: CBS Sports, On3
No. 2 Tight End in 2027 Class Jaxon Dollar Commits to Georgia over Notre Dame and Miami
Five-star tight end Jaxon Dollar of East Lincoln High in Denver, North Carolina, committed to Georgia on Thursday, choosing Kirby Smart’s program over Notre Dame, Miami, Clemson, and Texas. Dollar, ranked No. 32 overall and No. 2 at his position in the 2027 class by 247Sports, stands 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds and recorded 54 catches for 1,190 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior. The commitment strengthens Georgia’s early claim to the 2027 cycle’s top class after a 12-1 regular season that included an SEC Championship Game victory over Alabama. “Everybody at Georgia made it feel like home,” Dollar told 247Sports.
Sources: CBS Sports, Saturday Down South
Big 12 Approves Landmark Private Capital Deal with RedBird in First for Major Conferences
The Big 12 Conference has approved a five-year private capital agreement with RedBird Capital Partners and Weatherford Capital, becoming the first major college conference to ratify a league-wide private equity deal. The package delivers at least $12.5 million to the Big 12 league office for commercial development, offers each member school an opt-in credit line of up to $30 million, and creates a long-term business partnership intended to strengthen the conference’s position in its next media rights negotiation, which is scheduled for 2031. RedBird, the second-largest shareholder of Paramount, which owns CBS, holds no ownership stake in the conference and has no governance role.
Sources: Yahoo Sports
CBS Sports Post-Spring Top 10
1. Texas
2. Ohio State
3. Georgia
4. Oregon
5. Texas A&M
6. Notre Dame
7. Miami
8. LSU
9. Penn State
10. Oklahoma
CBS Sports post-spring rankings — April 29, 2026
Conference Leaders (Pre-Season)
SEC
1. Texas (No. 1 overall)
2. Georgia (No. 3 overall)
3. Texas A&M (No. 5 overall)
Big Ten
1. Ohio State (No. 2 overall)
2. Penn State (No. 9 overall)
3. Oregon (No. 4 overall)
Big 12
1. BYU (Top 15)
2. Texas Tech (dropped out of Top 10)
Season begins Aug. 27, 2026 — off-season pre-season projections
Curated by JD · samwise.agency