The urge to play for top teams and big price tags is creating major problems in college football. Just weeks after Dabo Swinney’s “tampering” plea, the Cincinnati Bearcats find themselves in the middle of a lawsuit against Brendan Sorsby. But this time, they are not after the player but a specific, seven-figure promise they claim he broke in his contract.

Cincinnati sued its former quarterback, Brendan Sorsby, claiming he broke his NIL contract when he transferred to Texas Tech. His move came without paying the $1 million exit fee he agreed to pay within 30 days of leaving the program. He signed a two-year deal with the team, which would expire on December 15, 2026. The university filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio on Wednesday.

“In his lucrative NIL agreement with Cincinnati Athletics, Brendan Sorsby committed to stay and play for two seasons as a proud Bearcat representative,” Cincinnati’s official statement read. “He also agreed that if he left the university before that time, he would pay the university a specific amount for the substantial harm that his breach would cause.”

Cincinnati isn’t trying to hold him back or forcing him to stay with the team, unlike what the Huskies did with Demond Williams. They just want their money back. This buyout deal applies only if he transfers to another team, not to the NFL.

Before filing the lawsuit, the university reached out to Sorsby’s representatives and told them “that Sorsby refuses to pay the university anything.” That’s where the problem began.

In response, Sorsby’s representatives argued that the lawsuit is unjust, noting that the university already received value from his playing a full season for the $873,800 he was paid. They contend that pursuing an additional exit fee sets a negative precedent for future NIL agreements.

Sorsby’s agent, Ron Slavin, said pursuing legal action in this instance is not the right way to go about it. Sorsby intends to fight the lawsuit and any resulting damages. When it comes to money given directly, Sorsby was paid $875,800 by Cincinnati under its revenue-sharing structure for the 2025 season.

“In that time, he generated millions in value for the program. Attempting to recover those funds now sends the wrong message to current and future student-athletes and risks damaging the long-term credibility of Cincinnati football,” Slavin said in an email. “This is further disappointing given that Brendan parted ways with UC in what was a mutually agreeable manner. The money the university seeks to recover from him is nothing more than an unlawful penalty under Ohio law.”

Interestingly, Texas Tech already knew about Brendan Sorsby’s $1 million buyout before he transferred to the team. But even then, they decided to take him on a one-year, $4 million deal. When it comes to quality in QB play, players are limited in number and this is a risk the Red Raiders are clearly willing to take.

Sorsby passed for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2025. He also ran the ball for 580 yards and nine TDs, showing his dual threat ability. The Bearcats started 7-1 before losing their final five games.

While the legal battle has no clear resolution timeline, the on-field drama is already scheduled. The two teams are set to face each other on October 24, adding a layer of personal rivalry to the conference matchup. But it raises a much deeper question.

Is Brendan Sorsby’s lawsuit highlighting a major flaw in college football?

Tampering is making life tough for coaches and teams who are investing in building competitive rosters. Brendan Sorsby’s case highlights the dark side of it. In this new revenue-sharing era, colleges are forced to share the cap with players, but that just gives players an upper hand. But Cincinnati played it right by including a buyout clause so that even if they lose their player, the money is still with them.

This isn’t the first case that resulted in a nasty lawsuit between schools and their players. First up was quarterback Demond Williams of the Washington Huskies, who made his portal move just days after signing a contract with them. The result? The Huskies sued him. Later, he chose to stay with the team because moving would have cost him $4 million.

Then came the Duke fiasco, where the program sued their starting QB Darian Mensah. The two were engaged in a legal fight until a  settlement was reached last month. Mensah had signed a two-year contract in July 2025 before he led the Blue Devils to their first outright ACC title since 1962. A judge favored Duke and blocked Mensah from doing anything beyond entering his name into the transfer portal until both sides came to an agreement. Eventually, the two sides found a solution and Mensah ended up transferring to Miami.

The incident shows how lightly players take their transfers and school switches, as if they mean nothing. When Dabo Swinney requested strict rules, he wasn’t making jokes. Sorsby initially came to Cincinnati from Indiana as a redshirt sophomore in 2024. He earned $1.5 million from the team last year.