ESPN personality Paul Finebaum is sounding the alarm on college sports gambling, and he thinks we've only seen the opening act. In the wake of Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby's gambling investigation, Finebaum believes the problem runs far deeper than most realize.
Sorsby is under NCAA scrutiny for allegedly betting thousands of dollars on sports, including wagers on Indiana football games while he was redshirting for the Hoosiers in 2022. The Red Raiders signal-caller has since entered a residential treatment program to address a gambling addiction, as the school confirmed Monday. This case is just the latest in a growing list of betting-related scandals rocking college athletics.
Finebaum, speaking on ESPN's "Get Up," didn't mince words. He argued that the Sorsby situation is more significant than the 2023 firing of Alabama baseball coach Brad Bohannon, who was dismissed for his alleged role in suspicious betting activity. "I believe this is the tip of an iceberg," Finebaum declared Tuesday. "This is a story that a lot of people have been waiting to happen. It was a couple years ago the head baseball coach at Alabama bet on games. He was fired immediately. The story went away. But this is such a big story."
To back his warning, Finebaum cited alarming statistics from sports handicapping expert Danny Sheridan. According to Finebaum, Sheridan told him that "75 percent of male college students bet on sports, and more than 25 percent, according to his research, of athletes." Finebaum called it a potential "epidemic scandal."
Finebaum didn't stop at the numbers. He pointed a finger at the NCAA itself, arguing that the organization's own rule changes helped create the current crisis. About a year ago, the NCAA approved legislation that would have allowed student-athletes and athletic department staffers to bet on professional sports. The measure was rescinded in November after pushback from SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey and others, but Finebaum says the damage was done. "The NCAA has been asking for this," he claimed. "About a year ago, the NCAA agreed on legislation that allowed college athletes to bet on professional sports. A number of people, including the SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, intervened. They went to the president, Charlie Baker, and said, 'We have to rescind this.' They did, but they opened the door for all of this. As we all know where sports gambling is, and now it has crept into college sports. Unfortunately, I believe we'll be here many more times talking about this issue."
For a deeper look at Sorsby's specific situation, check out our coverage on Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby entering rehab for gambling addiction. Meanwhile, the broader gambling landscape continues to evolve. The NBA has also seen its share of betting scandals, with Damon Jones reportedly set to flip his plea, which could trigger a cascade of revelations.
For now, Finebaum's message is clear: the college sports world is sitting on a powder keg, and the Sorsby case is just the spark. With millions of dollars flowing through legal sportsbooks and student-athletes increasingly drawn into the action, the question isn't whether more scandals will emerge—it's how bad they'll get.
