Brendan Sorsby, the highly sought-after quarterback from Cincinnati, has officially become the hottest name in college football’s transfer portal as the 2026 window swings open. With the NCAA transfer portal now resembling a frenzied free agency market—NIL offers flying and over 4,000 players on the move—Sorsby’s next destination has become the talk of the college football world. On January 2, 2026, the 6-foot-3, 235-pound redshirt junior is set to visit both Texas Tech and LSU, two powerhouse programs in urgent need of a new leader under center.
Sorsby’s credentials are nothing short of impressive. Ranked as the No. 1 player in the transfer portal by ESPN and No. 2 by 247sports.com, he’s coming off a career-best season at Cincinnati. In 2025, Sorsby threw for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns against just five interceptions, while also rushing for 580 yards and notching nine scores on the ground. That dual-threat ability helped lead the Bearcats to a 7-5 record and a berth in the Liberty Bowl, though Sorsby opted out of the bowl game after announcing on December 15 that he’d enter the portal ahead of his senior season.
Reflecting on his time with the Bearcats, Sorsby took to social media to say, “To my teammates, I appreciate you guys more than you know. I'll never forget all the memories we've shared on and off the field. All the highs and lows that we've been through, I wouldn't trade for anything.” That gratitude hasn’t gone unnoticed by coaches and fans alike, who have watched Sorsby’s development from his early days at Indiana to his breakout at Cincinnati.
Sorsby’s journey began at Indiana in 2022, where he redshirted after appearing in one game. He started seven games for the Hoosiers in 2023, throwing for 1,587 yards and 15 touchdowns. After transferring to Cincinnati for the 2024 season, he completed 64 percent of his passes for 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions, setting the stage for his remarkable 2025 campaign. In total, Sorsby has amassed 7,208 passing yards and 60 touchdowns in his college career, along with 1,305 rushing yards—numbers that make him a tantalizing prospect for any top-tier program.
His first stop on the recruiting trail is Texas Tech. The Red Raiders are coming off a historic 12-2 season, clinching their first Big 12 title since 1996 and earning a spot in the College Football Playoff. However, their postseason dreams were dashed in the quarterfinals, where they fell 23-0 to Oregon in the Capital One Orange Bowl. In that game, Texas Tech managed just 215 total yards and 137 passing yards, highlighting their need for a dynamic quarterback to replace outgoing starter Behren Morton.
Despite the tough playoff exit, Texas Tech’s resurgence under coach Joey McGuire has reignited excitement in Lubbock. The program’s Big 12 championship and CFP appearance have made it an attractive landing spot for a player of Sorsby’s caliber. Adding him to the roster could be the key to maintaining their momentum and making another run at the national stage.
After visiting Texas Tech, Sorsby will head east to Baton Rouge, where LSU is entering a new era under head coach Lane Kiffin. The Tigers finished the 2025 season at 7-6, a far cry from their national championship glory in 2019, and parted ways with Brian Kelly in October. Kiffin, renowned as a quarterback guru, is tasked with revitalizing the program and filling a major void at quarterback following the departure of Garrett Nussmeier. Currently, sophomore Michael Van Buren is the only scholarship quarterback on the roster not planning to enter the portal.
LSU’s quarterback situation is dire, but it also presents a golden opportunity for Sorsby to become the centerpiece of Kiffin’s high-octane offense. With the Tigers looking to return to the College Football Playoff for the first time since their 2019 title run, bringing in a proven playmaker like Sorsby could be the spark they desperately need. As ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported, “Sorsby is set to fly to visit Texas Tech on Friday and will go from there to Baton Rouge.”
Sorsby’s decision is being watched closely not just because of his stats, but also because of the broader trend in college football: transfer quarterbacks are leading the charge in the postseason. This year’s College Football Playoff features four teams, all led by quarterbacks who transferred just a year ago—Miami’s Carson Beck, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, and Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss among them. Sorsby, with one year of eligibility remaining, is aiming to replicate that success and become the next transfer to engineer a playoff run.
The stakes are high for both programs. Texas Tech’s offense sputtered in their biggest game of the year, and with Morton moving on, the Red Raiders are banking on landing a quarterback who can elevate their attack. LSU, meanwhile, is undergoing a transformation under Kiffin, and with the transfer portal now the primary route for roster building, the Tigers are looking to make a statement by landing the No. 1 player available.
Beyond Sorsby, LSU is casting a wide net in the portal, reportedly hosting other top prospects such as Penn State edge rusher Chaz Coleman and wide receivers Terrell Anderson and Iverson Hooks. But it’s the quarterback position that remains the highest priority. As Lane Kiffin settles into his new role in Baton Rouge, the pressure is on to secure a leader who can bring the Tigers back to national prominence.
For Sorsby, the next few days could define his college football legacy. Will he choose Texas Tech, a program on the rise and hungry for redemption after a playoff shutout? Or will he opt for LSU, where he’d be the first quarterback to run Kiffin’s offense and have the chance to restore the Tigers’ championship pedigree? The answer isn’t in yet, but one thing’s for certain: wherever Brendan Sorsby lands, expectations will be sky-high for the 2026 season.
As the transfer portal drama unfolds, fans in Lubbock and Baton Rouge—and across the college football landscape—are holding their breath. Sorsby’s decision could tip the balance of power for two storied programs, and his next move is set to be one of the most consequential of this wild transfer season.
