Roy Alexander, a former wide receiver for Texas Tech, has initiated legal action against the NCAA in an effort to overturn a six-game suspension he received for betting on sports during his college tenure.
The lawsuit, filed on August 19 in Bexar County District Court, claims that the NCAA violated its contractual obligations to Alexander and seeks a court order that would allow him to return to play earlier in his final eligible season.
While acknowledging that he breached NCAA regulations by placing sports bets from January 2023 to April 2025 while at Albany and Incarnate Word, the lawsuit contends that he never bet on games involving his own teams, thus maintaining the integrity of the sport.
Reports indicate that most of Alexander's wagers were modest, typically under $12, with his highest bet being $80. He ceased betting in April 2025 after reading an article about the dangers of gambling among college athletes.
The lawsuit states, “Although Roy has accepted responsibility for his actions and stopped wagering, the NCAA imposed a six-game suspension that is entirely unreasonable given the circumstances.”
After transferring to Texas Tech in January 2026, Alexander alleges that the university reported his prior gambling activities post-transfer.
Recently, he returned to Incarnate Word and participated in the season opener against Oklahoma Panhandle State on August 29, as the game was against an NAIA opponent and did not affect postseason eligibility.
The NCAA has defended its stance on sports betting regulations, asserting that these rules, which were recently reaffirmed by a majority of Division I institutions, will continue to be upheld against challenges that seek to undermine them.
In November, schools in Divisions I, II, and III voted to maintain the NCAA's ban on betting by athletes and athletics department staff on professional sports, reversing a prior decision that would have allowed such betting while still restricting college sports betting.
Alexander's legal challenge follows a similar case brought by former Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who also contested the NCAA's ruling that rendered him permanently ineligible due to gambling violations. Sorsby had reportedly placed bets totaling over $90,000 during his college career, including wagers on Indiana football while on the team.
A Texas judge had previously granted Sorsby a temporary injunction, permitting him to return to play with a two-game suspension while halting the NCAA from enforcing its eligibility ruling fully. However, he later withdrew his lawsuit and opted to enter the NFL through a supplemental draft, which was ultimately declined due to integrity concerns related to his gambling history.