Cincinnati v TCU
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Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby is set to enter the transfer portal, according to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer, and his impending departure from the Bearcats figures to capture the attention of college football's top programs. In fact, the No. 1-ranked team in the country may be interested in Sorsby, which sets up a potential return to Indiana, where he spent the first two years of his career.

The Hoosiers and Texas Tech are among the potential schools of interest for Sorsby, sources tell Zenitz and Hummer. But it is also possible that Sorsby will explore an entrance into the NFL Draft. On the heels of his best season to date, the fourth-year junior could be an early-round pick.

Sorsby's move from Indiana to Cincinnati ahead of the 2024 season proved beneficial for his career trajectory. Sorsby thrived in the Big 12 and passed for 2,800 yards in both of his seasons with the Bearcats. He took his game to another level this fall and was among the most efficient quarterbacks in the conference with a Big 12-best 13.5 yards per completion.

The dual-threat ability Sorsby displayed over his three years as a starter also make him a potential home-run pickup through the transfer portal. He has become a more prolific runner with each additional year of experience and peaked this season with a career-best 580 yards on 100 carries. He also posted nine rushing touchdowns for the second consecutive campaign.

While the end of the season saw Cincinnati lose four straight games and Sorsby regress as a passer, the first half of the year displayed the quarterback's tantalizing upside. He enjoyed a stretch of seven consecutive games without an interception and threw at least two touchdown passes in each of those contests, all of which were victories.

Brendan Sorsby, Indiana could be poised for reunion

Indiana will likely be in search of a plug-and-play quarterback to replace Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, who could be the first player taken in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Hoosiers could choose to reunite with a familiar option and one who spearheaded their offense for most of the 2023 season.

Following his redshirt year in 2022, Sorsby appeared in 10 games and made seven starts for Indiana and split time with Tayven Jackson atop the depth chart. His debut season in the lineup was not without its learning curves, but Sorsby also flashed his potential with a number of explosive plays. He completed a 90-yard touchdown pass against Penn State, for instance, and became the only Indiana quarterback since at least 1996 with multiple 60-yard touchdown passes in a single game.

Sorsby's departure from Indiana came after the Hoosiers fired coach Tom Allen, and with the coaching change and transfer exodus ushered in a golden era for the program. The last two years have been the most successful in school history, and Sorsby, 21, could return to help keep the newfound winning tradition alive.