The original 12-team College Football Playoff roster is worth more than most other teams in the country. Media and technology company On3 estimates the total revenue of the 12 players is about $150 million.
“What’s happened over the years is more and more money has been flowing into these universities,” said Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.
Tuberville, also a former college football coach, has introduced legislation aimed at addressing what some see as an unfair playing field.
“The problem is, in 2021, the Supreme Court said, ‘OK, we saw this lawsuit and we agree with the athletes. They need to be able to make money off their name, image and likeness,'” Tuberville said. “It just went downhill from there. And there were no rules. It was just the Wild West.”
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Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama is a former college football coach. (Anna Chanmemaker/Archives)
Schools where football players make a ton of zero money seem to have success on the field. Most teams that qualify for the College Football Playoff also have some of the highest value rosters.
“There are schools across the country that have the best infrastructure, the best systems, the best fundraising, the best corporate deals,” said Rob Sine, CEO of Blueprint Sports, a donor group across the country. “They would build a collective, a group of really wealthy people, come together to create a budget and help support their coaches in their favorite sport.”
Schools that take advantage of forming groups early and those that already have large booster systems are able to get ahead.
“Football is really the only intercollegiate sport that makes a lot of money. The next one is basketball, maybe a little baseball,” Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl said. “The vast majority of zero-revenue money is and will be going to money-making sports. So our Olympic movement is absolutely at risk.”
Bruce Pearl (Andy Lyons/Getty Images/File)
The stakes are higher in the 2024 season, the first extended playoff season. The 13-member College Football Playoff Selection Committee ranks the top 25 teams. Twelve schools earned playoff berths, but not all ranked in the top 12. The group awards automatic spots to the five highest-ranked conference championship game winners from among the nine major conferences. That includes the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 10, Big 12 and the Southeastern Conference from the Final Four. Group of Five meetings are also eligible. These include the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West Conference and Sun Belt Conference.
Traditionally, Final Four conference schools have had higher revenue budgets and television ratings than other college sports. Every team from the Final Four conference earned a playoff spot. Boise Mountain West State is the only team among 62 schools in the Five-School Conference to qualify. The team also has the most NIL value on the roster than any of the other 62 schools.
“Different projects have emerged and have had a huge impact,” Sinai said. “Right now, money is driving college sports and schools are looking, ‘Where can I get the best opportunity to grow.'”
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In the 2024 season, some teams have changed leagues in order to obtain more funds and fiercer competition. Southern Methodist University transferred from the United States to the ACC and ultimately lost to Clemson University in the conference championship game. Clemson has the most NIL funding among ACC teams. Despite being ranked 16th, the team secured a playoff spot by winning the ACC Championship Game. The Tigers ultimately lost to Texas in the first round of the playoffs. SMU also made the playoffs but lost to Penn State in the first round.
“It’s about opportunity. You’re also starting to see a lot of discussion about what the Super League or two Super Leagues are. You’re going to start to see a lot of competition for, ‘Hey, I want to go there,'” Sine said.
Oklahoma and Texas moved to the SEC. Texas lost to Georgia in the championship game but will face Big 12 champion Arizona State in the second round of the playoffs. SEC teams have some of the best value rosters. Georgia is one of the teams with the most zero money overall. Texas has the most expensive roster and is projected to have one of the best recruiting classes in the 2025-2026 season.
Arizona State celebrates after defeating Iowa State (Jerome Miron-Imaan Photo/File)
“We’re late to the party and compensating our student-athletes appropriately. We’re there now. It’s just we have to find a way to make it work for everyone,” Pearl said. “I think we need some federal aid so that every state doesn’t go their own way and we don’t have a true NCAA championship.”
Oregon State won the Big Ten Championship Game and remained undefeated throughout the season. The Ducks were originally part of the Pac-12 and later split with teams in the ACC, Big 10 and Big 12. While Oregon State has a better record, Ohio State ranks in the top 10 in terms of zero revenue.
Arizona State is another former member of the Pac-12. Transfer to Big 12 in 2024-2025 season. The Sun Devils won the Big 12 Tournament and automatically qualified for the playoffs. However, their roster isn’t the most expensive in the conference. Colorado players receive the most bonuses. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders is also estimated to be the highest-paid NIL athlete in the country. He is the son of Colorado head coach and former NFL-MLB player Deion Sanders.
“There’s been a group of elite athletes from day one. They’ve always made it to the top and always made the most money because they brought more star power than the rest of the team or they spent a long time time to build their brand,” Sine said.
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Blueprint Sports oversees the 5430 Alliance collective in Colorado. While the team didn’t clinch a playoff berth, it has quality players on the roster, including Saunders, who is projected to be a first-round pick. Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter also earned recognition and millions of dollars in zero bonuses as he played wide receiver on offense and cornerback on defense in nearly every snap for his team. Play ball.
“There are some star-studded athletes who have organizations working behind them to make big deals with them. Some are up-and-coming athletes, and there are some athletes who are, you know, willing to do anything. From a NIL perspective,” Sine said .
Colorado wide receiver Travis Hunter scores a touchdown in the first half against Central Florida State on September 28, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
The collective helped some postseason schools sign major deals. The Ohio State University 1870 Society has formed a partnership with the supermarket chain Giant Eagle. Nike co-founder Phil Knight founded Oregon-based Division Street Collective. Tennessee quarterback Nico Lamaleava collectively received an $8 million contract from Spyre Sports before signing with the Volunteers.
“I think where the red flags come up is there’s a lot of money being paid to high school students who are going into college sports and they’ve never played a college sports game or a minute before, and you don’t know what you’re going to do. will be obtained,” Sinai said.
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Texas One Fund, a merger of five separate NIL entities, is considered the wealthiest fund in the United States. It provided quarterback Quinn Ewers with a private jet and offered each offensive lineman a $50,000-a-year scholarship.
“What we want to do is try to make sure that everybody has an opportunity to get everything they can get. But when you take money, you have to sign a contract and then you have to commit to that contract,” Tuberville said. “I know for a fact that some colleges, they bring Lamborghinis and Corvettes and put [them] When they bring these recruits in, in front of their office building. This is a lot of money. This is minor league sports, as it is now.
