The original 12 college football The playoff teams’ rosters were worth more than most other teams across the country. Media and technology company On3 estimates that the twelve squads collectively accounted for around $150 million.
“Over the years, more and more money has flowed into these universities,” said Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.
Tuberville, who is also a former college football coach, has legislation aimed at solving this problem what some argue is an uneven playing field.
“The problem was that in 2021 the Supreme Court said, ‘OK, we see this lawsuit and we agree with the athletes. You have to be able to make money off of name, image and likeness,’” Tuberville said. “It went downhill from there. And there were no rules. It was just a wild, wild west.”
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Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., is a former college football coach. (Anna Moneymaker/File)
Schools where football players make big money seem to be successful on the field. Most teams that qualified for the College Football Playoff also had some of the highest-rated rosters.
“There is a class within a class of schools across the country that have the best infrastructure, the best systems, the best fundraising and the best corporate deals,” said Rob Sine, CEO of Blueprint Sports, an agency that oversees several collectives Donor groups across the country. “They would create a collective and get a lot of really wealthy people together, put together a budget and help support their coach for the sport they like the most.”
Schools that benefited early from the formation of collectives and those with an already large support system were able to progress.
“Football is really the only sport that makes a lot of money in intercollegiate athletics. Next is basketball, maybe a little bit of baseball,” Auburn said Men’s basketball coach said Bruce Pearl. “The majority of the zero money goes into the sports that make the money. And as a result, our Olympic sports are in absolute jeopardy.”
Bruce Pearl (Andy Lyons/Getty Images/File)
The 2024 season offered even higher stakes with the first extended playoff season. A 13-member College Football Playoff Selection Committee evaluates the top 25 teams. Twelve schools received playoff spots, but not all were among the top twelve teams. The group automatically awarded spots to the five conference championship game winners who held the highest ranking among the nine major conferences. These included the Atlantic Coast Conferencethe Big 10, the Big 12 and the Southeastern Conference from the Power Four. Group of Five conferences were also eligible to participate. These include the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West Conference and Sun Belt Conference.
Power Four conference schools traditionally have larger revenue budgets and television viewership than other college sports programs. One team from each of the Power Four conferences has secured a playoff spot. Boise State of the Mountain West was the only team to qualify among the 62 schools in the Group of Five conferences. The team also boasts the highest-rated, zero-money roster than any of the other 62 schools.
“Various programs have emerged and made a big impact,” Sine said. “Right now, money is driving college athletics and schools are asking themselves, ‘Where can I have the best chance to advance?’”
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The 2024 season saw several teams switch conferences to gain access to more money and stronger competition. Southern Methodist University transferred from American University to the ACC and lost to Clemson in the conference championship game. Clemson has the most zero money among ACC teams. Despite finishing 16th, the team secured a playoff bid 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 opportunities. And you also notice that there are a lot of conversations about what one or two Super Leagues could become. And you start to see a lot of jockeying around, ‘Hey, I want to be in this,'” Sine said.
Oklahoma and Texas moved to the SEC. Texas lost the championship game to Georgia but will face Big 12 champion Arizona State in the second round of the playoffs. SEC teams had some of the highest rated rosters. Georgia was among the teams with the most zero money overall. Texas has the most expensive roster and is also projected to have one of the best recruiting classes for the 2025-2026 season.
Arizona State celebrates after defeating Iowa State (Jerome Miron-Imagn images/file)
“We were late to the party in properly compensating our student-athletes. Now we’ve done it. We just have to find a way to make it work for everyone,” Pearl said. “I think we need some state support so that every state doesn’t do its own thing and we don’t have a real NCAA champion.”
Oregon won the Big Ten championship game and went undefeated that season. The Ducks were originally part of the Pac-12, which disbanded when teams from the ACC, Big 10 and Big 12 joined. Oregon will face another member of the Big Ten, the Ohio State Buckeyes, in the second round of the playoffs. While Oregon has a better record, Ohio State is at the top of the Big Ten when it comes to zero money.
Arizona State is another former member of the Pac-12. It moved to the Big 12 for the 2024–2025 season. The Sun Devils won the Big 12 championship game and received an automatic bid to the playoffs. However, their roster wasn’t the most expensive in the conference. Colorado players received the most money. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders is also considered the highest-paid NIL athlete in the country. He is the son of Colorado’s head coach and former coach Dual NFL-MLB athlete Deion Sanders.
“There has been an elite group of athletes since day one. “They have always risen to the top and have always made the most money because they bring a lot more star power than the rest of the team necessarily, or because they spent a lot of time building their brand,” Sine said.
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Blueprint Sports oversees Colorado’s 5430 Alliance collective. Although the team hasn’t earned a playoff spot, there are quality players on the roster, including Sanders, who is expected to be a first-round draft pick. Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter also received recognition and millions in NIL for playing nearly every snap for the team as a wide receiver on offense and cornerback on defense.
“There are the star-studded athletes who have agencies working behind them who do big business with them. There are the aspiring athletes, and then there are the athletes who are just happy to be doing something from a NIL perspective,” Sine said.
Colorado wide receiver Travis Hunter scores a touchdown during the first half against Central Florida on September 28, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Collectives have helped some playoff schools secure major contracts. Ohio State’s 1870 Society has a partnership with the Giant Eagle supermarket chain. Nike co-founder Phil Knight founded the Division Street Collective in Oregon. Tennessee quarterback Nico Lamaleava received an $8 million deal from the Spyre Sports collective before ever signing with the Volunteers.
“I think the red flag is that a lot of money is being paid to high school graduates coming into college athletics who have never played a down or a minute in college sports before, and you have no idea what They do “I’ll get it,” Sine said.
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The Texas One Fund brought together five separate NIL companies and is considered the richest in the country. It gave quarterback Quinn Ewers a private jet and gave each scholarship offensive lineman $50,000 a year.
“We just want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to get everything they can get. But when you take money, you have to sign a contract and then commit to it.” Contract,” Tuberville said. “I know for a fact that some universities bring Lamborghinis and Corvettes and park them in front of their office building when they recruit these recruits. That has completely changed. It’s a lot of money. It’s minor league sports, what’s the point? is now.”
