The early 12-team college football playoff rankings were more important than many other teams across the country. Media and technology company On3 estimates the combined 12 rosters made about $150 million.
“What has happened in the past years is the increase in the amount of money that has come into these universities,” said Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.,.
Tuberville, who is also a college football coach, has legislation that aims to level what some argue is a level playing field.
“The problem was, in 2021 the Supreme Court says, ‘Okay, we see this case, and we agree with the athletes. They must be able to make money from the name, the image and the likeness,'” said Tuberville. “It went down there. And there were no rules set in it. It was the Wild West.”
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Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., is a college football coach. (Anna Moneymaker/File)
Schools where football players earn NIL sums seem to be successful on the field. Most of the teams that have qualified for the college football playoffs also have very high-priced rosters.
“There are classrooms in classrooms across the country that have the best infrastructure, the best programs, the best fundraising, the best business deals involved,” said Rob Sine, CEO of Blueprint Sports, an agency that oversees several teams. donor groups across the country. “They’re going to build a collective, and they’re going to bring together a bunch of really rich people to build a budget and help support their coach in the sport they love so much.”
Schools that took advantage early to form clusters and those with an already large booster program were able to move forward.
“Football is the only big money sport in intercollegiate athletics. Basketball is next, maybe a little baseball,” Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl said. “Most of the NIL money goes and will go to sports that make money. And because of that, our Olympics are in jeopardy.”
Bruce Pearl (Andy Lyons/Getty Images/File)
The 2024 season featured even higher stakes in the first extended playoff season. The 13-member college football playoff selection committee ranks the top 25 teams. Twelve schools earned playoff spots, but not all of them ranked in the top 12 teams. The team awarded automatic berths to the winners of the five conference championship games, which hold the highest ranking, among the nine major conferences. These include the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big 10, the Big 12 and the Southeastern Conference from the Power Four. The Group of Five Conferences were also relevant. These include the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West Conference and Sun Belt Conference.
Power Four conference schools typically have larger budgets and television audiences than other college athletic programs. A team from four power conferences each earned a playoff spot. Boise State of the Mountain West was the only team to win among 62 schools in the Group of Five conferences. The team also has the highest NIL revenue list out of all 62 other schools.
“Different programs that arose and came out of there had a big impact,” said Sine. “Right now, money drives college athletics and schools are looking, ‘Where can I get the best opportunity to grow?’
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In the 2024 season, several teams switched conferences to access more money and stronger competition. Southern Methodist University moved from the All-American to the ACC and ended up losing to Clemson in the conference championship game. Clemson has the most NIL among ACC teams. Despite being ranked 16th, the team earned a bid to win the ACC championship game. The Tigers ended up losing in the first round of the playoffs to Texas. SMU also made the playoff bracket but lost in the first round to Penn State.
“It’s about opportunity. And you’re starting to see that there’s a lot of talk about whether it could be a Super League or two. And you’re starting to see a lot of jockeys going, ‘Hey, I want to be there,'” Sine said.
Oklahoma and Texas moved to the SEC. Texas lost the championship game to Georgia but will play 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 NIL revenue overall. Texas has the most expensive roster and is estimated to have one of the best recruiting classes for the 2025-2026 season.
Arizona State celebrates after defeating Iowa State (Photos/File by Jerome Miron-Imagn)
“We’re late to the party and we’re compensating our student-athletes appropriately. We’re here now. Our point is that we have to find a way to make it work for everyone,” said Pearl. “I think we need government help so that each state doesn’t do its own thing, and we won’t have real NCAA champions.”
Oregon won the Big Ten Championship game and went undefeated on the season. The Ducks were originally part of the Pac-12, which split with teams joining the ACC, Big 10 and Big 12. Oregon will face another member of the Big Ten in the second round of the playoffs, the Ohio State Buckeyes. While Oregon had the better record, Ohio State topped the Big Ten in NIL 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 list did not cost much in the conference. Colorado players got a lot of money. 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 athlete Deion Sanders.
“There has been a high crop of athletes since day one. They always rise to the top and always make a lot of money because they bring more star power than the rest of the team says, or spend a long time building their name,” said Sine.
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Blueprint Sports oversees the Colorado 5430 Alliance collection. Although the team didn’t clinch a playoff spot, a number of high-profile players are on the roster, including Sanders, who is projected to be a first-round pick. Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter also received recognition and millions in the NIL for playing almost every snap for the team as a wide receiver on offense and a running back on defense.
“There are players full of stars with structures working behind them to do great things with them. There are athletes who are emerging, and then there are athletes who are happy, you know, doing whatever they want. From the point of view of NIL,” said Sine.
Colorado wide receiver Travis Hunter gets a touchdown during the first half against Central Florida on Sept. 28, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
The collections have helped some of the playing schools to sign big deals. Ohio State’s 1870 Society has a partnership with the Giant Eagle supermarket chain. Nike founder Phil Knight launched Oregon’s Division Street Collective. Tennessee quarterback Nico Lamaleava received an $8 million contract from Spyre Sports before signing with the Volunteers.
“I think where the red flag comes up is there’s a lot of money being paid to high school seniors coming into college sports who’ve never played on the floor or a minute of college sports before, and you don’t know what “I’ll be back,” Sine said.
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The Texas One Fund is comprised of five separate NIL organizations and is thought to be the richest in the nation. It gave quarterback Quinn Ewers a private jet and every offensive lineman a $50,000 a year scholarship.
“What we want to do is try to make sure that everybody gets that opportunity to get whatever they can get. But if you take money you have to sign a contract, and you commit to that contract,” Tuberville said. “I know some universities bring Lamborghinis and Corvettes and put [them] outside their office building when they bring in these recruits. It has completely changed. It’s a lot of money. It’s minor league sports, what it is now. “
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