It’s anyone’s guess as to how much a school is spending on its college football roster. The Athletic embarked on a quest to change that this offseason. And on Wednesday, it released its findings.
According to The Athletic, the SEC features three of the top five most-expensive rosters. The conference also has 11 of the country’s top 20 spenders.
The Texas Longhorns, the new No. 1 team in the AP poll, reportedly lead the SEC in roster spend. Their estimated $45-55 million roster doubles the $22-25 million cost of the Arkansas Razorbacks’ roster, which ranks as the 33rd most expensive in the country. You can see each SEC member’s estimated budget — with its national rank in parenthesis — below:
- 1. Texas Longhorns: $45-55 million (3)
- 2. LSU Tigers: $47-50 million (4)
- 3. Texas A&M Aggies: $45-50 million (5)
- 4. Ole Miss Rebels: $39-45 million (8)
- 5. Tennessee Volunteers: $41-43 million (9)
- 6. Alabama Crimson Tide: $38-42 million (10)
- 7. Florida Gators: $31-41 million (15)
- 8. South Carolina Gamecocks: $32-35 million (16)
- 9. Auburn Tigers: $31-35 million (17)
- 10. Georgia Bulldogs: $31-34 million (19)
- 11. Oklahoma Sooners: $28-34 million (20)
- 12. Missouri Tigers: $27-30 million (24)
- 13. Mississippi State Bulldogs: $25-30 million (26)
- 14. Vanderbilt Commodores: $25-28 million (29)
- 15. Kentucky Wildcats: $23-26 million (31)
- 16. Arkansas Razorbacks: $22-25 million (33)
“The numbers here refer to the amount of money a school had at its disposal to assemble its 2026 roster,” The Athletic wrote. “The money comes from a combination of athletic department revenue, outside booster donations and other sources that vary from school to school.”
Reporters added context, discussing competing incentives amongst coaching staffs and administration when trying to compile figures. However, they believe their ranges “represent the best and most detailed information available today.”
