College football’s changed a lot since Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals hit the scene in 2021. Suddenly, recruiting and roster-building feel like a high-stakes financial arms race.
As the 2025 season winds down and the College Football Playoff (CFP) quarterfinals approach, there’s a lingering question: Can you really buy a national championship with NIL money?
Texas is a wild case study. Four big-time programs—the University of Texas Longhorns (UT), Texas A&M Aggies (A&M), Texas Tech Red Raiders (TTU), and Southern Methodist University Mustangs (SMU)—all throw serious cash at NIL, but their results couldn’t be more different.
Right now, Texas Tech is still alive in the national title hunt. They’re set to meet Oregon in the Orange Bowl CFB quarterfinals on January 1.
NIL: A Billion-Dollar Game Changer
Once the NCAA gave NIL the green light, the market just exploded. It’s projected to hit $1.7 billion for 2024-2025, with football alone grabbing over $1.1 billion.
Some folks say NIL finally gives athletes what they deserve. Others complain it’s just a way for rich boosters to “buy” teams, and maybe they’re not totally wrong.
Revenue Sharing: A New Paradigm
There’s more: NIL revenue sharing, thanks to the House v. NCAA settlement in June 2025. Starting July 1, 2025, Division I schools can pay athletes directly from athletic department revenues—up to $20.5 million for the 2025-26 year.
This cap will rise by 4% each year, unless something changes, and it’s meant to make athlete compensation more professional while still keeping some rules in place through the College Sports Commission.
Unlike old-school NIL deals with third-party brands or collectives, this revenue sharing comes right from school funds—ticket sales, media rights, sponsorships. It works a lot like a salary pool.
Schools that opt in have to report outside NIL payments, so there’s some transparency. The two systems run side by side, and athletes can actually make more than the cap if they combine NIL and revenue sharing.
Comparing the NIL Approach of Four Texas Teams
Texas football schools have taken different routes, mixing revenue sharing and NIL their own way. All four jumped into the settlement, using that $20.5 million cap to help with recruiting and keeping players, especially now that the CFP is bigger.
UT Longhorns: Corporate NIL Powerhouse
The Longhorns, in their second SEC season, have what many call the nation’s biggest NIL budget—somewhere between $35-40 million for football in 2025.
They’ve built this up through the Texas One Fund and a partnership with Learfield’s Longhorn Sports Agency. It’s all about brand-building, financial literacy, and big-name endorsements. Arch Manning’s NIL deals alone are rumored to be over $3.5 million a year.
That money got them a 10-2 regular season, an SEC Championship Game, and a CFP spot. But a quick playoff exit has people wondering about the payoff.
There’s been some debate about the actual NIL numbers, but insiders say UT’s spending is right up there with the SEC’s best.
A&M Aggies: “12th Man” Community Approach
Texas A&M has taken a different route with Texas Aggies United, pulling in $51.4 million in NIL revenue from July 2024 to June 2025. That’s nearly triple what they had before.
Almost all of it—about $49-50 million—went to men’s sports, mostly football. Their approach is to keep top talent at all costs, with guaranteed contracts tied to performance and academics. It’s worked for guys like quarterback Marcel Reed and wideout Mario Craver.
This helped them to an 11-2 season and a playoff spot, but they stumbled late, losing to Texas and then in the CFP first round. There’s criticism about gender disparities, and some wonder if spreading the money too thin hurts their football edge in the SEC.
Still, A&M’s aiming for long-term stability. They’re among the top five NIL spenders in the country.
TTU Red Raiders: Oil Money and NIL Efficiency
The Red Raiders in Lubbock are the underdog story here. With billionaire alum Cody Campbell’s $25 million gift to The Matador Club, TTU spent over $28 million on football in 2025. Next year? They’re planning to hit $55 million in combined NIL and revenue sharing.
This booster-driven push, sometimes called “buying the roster,” focused on transfers and beefing up the defense. It turned a so-so Big 12 team into a real contender.
The result: 12-1, Big 12 champs, and a CFP quarterfinal shot at Oregon in the Orange Bowl. Some say it’s money over culture and worry about relying too much on donors. But you can’t argue with the results—at least for now, strategic spending seems to work in a conference that’s not as stacked.
SMU Mustangs: The Rising Contender Fueled by NIL
NIL has changed everything for SMU, especially as they moved up to the ACC in 2025 after a solid Group of Five run. Their aggressive approach—using the Boulevard Collective and Mustang Partners—brought in record revenue. Football season tickets doubled, and income jumped 157% in their first ACC year.
This cash boost helped them land big transfers and keep key players, leading to a 10-2 season, ACC contention, and their first CFP spot as a Power Four team. Partnerships like Scout NIL give players tools for managing money and life after football, which feels pretty forward-thinking.
But it’s not all smooth sailing. NIL has brought opportunity and structure with revenue sharing, but it’s also created chaos in the transfer portal. Roster turnover is fast, and team chemistry can get shaky.
Does the Money Translate to Championships?
Let’s compare the quartet. UT’s $35-40 million bought them SEC relevance, but no hardware.
A&M spent $51.4 million—most of it on football. That delivered consistency, but also exposed some real vulnerabilities.
TTU tossed over $28 million into the pot and went furthest. They snagged a conference crown and pushed deeper into the playoffs.
SMU’s strategic NIL surge paid off. They secured a playoff spot in their ACC debut.
By mid-2025, Texas fans truly got their “money’s worth” with four in-state teams chasing glory. Still, NIL’s role keeps sparking debate.
One Reddit user asked (in a DIII context), *How much NIL would it take to build a champion?* The answer? Enough to attract talent—sure—but it’s not magic without the right coaching alchemy.
NIL has made college football look a lot more like pro sports. Money helps, but it’s no guarantee—just look at MLB or the NBA.
With Texas’ new NIL rules coming in 2026 and the transfer portal opening January 2, the experiment rolls on. For now, NIL can buy contention, but championships? That’s still up for grabs.
Maybe we’ll get another hint on New Year’s Day at the #4 Texas Tech vs. #5 Oregon semi-final in the Orange Bowl at 11 a.m. Should be a show.
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