College football’s financial landscape just keeps getting wilder. Texas Longhorns’ head coach Steve Sarkisian has started talking about the need for a tighter salary cap to keep things fair between schools.
Even though Texas spends big on recruiting, Sarkisian says if there aren’t real rules, the sport could turn into a never-ending money battle. He’s got a point—where does it end?
The Financial Arms Race in College Football
Competition has always been fierce, but Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals have cranked up the money game. Schools are shelling out serious cash to land top recruits, mostly through flashy NIL partnerships.
Take Texas, for example—they dropped over $280,000 just for one recruiting visit to lure in Arch Manning, who was basically the crown jewel of high school football. They aren’t shy about their NIL deals either, sometimes even dangling luxury cars like Lamborghinis in front of recruits.
Sarkisian’s Call for a Stricter Salary Cap
Sarkisian recently made it clear he wants a more regulated system for college football finances. He says there are supposed to be limits on player pay and revenue sharing, but nobody really sticks to them.
“Nobody knows that because I don’t know if anybody is adhering to it,” Sarkisian admitted. He thinks the sport needs some actual “guardrails” to stop things from getting out of hand.
The Role of NIL Collectives and Boosters
NIL collectives and boosters have pretty much changed the game. Texas Tech, for instance, used its Matador Club collective to push about $28 million into its transfer portal class.
That kind of financial firepower has paid off for them—the Red Raiders managed to snag the Big 12 Championship. Money talks, doesn’t it?
Comparative Spending Among Top Programs
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti threw out a number: top programs are spending over $40 million on their rosters this year. That includes both revenue sharing and NIL deals.
Just last year, Ohio State spent $20 million on its championship roster. That’s a huge jump in just twelve months.
High-Profile NIL Valuations
The real impact of NIL deals shows up in what top players are worth. Arch Manning’s estimated NIL valuation is $5.3 million, making him the highest-valued player in the country right now.
Ohio State’s wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is close behind at $4.2 million, and Michigan’s quarterback Bryce Underwood isn’t far off at $3 million. Those numbers are wild for college athletes.
The Challenges of Managing NIL Deals
Sarkisian admits that dealing with NIL isn’t easy, especially when agents get involved. Some agents just don’t have the experience or certification you’d expect.
“There’s some agents that are rational, and there’s some that this is their first time ever being an agent,” Sarkisian said. He pointed out there’s basically no certification process for agents in college football, which just complicates things even more.
The Transfer Portal and Player Costs
The transfer portal is another big piece of the financial puzzle. CBS Sports found that the average price tag for a starting player from the portal has doubled—from $300,000 last year to $600,000 now.
Quarterbacks, of course, get the biggest deals. Their salaries range from $750,000 to over $3.5 million. Wide receivers aren’t exactly cheap either, earning between $300,000 and $2 million.
Texas’ Roster Management Amidst Financial Pressures
Texas is feeling the squeeze, with several starters—including running backs Tre Wisner and C.J. Baxter—jumping into the portal. That leaves the team a bit thin at some key spots.
Sarkisian says some agents ask for way too much, and he often has to push back hard to keep things within budget. It’s a constant balancing act.
The Future of College Football Finances
As college football’s financial world keeps shifting, it’s hard not to wonder if stricter rules are the only way forward. Sarkisian’s push for a stronger salary cap taps into a bigger worry about keeping the sport competitive.
Schools like Texas might be able to keep up with the spending, but without some oversight, the gap between programs could get even wider. And where does that leave everyone else?
Steve Sarkisian’s comments really highlight just how complicated managing money in college football has become.
Schools are pouring more resources into recruiting and paying players, and honestly, it’s starting to feel a bit wild west.
There’s a growing sense that some kind of financial guardrails are needed, or else the game could shift away from athletic competition and into a contest of who can spend the most.
If you want to dig deeper into how this issue is playing out, check out the full article on the Chron website at this link.
- Schools Covered
- College Football Articles
- Men's College Basketball Articles
- Men's College Soccer Articles
- Women's College Basketball Articles
- Olympic Athlete Articles
- Men's College Baseball Articles
- College Sports Media Professionals Articles
- Hall of Fame Member Articles
- Former College Player Articles
- Game Previews
