LSU, Miami, Ohio State top $40M college football rosters
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- LSU remade its roster under Lane Kiffin with multiple seven-figure transfers, including offensive tackle Jordan Seaton ($4M+ annually), pushing its 2026 roster cost above $40 million and possibly over $50 million, per multiple sources.
- Miami remains one of the most aggressive spenders, with quarterback Darian Mensah leaving a $4M deal at Duke, and the Hurricanes paying seven figures to players like Damon Wilson and Malachi Toney, keeping them well over $40 million.
- Ohio State's roster compensation has grown since Ross Bjork admitted to a $20M bill in 2024, with wide receiver Jeremiah Smith believed to be earning eight figures in 2026, despite turning down a $10M transfer offer.
- Oregon continues to spend heavily with two high-profile quarterbacks — Dante Moore and Dylan Raiola — and top defensive talent like Koi Perich, backed by Nike co-founder Phil Knight, placing them among the nation’s highest-spending programs.
- Texas downplays its spending, but sources say its 2026 roster mathematically can't be under $40M, even with Arch Manning taking reduced rev-share, due to multi-million-dollar transfers like Cam Coleman and Hollywood Smothers.
- Texas A&M's 2026 roster is in the upper $30M range with incentives that could push it into the $40Ms, led by QB Marcel Reed ($3M+), and sources say rivals couldn't lure players away despite 'stupid' offers.
Why it matters: Power Four programs now treat $40M+ rosters as standard, altering competitive balance — schools without deep-pocketed boosters or revenue-sharing access fall behind, while top programs lock in elite talent through sustained high spending that shows no signs of receding, even after the initial NIL surge.
Ask SkimNews
