Big 12 team's NIL numbers emerge that make Ohio State's $20 million title-winning roster pale in comparison
The Ohio State Buckeyes were routinely annoyed in 2024 when head coach Ryan Day was constantly asked about how his roster spent $20 million. While the eventual National Champions made the most of their investment, it was far from a pay-to-play roster. Homegrown talent like Jack Sawyer, TreVeyon Henderson, and countless others made clutch plays […]
The Ohio State Buckeyes were routinely annoyed in 2024 when head coach Ryan Day was constantly asked about how his roster spent $20 million. While the eventual National Champions made the most of their investment, it was far from a pay-to-play roster.
Homegrown talent like Jack Sawyer, TreVeyon Henderson, and countless others made clutch plays throughout the season. It was nowhere near a group of All-American hired guns, even if Caleb Downs and Will Howard headlined a tremendous transfer portal haul.
However, the hand-wringing about Ohio State's expenditures look ridiculously short-sighted one year later. The incoming revenue-sharing model means programs are front-loading spending since it'll be more regulated soon.
Texas is spending as much as $40 million in 2025, but that number pales in comparison to the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
It’s believed Texas Tech will pay its players $55 million (revenue sharing + NIL) among all its programs this year, making the Red Raiders perhaps the highest-paying college athletics program in the country," Brandon Marcello of CBS Sports reported.
Coming off an 8-5 season, the Red Raiders are spending oil tycoon Cody Campbell's money as the co-founder and co-owner of the program's NIL collective. Their impressive transfer portal performance should lead to at least 10 key role players or starters, if not more.
With the Big 12 wide open, head coach Joey McGuire seems to have the raw talent available to him to win early. Building on the nation's fourth-ranked scoring offense means the 122nd-ranked defense must improve significantly.
Arizona State looms large as the conference's powerhouse, but Colorado and Iowa State should take a step back based on their NFL departures.
The Red Raiders' spending, if true, establishes the program as a force to be reckoned with. Campbell wasn't able to add someone like Quinshon Judkins or Downs in the portal because so few elite playmakers actually left their respective school.
Instead, the portal has largely become a place for malcontents and former recruiting stars who failed in their previous landing spot. That includes the program's best recruit ever, Micah Hudson, who left Texas Tech before returning weeks later.
It's certainly arguable as to the value Texas Tech got for their money, but not all players can be bought. 13 of their 21 transfer additions were four-stars, with David Bailey from Stanford standing out as an All-Big 12-level talent.
Most of their other additions are moving up in competition or stepping into a bigger role.
We'll see if the Red Raiders can hit double-digit wins behind its overhauled defensive front and offensive line. They have the cash to continue spending beyond most programs in coming years, but it's hard to justify outpacing everyone else if the results aren't there.
Meanwhile, the Buckeyes have the results and haven't had to be the top-spending program despite initial outrage.
