National media outlet reveals the college programs that spend the most on recruiting; Where the Vols rank

The Tennessee Vols are among the biggest spenders in college football when it comes to recruiting. USA Today, in conjunction Knight-Newhouse Data project at Syracuse University, recently put together a list of the biggest spenders in college football recruiting. The data covers the 2022 fiscal year. Georgia, unsurprisingly, was No. 1 on the list. The Bulldogs […]

Zach Ragan — Tennessee Volunteers News Writer
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Tennessee Vols

The Tennessee Vols are among the biggest spenders in college football when it comes to recruiting.

USA Today, in conjunction Knight-Newhouse Data project at Syracuse University, recently put together a list of the biggest spenders in college football recruiting.

The data covers the 2022 fiscal year.

Georgia, unsurprisingly, was No. 1 on the list. The Bulldogs spent $4.5 million on recruiting in 2022.

Texas A&M came in at No. 2 on the list at $2.98 million.

Tennessee rounded out the top three at $2.44 million.

If you're wondering about Alabama, they're just below the Vols at $2.32 million.

Tennessee Vols
Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel, Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III (7), and Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) throw oranges to teammates after winning the Orange Bowl game between the Tennessee Vols and Clemson Tigers at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022.

Here's what is counted as "recruiting spending", according to USA Today:

The recruiting expense totals in the latest NCAA reports cover transportation, lodging and meals for recruits and school personnel on official and unofficial visits for a period that, for most schools, covered July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. It also accounts for phone charges and postage for pursuing recruits and the value of school’s vehicles and planes or those used by the school for recruiting.

It's clear that Tennessee is committed to spending big when it comes to recruiting, but they still need to spend more.

Georgia nearly doubled what the Vols spent on recruiting. If Tennessee wants to catch up to the Bulldogs in recruiting — and that needs to happen if UT is ever going to overtake UGA in the SEC — then they'll need to match Georgia's recruiting spending.

Spending a lot on recruiting doesn't guarantee recruiting success, but it'll certainly give the Vols a fighting chance of catching the Bulldogs.

Featured image via Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

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