College Football Playoff Teams Financial Disparities Revealed

This year’s College Football Playoff (CFP) really puts the spotlight on the role of money in college sports. The 12-team lineup features the four teams with the biggest football budgets, the nation’s two highest-paid coaches, and three of the four highest-paid general managers.

Looking at the financials behind these teams, you can’t help but notice the huge gaps and the big bets schools are making. It’s a fascinating mix of numbers, ambition, and, honestly, a bit of gamesmanship that shapes college football today.

Monetary Muscle: The Financial Backbone of CFP Teams

This year’s CFP makes the link between spending and winning pretty obvious. The 12 teams include:

• Four teams with the largest football budgets
• Two highest-paid coaches
• Three of the four highest-paid general managers

The first-round clash between Texas A&M and Miami stands out when you look at their budgets. Texas A&M’s football budget dwarfs Miami’s, setting up a high-stakes showdown that goes way beyond just the game.

Disparities in Budgets and Expenditures

Take a look at the numbers and the gaps are hard to ignore. The New York Times reports Alabama spent $78.5 million for the 2024-25 season, while Tulane spent just $22.7 million.

That’s a massive difference—one that really separates the giants from the rest.

Coaching Salaries: The Price of Leadership

Head coach salaries in the CFP are another jaw-dropper. Four of the nine coaches making over $10 million this year landed a spot in the Playoff:

• Ohio State’s Ryan Day
• Oregon’s Dan Lanning
• Alabama’s Nick Saban
• Oklahoma’s Brent Venables

Meanwhile, Tulane’s Jon Sumrall, leading a private school, makes about $3 million. That puts him near the top of the Group of 5, but he’s still far behind the CFP’s big earners.

High-Paid Coaches Who Missed the CFP

Some highly paid coaches didn’t make the cut this year. Check out this list:

• USC’s Lincoln Riley
• Clemson’s Dabo Swinney
• Texas’ Steve Sarkisian
• LSU’s Brian Kelly
• North Carolina’s Bill Belichick

General Managers: The Unsung Heroes

General managers are quickly becoming key players in college football. Thirteen programs now pay their GMs at least $500,000, and five of those are in the CFP:

• Ohio State
• Oregon
• Alabama
• Oklahoma
• Texas Tech

It’s clear that schools are putting more value on strategic leadership and front-office savvy.

NIL Budgets: The New Frontier

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals have changed the game for player compensation. Texas Tech’s roster cost about $25 million, with $12 million spent on 21 transfers.

Oklahoma’s NIL group, 1Oklahoma, paid players $32 million in the 2024-25 fiscal year. That’s a lot of cash flowing to players and it’s definitely changing how teams build their rosters.

Revenue and Rivalries: Financial Powerhouses

Half of this year’s CFP field landed in the top 14 nationally for football revenue. Ohio State pulled in $160.5 million, while Texas topped the chart with just over $200 million.

Money doesn’t just fuel wins—it also stokes rivalries. Indiana and Purdue, for example, are neck and neck, with Indiana just behind Purdue’s $61.6 million revenue.

Stark Contrasts: The Largest Revenue Gaps

The biggest revenue gap in this year’s CFP sits between Oregon and James Madison University (JMU). Oregon outpaces JMU by $93 million.

To put it in perspective, JMU’s head coach and entire roster together make less than Oregon’s defensive coordinator. That’s wild, right?

Conclusion: The Financial Blueprint of Success

This year’s College Football Playoff really shows how money shapes the game. Coaching salaries and NIL budgets might not win games by themselves, but they sure open doors for programs to stay competitive.

It’s wild how much financial planning goes on behind the scenes. If you want a deeper dive into the money side of this year’s CFP, check out the New York Times.