6 College football teams reportedly over $40 million ahead of 2026 season

TL;DR

Six college football teams are reportedly over $40 million ahead in NIL valuations for the 2026 season. Texas leads the spending, surpassing LSU under Lane Kiffin's new leadership.

Key points

Six college football teams are over $40 million in NIL valuations
Texas is the top spender in college football
Lane Kiffin is now at LSU, affecting NIL dynamics

TexasLSU

6 College football teams reportedly over $40 million ahead of 2026 season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The NIL era has hit a new standard for college football ahead of the 2026 season.

With Lane Kiffin taking over at LSU, many were shocked by the record NIL deal being offered to compete among the best schools in the nation. As it turns out, a few teams are reportedly ahead of the Tigers in the latest NIL valuation numbers.

According to College Front Office, Texas is college football's top spender. One of six teams north of the $40 million mark with only one in the Big 12 inside the top ten.

Texas - $47.9M
Miami - $44.0M
Ohio State - $43.5M
LSU - $42.8M
Oregon - $42.8M
Notre Dame - $40.4M
Texas A&M - $38.9M
Alabama - $37.2M
Tennessee - $36.7M
Texas Tech - $36.3M

Keep in mind, this isn't actual roster spending. However, it's a figure based on what the roster is worth in the current market. This is expected to grow over time with teams over $50 million by 2027.

One of the biggest misconceptions about college football is everyone needs to be playing on the same level. This clearly proves that's unlikely. Some teams aren't capable of cracking the $40 million-plus plateau, which further puts the elites in a league of their own.