Most expensive college football rosters, 2026
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The five most expensive 2026 rosters, according to The Athletic's estimated budget ranges for 68 teams (the Power 4 plus Notre Dame), published Sept. 16, 2026, after it polled more than 70 coaches, general managers, personnel directors, athletic directors, agents and others. These are estimates built from sources, not audited payrolls; schools do not publish what they pay players.
Top 5
| # | School | Estimated 2026 roster budget | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State | $49M–$54M | $51.5M |
| 2 | Oregon | $48M–$54M | $51M |
| 3 | Texas | $45M–$55M | $50M |
| 4 | LSU | $47M–$50M | $48.5M |
| 5 | Texas A&M | $45M–$50M | $47.5M |
Order is The Athletic's. Midpoints are our arithmetic on its ranges, not a separate estimate. Texas has the highest ceiling ($55M) but a lower floor than Ohio State and Oregon.
Nos. 6–10
| # | School | Estimated 2026 roster budget | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Miami | $44M–$50M | $47M |
| 7 | Notre Dame | $41M–$48M | $44.5M |
| 8 | Ole Miss | $39M–$45M | $42M |
| 9 | Tennessee | $41M–$43M | $42M |
| 10 | Alabama | $38M–$42M | $40M |
Other estimates and disputes
- LSU: in a separate CBS Sports poll of more than 50 industry sources, multiple sources called LSU college football's most expensive 2026 roster, with several projecting it could be over $50 million (CBS Sports).
- Texas: Steve Sarkisian called the estimate for Texas (about $50 million) “inaccurate” the day after it was published, saying he is “all for” transparency on what rosters cost but is not a fan of guesses from media outlets (Saturday Down South, Sept. 17, 2026; Bleacher Report).
Sources
- The Athletic: Does your college football roster cost $8M or $50M? Here's our report on 68 teams (Stewart Mandel, David Ubben and Sam Khan Jr., Sept. 16, 2026). The original is paywalled.
- Figures as summarized by On3 (Sept. 16, 2026) and Bleacher Report.
- Spot an error? Email [email protected].
Related: Revenue sharing · Most overpaid coaches, 2026 · Most underpaid coaches, 2026