The Ohio State Buckeyes are one of several College Football programs that USA Today's Matt Hayes believes are right behind the LSU Tigers with a near-$50 million roster. Lane Kiffin reportedly raised $35 million in NIL sponsor deals, while LSU forked over $15 million in rev-share payouts.
Hayes believes the Texas Longhorns, Georgia Bulldogs, TTUN, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Texas A&M Aggies are all in the ballpark with the Buckeyes behind the Tigers' legendary offseason following LSU's great Kiffin heist of the Ole Miss Rebels.
"...if LSU is at $50 million, you better believe Texas, Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan, Alabama, and Texas A&M are close behind. If that group of six heavy spenders is even at $40 million each, that’s $120-plus million in private NIL deals from that group alone," Hayes wrote.
Hayes calls the spending "out of control." In the grand scheme, though, is it? Players are proving their worth in the market as T.V. ratings and general interest in the sport keep rising. Better that the money go to them than anyone else involved with the enterprise.
Ohio State have games planned with almost every near-$50 million roster
Impressively, the Buckeyes face nearly every team listed here in the coming years. In 2026, Ohio State has Texas and TTUN, while a pair of home-and-home series with Georgia and Alabama is still on the docket from 2027 to 2031.
In an era of SEC teams cancelling these types of series, the Buckeyes have never once hinted at backing down from a challenge. Why spend all of that money and opt for smaller games that won't make as much money to account for these massive player salaries?
That's not how the Ohio State University is moving. No, the Buckeyes are operating like an elite NFL team, ready for the best of the best every season. Few programs are so considerate for its own fans, or the general College Football-viewing public.
It's a tough road, but in a way, having more marquee games provides a team more leeway come CFP selection time.
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