How Many $40 Million Rosters Exist in College Football? The 2026 NIL Economy by the Numbers

The $40 Million Question

How many college football programs have rosters worth $40 million or more in the 2026 NIL economy? According to a comprehensive survey by SI's NIL reporting team, the answer is seven — and the gap between the haves and have-nots is wider than ever. The survey, which estimates roster values based on a combination of disclosed NIL deals, collective commitments, and market-rate valuations for scholarship athletes, provides the most detailed picture yet of the financial landscape of college football.

The $40 million mark is significant because it represents the tipping point where a program's NIL investment begins to produce measurable returns in recruiting rankings and on-field performance. Programs below that threshold are competing for the same pool of recruits but with a structural disadvantage in the NIL marketplace.

The $40 Million Club

Leading the pack is LSU, whose roster value is estimated at $47.2 million — the highest in the country. Lane Kiffin's aggressive use of the transfer portal and the university's partnership with the Bayou Traditions collective have created a model that other programs are attempting to replicate. LSU's roster value is driven by quarterback Michael Van Buren ($2.1 million estimated NIL value) and a defensive line that includes three players with seven-figure deal values.

Texas is second at $45.8 million, with Arch Manning's estimated $5.2 million NIL valuation — the highest of any player in the country — accounting for a significant portion of the total. Texas's Longhorn Foundation collective is the most active in the SEC, with over 12,000 donors contributing to a pool that directly funds player deals.

Ohio State ($43.5 million), Oregon ($42.1 million), Miami ($41.8 million), Georgia ($41.2 million), and Alabama ($40.4 million) round out the $40 million club. Each program has a different approach: Ohio State relies on a large number of mid-tier deals ($50,000-$250,000) rather than a few blockbuster contracts; Miami's value is concentrated in its basketball and football programs, with the Canes Connection collective operating across both sports; and Georgia's value is driven by defensive linemen, who command premium valuations in the current market.

The $30 Million Tier

Below the $40 million club, a second tier of programs has roster values between $30 million and $40 million. Michigan ($38.2 million), Notre Dame ($37.5 million), USC ($36.8 million), Tennessee ($35.4 million), Florida ($34.1 million), Oklahoma ($33.7 million), Texas A&M ($32.9 million), and Clemson ($31.5 million) occupy this tier. These programs are competitive in the NIL marketplace but must be more strategic about how they allocate resources, focusing on key positions of need rather than pursuing a broad portfolio of deals.

Clemson's placement at $31.5 million is notable because it is the lowest among traditional blue-blood programs. The Tigers' relatively conservative approach to the NIL market — influenced by Dabo Swinney's philosophy of building through high school recruiting rather than the transfer portal — has resulted in a roster value that is significantly below peer programs.

The $20 Million and Below Tier

The majority of FBS programs — approximately 85 of the 134 FBS teams — have roster values below $20 million. This group includes most of the Group of Five, as well as several Power Four programs that have struggled to build competitive NIL infrastructures. The gap between the $40 million club and the $20 million tier is the defining structural inequity of the NIL era, and it has created a recruiting landscape where the top programs are increasingly separated from the rest of the field.

The most surprising program in this tier is Wisconsin ($19.8 million), which has been unable to leverage its strong brand and large alumni base into a competitive NIL infrastructure. The Badgers' struggle to recruit elite offensive linemen — a position that has historically been the program's identity — is directly attributed to the NIL gap, and the program is actively working to close the gap.

The NIL Economy's Impact on the Field

The correlation between roster value and performance is imperfect but significant. Of the seven programs in the $40 million club, five reached the College Football Playoff in 2025, and all seven finished in the top 15 of the final AP poll. The $30 million tier produced three playoff teams. Below $20 million, no program reached the playoff, and only three programs finished in the top 25.

However, the correlation is not causation. Programs like Indiana — which won the national championship with a roster value estimated at $28.5 million — demonstrate that coaching, culture, and player development can overcome financial disadvantages. The NIL economy is a significant factor in program success, but it is not the only factor.

What This Means for CFB 27

In College Football 27, the NIL system is modeled through a program's NIL Budget, which is determined by a combination of program prestige, conference affiliation, and location. The $40 million club programs in the game have the highest NIL budgets, which translates to a recruiting advantage in the Dynasty mode. Players managing programs with lower NIL budgets must be more strategic about how they allocate resources — focusing on key positions, developing players through the game's training system, and building program prestige over time to increase the NIL budget. The game's economic system rewards patient program-building, and the $40 million gap can be closed over a multi-season Dynasty.