Full Breakdown
Alabama, Indiana and Texas Tech left off college-football’s top-spending list
8/19/2026, 2:33:32 AM
Omitted from the top-spending list
CBS Sports identified seven programs with roster costs above $40 million and five just below that threshold for the 2026 season. The list includes six SEC schools (LSU, Texas, Texas A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee), four Big Ten programs (Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, USC), Miami (ACC) and Notre Dame (independent). Notably absent are defending champion Alabama, NIL-focused Texas Tech and recent champion Indiana.
Spending landscape in 2026
The 2026 roster-cost survey shows a clear divide: elite spenders are in the low-to-mid $30-million range, while the very top exceed $40 million. CBS Sports’ analysis, based on more than 50 sources, indicates that programs below the $30-million mark can still compete by emphasizing high-school recruiting and selective transfer activity.
Alabama’s cost-conscious model
According to CBS Sports, Alabama’s “Nick Saban discount” allowed the Crimson Tide to operate with a smaller war chest. Over Saban’s final three seasons, the program spent $19.7 million total—far less than any SEC school’s projected single-season roster cost for 2026. The team has prioritized high-school recruiting, signing the SEC’s ninth-best transfer class for 2026, and relies on developing talent rather than large-scale portal purchases.
Texas Tech’s NIL-driven growth
CBS Sports reports Texas Tech’s roster sits in the low $30-million range for 2026, a figure that would have placed the Red Raiders near the top-12 list if head coach Brendan Sorsby’s $5-million-plus salary were counted for the full year. The program views a $30-million budget as sufficient to contend for the Big 12 title annually and to position itself for playoff consideration, bolstered by a 2027 recruiting class headed by the nation’s No. 1 defensive lineman Jalen Brewster.
Indiana’s post-championship investment
CBS Sports notes that Indiana’s 2025 national-title run was achieved with modest spending, but the Hoosiers have since increased their roster budget into the $30-million range. Under head coach Curt Cignetti, Indiana added high-cost transfers such as quarterback Josh Hoover and receiver Nick Marsh, and assembled an eighth-ranked transfer class despite limiting its size to 17 players. The heightened investment signals the program’s intent to remain a regular contender.
These financial strategies explain why Alabama, Texas Tech and Indiana, while competitive on the field, did not appear among the highest-spending college-football programs for 2026.
