BYU football reportedly spending close to $25 million for 2026 roster

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The new era in college football has come down to who can outspend the next best program. What's the current price tag on a winning roster?

No situation is truly similar to another throughout the country. The latest piece from The Athletic puts everything into perspective on how all the teams in the Power Four stack up.

For the BYU Cougars, roster spending has become a hot topic. Kalani Sitake recently mentioned how there should be more resources being allocated for his team. In all seriousness, if the Cougars intend to become a powerhouse in the sport, there will have to be a bigger push.

Here's how BYU stacks up against the rest of the nation, according to data from The Athletic.

BYU Cougars ($20–25 million)

Head coach Kalani Sitake — 11th season (86-45)

Nationally: 40th

Big 12: 3rd

Who's in the ballpark? No. 39 Washington ($21–26 million) and No. 41 North Carolina (Same as BYU)

BYU's 2026 opponents rank (schedule order)

Utah Tech (No data)

No. 66 Arizona ($13–18 million)

Colorado State (No data)

No. 35 TCU ($22–25 million)

No. 67 Iowa State ($13–17 million)

No. 7 Notre Dame ($41–48 million)

No. 62 UCF ($15–20 million)

No. 47 Arizona State ($19–23 million)

No. 51 Utah ($18–22 million)

No. 45 Baylor ($20–23 million)

No. 65 Kansas ($15–17 million)

No. 68 Cincinnati ($14–16 million)

The Cougars are second in the Big 12 behind Texas Tech, who is 12th in the nation for roster spending around the $40 million mark. Considering BYU is comparable to the Red Raiders says a lot about how much Tech's mega booster, Cody Campbell, has contributed to the program. Also, putting up twice as much doesn't always equate to wins.

College football roster spending around the nation

As for the rest of the nation, there are eleven teams that fall within the $40 million range for roster spending. Ohio State is firmly at No. 1 and is approaching $50 million. The Buckeyes are followed by Oregon, Texas, LSU and Texas A&M in the top five.

The Athletic added a bit of a disclaimer on the data. "Few people inside a football building know that number, and even if they do, many don’t feel comfortable sharing it, even anonymously. Even if they do spill, coaches often undersell the number, either to temper fans’ expectations or keep their players from asking for even more. Meanwhile, administrators want people to think the number is higher than it is so that they look like great fundraisers."

There was data compiled for 70 programs. Most of the schools near the bottom are traditional basketball schools. Duke, Iowa State, Arizona, Kansas and Houston are in the final ten on the list for football.