Just How Much Is the Big 12 Spending On Football?

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A new, interactive story by The Athletic is lending helpful insights into just how much money surrounds college football.

This new analysis compiles data courtesy of 70-plus sources (i.e., coaches, general managers, athletics staff, and even agents) to provide us with a legitimate model of football spending in 2026. The Big 12 is included, obviously, in the spending breakdown and their placement among the Power Four isn’t entirely surprising, and the usual suspects aren’t flying the XII badge.

Money isn’t exactly a proper indicator of success, though. For example, Oklahoma State, near the bottom of the Power Four in terms of roster spending (estimated between $15 and $19 in the first season of the Eric Morris era), recently knocked off No. 6 Oregon, which likely spent well over $50 million on roster building according to this new report, at home just one week after falling on the road to Tulsa, a Greater 6 program with far less resources than anyone included in the The Athletic’s analysis. For the most part, though, those who spend more, win more – but not every time.

That’s what makes Oklahoma State and its recent success so enjoyable. A prorgam that scrapped together just enough talent, most of it coming from North Texas, where Morris was last head coach, to knock off one of the country’s tallest and success programs led by Dan Lanning. The Big 12, though, isn’t entirely made up of these $15-20 million rosters. Not by a mile.

EVERY BIG 12 FOOTBALL ROSTER BY THE MILLIONS

Data courtesy of The Athletic‘s “Does your college football roster cost $8M or $50M? Here’s our report on 68 teams.”

Can Texas Tech Justify its Big Check?

Many of the figures inside The Athletic article are in line with what’s been reported across the country, but what sticks out is the gap between Texas Tech and the rest of the conference in 2026 spending.

The Red Raiders were the conference’s lone representative in last year’s College Football Playoff, and it obviously didn’t go too well with Oregon stomping on Joey McGuire and a loaded Texas Tech roster that pushed the envelope of $40 million.

While I’m certain everyone is spending a little more than they did last year, it’s safe to bet most programs in the league are spending with some pause when it comes to challenging the big dogs in the SEC and Big Ten. Why pool that kind of money when the playoff is already expanding and the pathway to a CFB seat remains a mystery outside of, well, just winning football games? Yes, the biggest spenders have the best odds, but, remember too that a team by the name of Notre Dame, which is spending between $41 and 48 million this season, missed the boat last year for an at-large bid.

Until Texas Tech, or any member of the Big 12 for that matter starts winning some playoff games, it’s hard to look at these numbers and justify raising them into the top-10 bracket in terms of Power Four spending. Make it worth our while.