Texas boasts a $2.2 billion valuation, topping all college football programs. Their massive war chest fuels a talent-laden roster, aiming for a national title.
In college football, it is the rich man vs. the poor man. Deep-pocket donors fund their alma mater with the cash to compete on what is an uneven playing field for the majority of programs.
This dynamic shift in the tectonic plates of the college football landscape can only be navigated by a handful of teams, those that have the money and resources to bring the top football players in the country to their program. The most rich and powerful program in college football today is located in Austin, Texas.
In a story by CBSSports.com, the Texas Longhorns have been branded as the most valuable program in college football, at $2.2 billion, based on a study by the Wall Street Journal.
The two teams playing for the national title on Monday night, Miami and Indiana, did not make the list.
A multi-billion-dollar valuation of a college football program like Texas is incredible in itself, but 15 of the top 20 programs all topped $1 billion in valuations.
The Longhorns led the way last season with almost $300 million in adjusted revenue. Of the top 20 programs listed in the study, nine were from the SEC and nine were from the Big Ten, the two biggest power brokers in college sports.
Both conferences are debating with each other on how best to expand the College Football Playoff yet again. They have until the end of the week to decide so that media rights deals can be signed with television partner ESPN.
Texas has appeared in the CFP in two of the last three years, missing out in 2025. In response, coach Steve Sarkisian has raided the transfer portal and is bringing some of the top portal prospects to the Forty Acres. Running backs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers, receiver Cam Coleman and linebacker Rasheem Biles have all signed on to suit up in the burnt orange in 2026.
How much money it took to get those players to Austin is unknown, but you can bet it was not pennies on the dollar. And Sark may not be finished, as top offensive lineman Jordan Seaton is still taking visits after visiting with Texas.
With the money and resources available to Sarkisian and his staff, the Longhorns have loaded up on talent to make a full-on assault on college football next season. With potential Heisman candidate Arch Manning returning at quarterback, the Longhorns will be the most talented team in college football in 2026.
College football is a money game now, and only a few can flash the cash to reload their teams every season. The Longhorns football program have a war chest unrivaled in today’s game. They have put up the money; now it is time to shut up and go win a national title.