Inside the $40 Million Bet: How One College Football Program Is Reshaping Its 2025 Roster—and the Game Itself

College football’s fiercest stadiums might dazzle fans with their intimidating roar, but behind the scenes, the real battle is over dollars — lots of ’em. With NIL and revenue sharing reshaping the playing field every week, it turns out keeping star talent like Texas Longhorns’ Arch Manning isn’t just a recruiting pitch, it’s a wallet-busting gamble. This isn’t your average locker room drama; it’s a multimillion-dollar chess match that demands a whole new playbook — and Texas is front and center, throwing down somewhere between $35 million and $40 million just on their roster. Ever wonder what it really costs to keep college football’s brightest lights burning bright? Spoiler: It’s a staggering sum, and some insiders already calling it “unsustainable.” As the Longhorns gear up to chase another SEC title, fans can watch their future NFL No.1-in-waiting in action — but the price of success is painfully clear. So, are we witnessing the golden age of college football or the start of an inevitable reckoning?

According to the Houston Chronicle, the Texas Longhorns are expected to spend “between $35 million and $40 million” on their new roster. The price is split between the allotment for revenue sharing – an estimated $20.5 million – and Texas’ official NIL collective.

Texas plans to cut costs after the 2025 season by leaning more into revenue sharing and less into NIL. Players would still be able to earn their own NIL deals, but they would do so without the assistance – or funding – of the Texas NIL collective.

Quarterback Arch Manning was cited as “by far the highest-paid Texas player,” but the source noted that all of his NIL deals were negotiated independently without the help fo the collective.

“It’s just unsustainable,” a source told the Chronicle about the high cost of doing business for Texas this season.

“The next season after this year, the whole world will be back to reality.”

Texas was one game away from playing for the national championship last season, losing to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff. Steve Sarkisian has led the team to successful runs over the last two seasons, and he’ll look to remain competitive in the SEC once again this year.

Manning is expected to be a major part of the team’s success, as the former five-star quarterback will be the starter to open the season. The nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning has been regarded as a potential future No. 1 overall draft pick in the NFL, and that journey will begin in earnest with his first season as a starter in college.

Fans are excited to see what Manning can do, but they’re now able to see exactly how expensive it can be for the Longhorns to keep him or any other great player in Austin.

Related: ‘The Game Is Destroyed’ – College Football Player Doesn’t Hold Back On NIL