Overview
- Curt Cignetti, responding Thursday on social media, said Indiana was "not even close" to a $40 million roster spend.
- His comment answered Alabama GM Courtney Morgan, who told Front Office Sports that teams trying to win the College Football Playoff are likely spending more than $40 million.
- Morgan said schools lack clear benchmarks because there is no public, verified database tracking roster costs tied to name, image and likeness deals and transfers.
- Indiana captured last season’s national title after a 12-0 regular season, a Big Ten win over Ohio State, and CFP victories over Alabama, Oregon, and Miami, adding fuel to questions about whether massive budgets are required to win.
- Survey reporting from On3, cited by multiple outlets, named USC the top spender for the 2026 cycle, with Texas Tech, Oregon, Miami, and Texas A&M also flagged, underscoring wide but unverified disparities.