The college football revenue-sharing cap is set at $20.5 million for the 2025 season, and the Power 4 conferences—ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC—are splitting the money in very different ways. According to data from Opendorse, each league’s spending reflects its unique football identity, whether it’s offense-first, defense-heavy, or quarterback-centric.
Offense vs. Defense Spending
- ACC: Most offense-heavy league, allocating 70% of its budget to offensive positions.
- SEC: Defense-first approach, with 43% going to defensive positions—the highest in the Power 4.
- Big Ten: Balanced at 62% offense vs. 38% defense.
- Big 12: Leans offense, 64:36 ratio, though still less extreme than the ACC.
Position Group Allocations
Here’s how the conferences are distributing money by position in 2025:
- Quarterbacks:
- Big 12 leads with 23.1%, the highest of any league.
- ACC (19.4%) and SEC (15.1%) trail behind.
- Big Ten invests the least at 14.4%.
- Wide Receivers:
- Big Ten (16.8%) spends the most on WRs, edging out the ACC (16.3%).
- Big 12 is lowest at 11.5%.
- Offensive Line:
- ACC tops at 17%, showing commitment to protecting QBs.
- Big 12 spends the least at 10.5% despite its QB focus.
- Defensive Line & Linebackers:
- SEC leads in both DL (15.5%) and LBs (13.5%), highlighting its defensive culture.
- Big Ten follows closely with 12.1% on linebackers and 11.2% on the defensive line.
- Specialists:
- Big Ten (2.4%) invests the most in kickers/punters.
- SEC invests the least (0.9%).
What the Numbers Mean
- The ACC is offense-obsessed, spending big on quarterbacks, receivers, and linemen.
- The SEC continues its reputation as the nation’s defensive powerhouse.
- The Big 12 is all-in on quarterbacks, but skimps on offensive line protection.
- The Big Ten spreads its budget more evenly, backing both skill positions and defensive depth.
NIL Earnings: Player Income Brackets
Despite the $20.5 million cap, most athletes see only modest NIL payouts:
- 66.5% earn less than $10,000 annually.
- 16.1% earn between $10K–$49K.
- 7.4% make $50K–$99K, and 9.1% fall in the $100K–$499K range.
- Just 0.9% of players earn over $500K, with 0.3% breaking $1 million.
Final Takeaway
The 2025 college football budget allocation underscores stark differences across the Power 4:
- The ACC prioritizes offense.
- The SEC doubles down on defense.
- The Big 12 lives and dies with its quarterbacks.
- The Big Ten continues to balance across positions, even investing more in specialists.
These strategies not only define each conference’s style of play but could also impact recruiting, NIL negotiations, and the eventual path to the College Football Playoff.