This week's picks

More with less: money: 2026 College Football Chart

College Football Charts
Data updatedOct 31, 2026

Share as an image

Image style

More with less: money

SP+ overall (up) against Roster value (log scale) (across, with less to the right). 70 teams with data.

Higher is better. The across axis runs backwards on purpose, so the right side is the teams with less to work with. Dashed lines are the averages of the teams shown and split the chart into four groups. There's no trend line or gray band here: the chart compares two separate skills, so no spot is "expected." The lists show the best teams in the top-right corner and the worst in the bottom-left, ranked by SP+. Tap or click a team to open it in Head to head.

What this shows

The same idea with money. Roster value runs backwards: the further right, the cheaper the roster (NIL roster value from The NIL Standard, power-conference teams plus Boise State and Oregon State). Higher is better SP+. The top-right corner is teams paying less than most and playing better than most. Top left is big payrolls that deliver; bottom left is big payrolls that don't.

Teams with more roster value usually play better (r = +0.66; roster value accounts for about 43% of the differences in SP+ overall among the 70 teams shown). That's why the top-right corner is hard to reach.

Split by the averages: Doing more with less 13, Paid for it and got it 22, Not much to work with 30, Paid for it, didn't get it 5.

Doing the most with the least money: Utah ($22.1M, SP+ 10th), BYU ($22.1M, SP+ 13th), Arizona ($19.9M, SP+ 14th). Most money, least to show: Michigan State ($24.6M, SP+ 88th), Vanderbilt ($24.9M, SP+ 77th), Clemson ($25.6M, SP+ 55th).

SEC: 1 of 16 in Doing more with less, 2 in Paid for it, didn't get it. Top of the list: South Carolina ($23.2M, SP+ 28th).

Big 12: 4 of 16 in Doing more with less, 0 in Paid for it, didn't get it. Top of the list: Utah ($22.1M, SP+ 10th).

Where the data comes from. SP+ overall: SP+ by Bill Connelly (CFB Update), last pulled Oct 27, 2026. Roster value: The NIL Standard, preseason estimates.

Doing the most with the least money

  1. Utah $22.1M, SP+ 10th
  2. BYU $22.1M, SP+ 13th
  3. Arizona $19.9M, SP+ 14th
  4. Nebraska $23.3M, SP+ 15th
  5. Northwestern $19.9M, SP+ 20th
  6. SMU $22.4M, SP+ 21st

Most money, least to show

  1. Michigan State $24.6M, SP+ 88th
  2. Vanderbilt $24.9M, SP+ 77th
  3. Clemson $25.6M, SP+ 55th
  4. Florida State $24.0M, SP+ 53rd
  5. Auburn $27.7M, SP+ 51st

About the stats on this chart

What is roster value?

Estimated NIL market value of the whole roster, from The NIL Standard. Independent estimates, not reported deals. More money isn't marked better.

Why does roster value matter?

Roster value is the money side of the talent story. It tells you what a team paid for, not what it's getting.

Where does the roster value data come from?

From The NIL Standard, preseason estimates.

What is SP+ overall?

Bill Connelly's opponent-adjusted efficiency rating. Points better than an average FBS team on a neutral field. Higher is better.

Why does SP+ overall matter?

It's the best single number for how good a team is right now, schedule and all. If you only look at one rating, look at this one.

Where does the SP+ overall data come from?

From SP+ by Bill Connelly (CFB Update), last pulled Oct 27, 2026.