There is dispute over whether the author of "Money can't buy love, but it improves your bargaining position" was the English poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe. Jump forward from the 16th century to today, and in big-time college sports, money certainly improves bargaining position in fielding a championship team.
Alabama football insiders believe the Crimson Tide's 2026 player payroll is above $30 million. Most estimates are in the $32 million to $34 million range.
Based on a CBS Sports survey of more than 50 industry sources, "a mix of Power Four athletic directors, general managers, personnel executives, salary cap experts, agents and boosters", at least 12 programs have larger player payrolls than Alabama.
CBS calls it "roster spending", but player payroll is used here because, NIL justifications aside, players are being paid to play football and produce wins. An exception being when they are paid to visit a school as a recruit or sign with a team.
In the group of 12 teams are the top, most-often projected national championship contenders: Texas, Ohio State, Georgia, Oregon, Miami, and Notre Dame. Four of the 12 are Alabama football opponents in the 2026 regular season. In addition to Georgia, the other three are Texas A&M, Tennessee, and college football's spending big dog, the LSU Bengal Tigers.
In poker parlance, the Bengal Tigers are 'all-in' for the 2026 season. Results from the CBS survey cited LSU's player payroll of over $40 million. Also included in the survey feedback was a comment that LSU's player payroll "could be over $50 million."
Despite many claims, there has been no clear proof that a college football team has bought a championship. Even if it had been proven, the Alabama Crimson Tide football program is not the Moneyball equivalent of the Oakland A's. Alabama has adequate financial resources to compete.
Alabama vs. LSU
Still, the question of buying championships lingers. What if on Nov. 7, LSU's (purported) $4 million offensive tackle runs over defenders like Alabama's and New England's John Hannah once did? And as a result, the Bengal Tigers edge the Crimson Tide in Baton Rouge; would that not be buying success?
Even if LSU's war chest does not take it to college football's promised land this season, almost all the other top national championship contenders are college football's biggest spenders.
As Nick Saban asked years ago, is this what we want college football to become?
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