Bang for the Buck: College football
All this week, Page 2 looks at the athletic world the way financial analysts look at corporations. Which teams are maximizing their returns? Which clubs are woefully inefficient?
In short, who's getting the biggest -- and smallest -- bang for their bucks?
To answer the above, we're comparing teams by a simple, bottom-line metric: Player payroll dollars spent per regular-season victory. Using the most recent and accurate salary figures available, we're also examining which clubs have been penny-wise and which have been pound-foolish.
Monday: NFL | Tuesday: NBA | Wednesday: MLB
Thursday: NHL | Friday: College football | Friday: College basketball
Below, Page 2 concludes its series by looking at the final pre-bowl Top 25 college football teams. We used the most recent athletic department budget information provided by the Department of Education's online Equity in Athletics Data Analysis Cutting Tool to analyze the 2009 season.
Note: Top 25 determined by BCS standings.
The top five

1. Boise State
Fun fact: Boise State's $25.1 million total budget for all men's and women's sports is less what 2009 BCS champion Alabama spent on football alone ($31.2 million).
2. Cincinnati
Fun fact: Bearcats football team turned a bigger profit ($1.73 million) than the school's traditionally strong basketball team ($1.17 million).
3. Brigham Young
Fun fact: BYU's football budget was less than Kentucky's basketball budget ($11.57 million).
4. Utah
Fun fact: Utes' budget is lower than all but one school (Washington State) in the Pac-10, the league Utah soon will be joining.
5. Georgia Tech
Fun fact: Georgia Tech spent $1,256 on football per undergraduate student -- more than sports colossus Ohio State ($844).
The bottom five

25. Ohio State
Fun fact: The Buckeyes' $32.85 million football profit was major reason the school's athletic department was slightly in the black despite $104.93 million in total expenses and a $17.81 million capital debt payment.
24. LSU
Fun fact: LSU's $43.25 million football profit was bigger than Ohio State's and could have funded the top four teams on this list ... with $4.59 million to spare.
23. USC
Fun fact: Glamour program turned a smaller football profit ($8.26 million) than Georgia Tech ($9.35 million). ¿Como?
22. Wisconsin
Fun fact: Badgers turned $10 million-plus profits in both football and men's basketball.
21. Alabama
Fun fact: Alabama took in a staggering $71.88 million in football revenue; the school's $40.76 million football profit was greater than the reported operating income of 24 NFL teams.
Rest of the Top 25
Rank | Program | Expenses | Victories | Cost/win | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
6. |
Oregon St. |
Just imagine what they'd accomplish with Phil Knight's money. |
|||
7. |
Arizona |
Isn't Arizona supposed to be a basketball school? | |||
8. |
W. Virginia |
No Rich Rod, no problem! | |||
9. |
TCU |
"Plucky" Horned Frogs spend nearly as much as USC. | |||
10. |
Okla. St. |
We figured super-booster T. Boone Pickens would make this budget higher. | |||
11. |
Oregon |
Just imagine what they'd accomplish with more of Phil Knight's money. | |||
12. |
Va. Tech |
Over the past decade, has any school gotten more football bang for its buck? | |||
13. |
Iowa |
Note: Rhabdomyolysis treatment costs extra. | |||
14. |
Texas |
With megabucks ESPN network soon to launch, this number could go way up. | |||
15. |
Pittsburgh |
Random comparison: NFL's Steelers paid $9.5M per regular-season win in 2010. | |||
16. |
Penn State |
Possibly the only metric by which Pitt football outclasses Penn State. | |||
17. |
Nebraska |
Nebraska spends less on football than Oregon and TCU? Really? | |||
18. |
Miami (Fla.) |
But what does Uncle Luke think? | |||
19. |
Florida |
Figure may not include cost of plaque/statue construction. | |||
20. |
Stanford |
Figure may not include Jim Harbaugh's ultra-luxe office bathroom. |
Other notables
Program | Expenses | Victories | Cost/win | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|
Notre Dame |
In Notre Dame's defense, program produced a $34.67 million profit. |
|||
Michigan |
Cost per Big Ten win? $18.33 million? |
|||
Auburn |
Give or take $180,000. |
|||
Duke |
In all honesty, why bother? |
Patrick Hruby is a freelance writer and ESPN.com contributor. Contact him at PatrickHruby.net.
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