Texas' reported $2.2 billion valuation leads nation as college football business skyrockets

The Wall Street Journal's annual study reveals that the Texas Longhorns football program holds the highest valuation among college football teams at nearly $2.2 billion. This marks a 46% year-over-year increase in valuations among the top 20 programs, reflecting the financial impact of the NIL and revenue-sharing era. Texas also leads in adjusted revenue for 2025 with $298 million. Following Texas, Texas A&M, Ohio State, and LSU are among the highest valued programs, all exceeding $1.5 billion.

The SEC and Big Ten dominate the list, with 14 of the top 15 teams coming from these conferences, while Notre Dame ranks sixth as the only non-SEC or Big Ten team. The report coincides with the ongoing deliberations between the SEC and Big Ten regarding the expansion of the College Football Playoff, with decisions pending on whether to adopt a 16-team or 24-team format.

Additionally, media rights for college football have surpassed $4 billion, bol