Texas Longhorns Set to Break the Bank: $40 Million Investment Signals College Football Power Shift

The Texas Longhorns aren’t just coming for the crown — they’re writing a blank check to get there. On Wednesday, reports surfaced that the University of Texas plans to spend an eye-popping $35 million to $40 million on its football program in 2025. The sheer size of that investment is unprecedented in the modern NIL and transfer portal era — and it’s a thunderous warning shot fired toward the rest of college football.

The Longhorns’ football spending for this upcoming season is expected to nearly double what Ohio State spent on its 2024 national championship roster. That stark comparison has sent shockwaves through both the SEC and the national landscape, as college football’s economic arms race reaches new heights. But if there’s one program uniquely positioned to set the bar this high — and maybe move it even higher — it’s Texas.

At the heart of that financial push is the face of the Longhorns’ program: quarterback Arch Manning. The sophomore gunslinger and former No. 1 overall recruit in the country has yet to fully take over the starting job in Austin, but his value is already skyrocketing. Manning’s NIL valuation currently sits at $6.6 million, the highest of any athlete in college football — or in any collegiate sport, for that matter.

To put that number in perspective, it’s more than the NFL base salary for a rookie drafted in the third round. It’s more than the NIL value of several entire Group of Five rosters combined. And it’s a big reason why Texas is embracing the new era of college football economics — one where stars must be retained just as aggressively as they’re recruited.

Manning’s brand, paired with the Texas brand, is becoming college football’s most marketable combination. He hasn’t even become the full-time starter yet — Quinn Ewers held down that job through the 2024 season — but Arch’s potential and pedigree are enough to attract national advertisers, boosters, and donors eager to invest in the future. With the 2025 season shaping up to be a likely breakout year for Manning, the Longhorns are opening the vault.

But it’s not just Manning. The $35M-$40M projection for Texas football isn’t a one-man splurge. It’s a program-wide investment, touching everything from roster retention and recruiting, to facilities, staff salaries, nutrition, technology, travel, and analytics. This is a top-to-bottom overhaul that signals not only ambition, but a full commitment to winning at the highest level.

It’s also a calculated response to the reality of life in the SEC. Texas enters its second year in college football’s premier conference, and the stakes are even higher. The Longhorns reached the College Football Playoff in 2024 and pushed the eventual champion Buckeyes to the brink. They’ve proven they belong in the upper echelon — now they want to stay there. And the only way to do that is to out-recruit, out-train, out-staff, and out-pay the competition.

There’s also a strategic element to this surge in spending. In the past, Texas was often criticized for being a sleeping giant — rich in resources but falling short in results. That perception began to shift under head coach Steve Sarkisian, who has rebuilt the culture, raised expectations, and restored the Longhorns to national relevance. But Sarkisian knows better than anyone that success in college football today isn’t just about playbooks and pep talks. It’s about personnel and payment.

The NIL era has leveled the playing field in some ways, but it’s also exposed programs that aren’t willing — or able — to keep up. Texas, with one of the largest donor bases in the country, isn’t just keeping up. It’s pulling away.

The school’s flagship NIL collective, the Clark Field Collective, has been operating with deep pockets since the very start of NIL in 2021. With access to influential alumni, wealthy oil money, and national brand partnerships, Texas has the ability to provide its athletes with compensation packages that rival those of lower-tier professional athletes. And in many cases, the exposure and support system in Austin is even better.

What makes Texas even more dangerous is the infrastructure surrounding the football program. The Longhorns already boast elite facilities, world-class strength and conditioning, and a support staff that mirrors those of NFL franchises. Their recent renovations to the football complex, coupled with a high-tech sports science department, have drawn rave reviews from recruits and current players alike.

Now, with a near-$40 million war chest at their disposal, Sarkisian and his staff can take those tools and supercharge them. Expect new additions to the staff, including more analysts and position specialists. Expect even greater retention efforts to keep star players away from the transfer portal. Expect Texas to make splashy moves in the portal themselves — chasing plug-and-play talent at key positions to round out a roster capable of winning the SEC.

The challenge, of course, will be living up to the expectations that come with that kind of spending. Texas already has one of the most passionate and vocal fanbases in the country. The scrutiny and pressure will only intensify if this financial investment doesn’t immediately translate to titles.

There’s also the broader impact on the college football ecosystem to consider. If Texas is setting the new standard, what happens to programs that simply can’t match it? Will the gap between the “haves” and “have-nots” grow wider than ever before? Are we heading toward a semi-professional model where only the wealthiest schools can consistently compete?

Those questions don’t have easy answers, but they underline the importance of what Texas is doing. The Longhorns aren’t just building a football team — they’re reshaping the sport’s competitive landscape.

Meanwhile, Ohio State’s 2024 championship roster is a reminder that spending wisely still matters. The Buckeyes didn’t break the bank — at least not at Texas levels — but they made targeted investments and built a cohesive, veteran team. Texas, by contrast, is betting big on explosive talent and long-term infrastructure. The result could be a dynasty — or it could be a cautionary tale.

For now, though, the Longhorns are all-in. The swagger is back. The money is flowing. And the message to the rest of the college football world is unmistakable:

Texas isn’t coming. Texas is here.

This is what a modern football powerhouse looks like: a blend of tradition, talent, money, and ambition. A program with deep pockets and even deeper expectations. A team that’s ready to spend whatever it takes to win — and to keep winning.

Arch Manning might be the face of it, but this is about more than one player. It’s about an institution seizing its moment. If 2024 was the warning, then 2025 is the reckoning. With the richest football budget in college history, the Longhorns are taking their shot at immortality.

And one way or another, they’re going to make sure everyone sees it.

Would you like a graphic showing how Texas’ projected spending compares to other top programs?