West Virginia head football coach Rich Rodriguez has not been shy over the past couple of years about the level of spending West Virginia needs to be at to be competitive at a high level in college football. In 2025, he pinpointed $10 million in NIL money over the revenue share cap as being a number needed to be competitive in the Big 12.
He's also identified that the team enjoys about $14 million of the school's total allocated revenue share money for all sports, so roughly $24 million is a good number to aim for. And he's also mentioned that the ultimate goal is to be in the top-half or top-third of the conference in football spending. And the most recent numbers indicate the program is getting close to those goals.
WVU football climbs closer to lofty spending goals in revenue sharing era
The Athletic recently compiled their best estimate of how much each team at the Power 4 levelis spending on their rosters, and the data bodes well for West Virginia's future. The outlet listed West Virginia eight-highest spending football program in the Big 12, at roughly a $20 million dollar roster. Which is right in the middle of the reported conference average of $18 million-$22 million.
This puts them pretty close to Rodriguez's ideal dollar amount, and into the top-half of the league. And even if the top-third of the league is the ultimate goal, the next three schools above them on the list – Utah, Kansas State, and Arizona State – hold the narrowest of edges on the Mountaineers. So it's not unreasonable West Virginia can overtake them in the coming years.
Some interesting information from@TheAthleticthis morning on college football roster costs. This article has WVU 8th in the Big 12 in roster spending at around $20 million.
— Spencer Ripchik (@RipchikSpencer)September 16, 2026
Full article:https://t.co/H97uNDp44Vpic.twitter.com/jHNVAe1sYP
And given that the Mountaineers arecoming off a record-setting yearof donations to the athletic department, it's hard to imagine that WVU won't be continuing to increase their overall spending in the near future.
Money is everything in this new era of college football, and if West Virginia approaches the transition happening in modern coege sports correctly, they can position themselves as a top competitor in the league for the years to come.
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