Conferences and schools are grappling with a significant shift in the trajectory of college football during the 2025-26 academic year. They are trying hard to cope with the challenges that come with anything that’s new and experimental on the table. The Big 12, amidst the Power Five conferences, are seemingly facing the major consequences of the massive financial doldrums, especially with the prologue of the new revenue-sharing model and the growing NIL culture. The trend of sharing a lofty amount of money with the athletes demands resources that are clearly lacking with non-powerhouse programs, and it is becoming insurmountable as we go through another crackling off-season.

One program is falling victim to a faulty revenue-sharing system 

The hype of the regular games, touchdowns and missed throws, unnecessary fumbles, or a fiery defensive line has been toned down by now. We are coming fresh off of a spectacular college football season. As the spring schedule approaches, it’s an opportune moment to discuss some of the most critical NCAA issues that, if not handled carefully, could pose a significant threat to many small-cap universities.

Each school could begin sharing between $20 million in revenue with players as early as July 1, 2025. A tentative amount of approximately 22 percent of each school’s annual athletic department revenue helped to decide this cap. Meanwhile, with some new regulations, athletes will continue to rake in money from NIL deals. While they didn’t ask every school to participate directly, they put the clause in such a way that if they don’t, it will deprive them of some crucial benefits, including some enhanced edge in recruiting.

For many schools, this revenue-sharing is an opportunity. Many SEC and B1G schools, like Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and Michigan, come to mind. However, such is the nature of college football that not every school is traveling in the same boat. The bigger, blueblood schools use a yacht, while smaller schools are often left with a kayak. That’s how it is. You get a billionaire to sponsor your NIL, and you can land Bryce Underwood. Not everyone has that luxury. Iowa State is one such school in the Big 12. No luxury whatsoever. Forget your Michigan or Ohio. They can’t even compete with other Big 12 teams like Baylor and Texas Tech on the money front.

Just after the revenue-sharing news broke, Iowa State had to cancel its plans to build a $20 million wrestling space. ”We’ve built that strong foundation, but we’re not necessarily that huge market. I hate to say this, but Iowa State struggles to fight even though Iowa is in the same state, so as far as in the nation, we’re not exactly turning a ton of heads,” Big 12 insider Nick Marovets explained the root of the problem for the Cyclones on the February 12 episode of Locked on Big 12 podcast.

”Obviously, that Miami game was huge, and I talked about that at the time; a win over a big-time ACC opponent is a step in the right direction,” Marovets continued. ”But it’s hard to argue we are just like, Iowa State specifically, not a huge market team, more of a kind of do things right from the inside out, kind of the way it goes about things, so it hurts to see things like this happening.”

There has been a lot of disparity between the Big 10 schools and the significantly weaker Big 12 schools. The hefty TV contracts, ticket sales, sponsorships, and bowl game earnings make a big difference in the schools’ hold over the revenue and the overall cap strength. Pressure on low-tier programs like Iowa State was inevitable. Now, creative financial strategies and equitable roster management can only come to their aid, but athletic director Jamie Pollard seems to be a lot lost, but a bit found, for that matter.

Iowa State AD seems unhinged yet determined to close out the gap 

The huge amount of NIL money isn’t considered among the revenue for the athletes, which is a big headache for the schools in its own right. For the lesser-money schools, it becomes a baffling puzzle to solve. Thanks to the NCAA’s landmark $2.8 billion lawsuit settlement with the attorneys general of Tennessee and Virginia and other states over its rules prohibiting name, image, and likeness compensation for recruits. Now, the conferences and the schools have to bear the dreadful consequences. The biggest potential upheaval amidst all the damage control methods is the revenue-sharing model, nonetheless.

”It’s just another disruption in our industry, and every one of these seems insurmountable. This one might really be insurmountable,” Pollard, Iowa State AD, said back in May. “The Cyclones don’t owe a budget of $120 million but $100 million, but they ain’t giving up. I can look at it and say the only way we can do $20 million (to players) is to only spend 80, but I don’t know where we’d get rid of the 20. At least overnight. That’s the million-dollar question, or $20 million question, for all of us. We’ll figure it out, but it’s not a simple answer,” the AD reflected on a critical juncture of the program.