In the cutthroat world of the SEC, championships are the ultimate prize. But for the Texas Longhorns, a different kind of victory, one measured in nine figures, has put them in a class of their own. This week, the NCAA released its latest financial reports, and Steve Sarkisian’s program is leading it.

In a report for Al.com, Matt Stahl brought out the intricate details from the governing body’s reports. The headline goes to the Longhorns, as they lead 15 public universities in football revenue. Texas generated $180.8 million from the sport. Just two years after it joined the SEC, the program continues to stand above the rest.

The revenue figures are surprising to a degree, as Texas’ annual football income dropped from $204.7 million in the 2024 fiscal year to $180.8 million this year. This wouldn’t come as a surprise to college football fans. Texas’ unmatched donor base has made the program one of the best fundraising machines in college sports. Moreover, the program has also looked to maximize its revenue by offering premium seating. As a result, the Longhorns saw a massive jump in ticket revenue.

While Texas sits comfortably at the top, the financial gap to its nearest competitors is significant. Tennessee, the only other program to break the $150 million barrier, still trails by nearly $30 million, highlighting the Longhorns’ unique financial power in their new conference. The Vols are followed by Georgia, which brought in $149.3 million. Alabama is 4th on the list ($147.7 million), while the Sooners had a revenue of $125.5 million.

On the spending side, Alabama leads the conference, investing $82.9 million in its football program. Texas, in comparison, spent $73.9 million. The Vols spent over $74 million on its football program. Surprisingly, Kirby Smart’s Georgia spent just $37.6 million on its football program. While these figures offer insight, financial reports can vary based on how schools account for donations and distribute expenses across different sports.

Even with that context, Texas still holds the largest surplus among SEC programs for the 2025 fiscal year, with over $100 million. Georgia is a distant second at $78 million, followed by Tennessee with similar figures. Missouri currently has the lowest surplus in the SEC at less than $10 million.

Despite spending less than several rivals, the Longhorns continue to dominate financially. At the same time, Texas must also weigh whether leaving the Big 12 was the right move, especially since the SEC’s latest payouts raise a few important questions.

How much did the Texas Longhorns earn from the SEC’s $1.03 billion payout?

Just like Oklahoma, Texas left the Big 12 to pursue more lucrative deals with the SEC. Naturally, many expected the SEC, widely regarded as one of the premier conferences for producing NFL-ready talent and generating revenue through broadcasting, the most profitable segment of college athletics, to pay Texas a significant amount. However, that expectation did not materialize.

Earlier this year, the Southeastern Conference distributed a record $1.3 billion among its 16 member schools, averaging roughly $72 million per school. The Longhorns, however, received only $12.1 million, while the Sooners got $2.6 million, actually less than what they earned previously in the Big 12.

Despite this, Texas Athletics Director Chris Del Conte clarified during the conference that these figures represent only a partial payout and that the Longhorns will receive their full share in the next fiscal year.