Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor, January 11, 2016
They're the reigning national champs – at least for a few more hours – and they're college football's most valuable program for the second consecutive season, according to a recent wsj.com study.
The Ohio State Buckeyes lead the country with a value of $946.61 million, nearly $62 million more than second-place Texas, which has the nation's largest revenue at $128 million.
Rival Michigan places third ($811.30), while Penn State rounds out the top 10 ($481.39). Just missing the top 10 are No. 11 Nebraska ($443.13) and No. 12 Iowa ($439.57).
The annual study was conducted by Ryan Brewer, an assistant professor of finance at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus. According to the wsj.com story, Brewer analyzed each program?s revenues and expenses and made cash-flow adjustments, risk assessments and growth projections to calculate what a college team would be worth on the open market, if it could be bought and sold like a professional franchise.
Here's the top 10, with dollar value in millions:
1. Ohio State ($946.61)
2. Texas ($885.05)
3. Michigan ($811.30)
4. Notre Dame ($723.59)
5. Alabama ($694.87)
6. Oklahoma ($674.34)
7. Florida ($670.86)
8. Georgia ($636.44)
9. LSU ($612.30)
10. Penn State ($481.39)
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And here's the rest of the Big Ten:
11. Nebraska ($443.13)
12. Iowa ($439.57)
17. Wisconsin ($352.67)
28. Michigan State ($246.56)
36. Minnesota ($194.94)
45. Northwestern ($149.51)
46. Indiana ($142.96)
47. Purdue ($132.36)
54. Maryland ($100.02)
55. Illinois ($99.55)
67. Rutgers ($59.28)