Most Valuable College Football Programs: Where Do USC Trojans Rank?

The USC Trojans were ranked in the top 25 highest valued programs -- based on valuation scenarios of population, success, facilities and location in some instances. The Trojans projected estimated value rounded out at 1.4 billion due to location and past success in the 2000s.

Jul 24, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

A looming reality in college football has been the value of each program going into each season – how much money they have to seal recruits, schedules and buyouts. Among the top 10 highest valued programs, the USC Trojans rank No. 7. 

The ranking originally came from The Athletic weighing a scenario that included private equity firms buying programs – as they would professional programs – to give readers an understanding of the market value for each college program.

The methodology behind the rankings stemmed from real-life pro organization transactions over the last three years. NFL and NBA transactions were used to estimate values for SEC and Big Ten programs, while NHL and MLB sales informed valuations for the ACC and Big 12.

Jul 24, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Other measurements included the programs success, facilities, population, championships and realignment scenarios. 

Here is the top 10 from most valuable programs in college football, from The Athletic:

No. 1 Texas - $2.38 billion
No. 2 Georgia - $1.98 billion
No. 3 Ohio State with $1.9 billion,
No. 4 Notre Dame with $1.85 billion,
No. 5 Michigan with $1.83 billion,
No. 6 Alabama with $1.74 billion
No. 7 Oklahoma with $1.49 billion
No. 8 USC - $1.4 billion
No. 9 Tennessee - $1.37 billion
No. 10 LSU - $1.23 billion

The Trojans No. 8 ranking comes with a $1.4 billion estimated value of their program. The amount stemmed from their location in the heart of Los Angeles and past success. 

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USC’s rich history of success and national championship wins adds to the valuation of the program. Despite the lack of playoff success, the addition into the Big Ten conference is a major note to make for their value – an 18-team super conference with elite teams brings plenty of television exposure and the chance for USC to put their names on the board in a new realm. 

The Athletic’s Matt Baker's support for USC also stemmed from comparison to other programs who have had more recent success.

"We took the biggest liberty here. Revenue figures alone would put the Trojans’ value in the Nebraska-Wisconsin range ($800 million to $900 million). But those numbers don’t reflect the fact that they’re adding millions of dollars annually by shedding Pac-12 payouts and receiving full shares from the Big Ten. Add in brand power — where the Trojans are more like Alabama or Oklahoma historically," wrote Baker when explaining USC's ranking.

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley holds the championship trophy after the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Another note comes from the money used towards recruits. Coach Lincoln Riley boasts the No. 2 2026 recruiting class in the country, and has landed over 15 four-star recruits, beating out teams like Texas, Ohio State and Michigan in the race for best 2026 recruiting class. 

Current USC players have also had the opportunity to secure multi-figure NIL deals – due to their status being a part of the USC Football program.

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

For example, Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava holds the highest NIL valuation with $1.4 million, per On3. Maiava is in his second season with USC after previously playing for UNLV. 

While UNLV is a respectable program, high-dollar NIL deals are more commonly offered to athletes at powerhouse schools like USC, where exposure, competition, and brand value are much greater.

With the growing concerns of NIL – whether it’s ruining or benefitting college football – players and coaches have been able to utilize NIL money to intensively build their programs, and as well as pay players following the House vs. NCAA settlement concluded at the end of July.