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The Michigan Wolverines certainly know how to make money with their football program. The University of Michigan football program posted the second-highest revenue and second-highest profit marks of any NCAA football programs during the past year. The NCAA recently released data regarding the most financially successful programs in the country, and Michigan ranks behind only the University of Texas in revenue and profit.
Michigan posted $85.2 million in revenues over the past year - well above the average FBS revenue of $25 million and the median revenue of $19.9 million - and $61.6 million of that was profit for the university. The top 10 is dominated by SEC schools, and the only other Big Ten team to make the cut is Nebraska at No. 10. Michigan's impressive attendance numbers have no doubt helped their bottom line, and the same is true for all the other teams on the top end of the revenue list this year. The ticket revenue generated in home games for big programs is what helps them separate from the pack.
Here is a look at the most successful programs, via ESPN (numbers are expressed in millions of dollars):
| School | Rev. | Exp. | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Longhorns | $103.8 | $25.9 | $77.9 |
| Michigan Wolverines | $85.2 | $23.6 | $61.6 |
| Georgia Bulldogs | $75.0 | $22.7 | $52.3 |
| Florida Gators | $74.1 | $23.1 | $51.1 |
| Alabama Crimson Tide | $82.0 | $36.9 | $45.1 |
| LSU Tigers | $68.8 | $24.1 | $44.8 |
| Auburn Tigers | $77.2 | $33.3 | $43.8 |
| Notre Dame Fighting Irish | $69.0 | $25.8 | $43.2 |
| Arkansas Razorbacks | $64.2 | $24.3 | $39.9 |
| Nebraska Cornhuskers | $55.1 | $18.7 | $36.4 |