UNC Roster Spending Below CFB Average

In a recent analysis of NCAA college football roster budgets for 2026, the University of North Carolina (UNC) was found to be among the bottom 40% of Power 4 schools. While the exact budget for UNC's roster remains unclear, estimates put it between $20-25 million for the current year. This places UNC's spending on roster construction below the average for Power 4 teams, which is around $21-$25 million.

The ACC average for roster budgets is also higher than that of the Big 12 ($18-22M), but significantly lower than the Big 10 ($27-31M) and SEC ($33-38M). Despite investing heavily in top-tier personnel, UNC's roster budget lags behind its more competitive counterparts.

Head Coach Bill Belichick is reportedly earning $10 million in salary for the 2027 season, making him the third-highest paid coach in the ACC and the 15th highest-paid coach in college football. General Manager Michael Lombardi, who recently resigned, was the highest-paid GM in college football, earning $1.5 million in 2026-27. Even the highest-paid coordinator, Steve Belichick, was making $1.4 million in 2026, placing him near the top salary for coordinators in the top 25 teams.

The discrepancy between UNC's spending on head coaches, general managers, and coordinators, and its relatively low roster budget raises questions about the program's ability to compete for top-tier talent. The article suggests that while investing in staff is important, without a sufficient budget for roster construction, UNC will struggle to compete with programs like Miami and Notre Dame.

Until UNC addresses this $20 million gap in cash to recruit, retain, and steal talent, it will be challenging for the team to measure up against the upper echelon of college football talent.