{"id":208637,"date":"2025-09-07T22:02:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T22:02:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/208637\/"},"modified":"2025-09-07T22:02:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T22:02:12","slug":"gopher-football-paying-out-how-much-money-to-players","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/208637\/","title":{"rendered":"Gopher Football Paying Out How Much Money to Players?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"PJCredit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

The Northwestern State Demons did not belong on the same football field with the Minnesota Gophers this weekend<\/a>, and unlike teams of PJ Fleck\u2019s past, these Golden Gophers had no interest in playing with their food on Saturday.<\/p>\n

They started the game off with a pick-six, one of four defensive takeaways on the afternoon. The first teamers were so dominant that they scored<\/a> 35 points in the first quarter and another 24 points in the second.<\/p>\n

By the time QB Drake Lindsey, S Koi Perich, EDGE Anthony Smith and the rest of Minnesota\u2019s starters were pulled from the contest, the score was 49-0 and there was still over 10 minutes remaining in the first half<\/a>. The Gophers slowed their role offensively, from there, but still shut out the Demons 66-0.<\/p>\n

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Victory highlights with your Sunday morning coffee \ud83d\ude0c\u2615\ufe0f#RTB<\/a> #SkiUMah<\/a> #Gophers<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/K4YklFDBvJ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) September 7, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Of course, a power four school with CFP aspirations<\/a> is supposed to blowout their early-season FCS opponent, and Northwestern State is considered the bottom of the barrell, even at that level. Nonetheless, taking care of business is easier said than done sometimes, so winning by 66 points<\/a> deserves praise.<\/p>\n

This is a different age of college football, though. And when you look at the compensation of each roster, you quickly realize why these kinds of matchups will become mostly obsolete in the future.<\/p>\n

In all likelihood, Northwestern State doesn\u2019t have an NIL budget at all. If they are able to offer some side cash to help pay for food and rent, they\u2019d be doing more than most of their FCS competitors.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Gophers\u2019 Name Image and Likeness fund for football has exploded over the past few years, on top of the $21 million they are now paying student athletes<\/a> out of their athletic budget in 2025.<\/p>\n

How much, you ask? Well they aren\u2019t yet to the $35 million that the Ohio States of the world have at their disposal, but on top of their new revenue sharing allotment, they could be getting close.<\/p>\n

According to Charley Walters (Pioneer Press)<\/a> \u2014 who\u2019s arguably more plugged-in to deep-pocketed U of M donors than any other reporter in town \u2014 the 2025 Golden Gophers football team is operating under a player budget \u201cin the $15 million range\u201d.<\/p>\n

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The revenue-sharing name, image and likeness (NIL) cost for reigning national football champion Ohio State players this season reportedly is $35 million. Player payroll for the Gophers, who play at Ohio State on Oct. 4, is in the $15 million range.<\/p>\n

Charley Walters \u2013 Pioneer Press<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Related: Rival Schools Coming for PJ Fleck and Gophers AD Knows It<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

This number likely does not include NIL money, however. It\u2019s been reported multiple places<\/a> over the past few months that the Gophers are using about 70-75% of their ($21M) revshare money to pay football players, which is approximately $15 million, the amount mentioned by Walters.<\/p>\n

If we include the millions being paid to football players<\/a> in separate Name, Image and Likeness dollars, or if Walters is referencing NIL money (not rev share) in his article, that would left the Gophers\u2019 total player budget exponentially higher.<\/p>\n

The PJ Fleck radio rant that\u2019ll live in MN Gophers history books<\/p>\n

Back in 2022-2023, the Minnesota Golden Gophers lost running back Bucky Irving to Oregon<\/a> via the transfer portal, after the Ducks came calling with Nike money that PJ Fleck and a small group of Dinkytown donors couldn\u2019t compete with in their wildest dreams.<\/p>\n

\"PJCredit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

That was when Minnesota\u2019s head coach went on KFAN radio<\/a>, where he pleaded for fans<\/a> to send their hard-earned dollars to the Gophers\u2019 licensed NIL collective, Dinkytown Athletes.<\/p>\n

Fleck warned that, if NIL donations didn\u2019t start coming in hand over fist, we\u2019d all be left watching the football program devolve into a minor league feeder system for bigger schools to come and pluck their best talent year in and year out.<\/p>\n

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\u201cSo, if we wanna keep players, all these guys we have, they won\u2019t be here next year [if we don\u2019t get more NIL money to pay them]. Just making sure everybody understands. [That] our fans [understand]. [Our best players] won\u2019t be here. So we\u2019ll be a Triple-A ball club for somebody else. That is the reality and the truth of the situation. So please, contact Dinkytown Athletes\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

PJ Fleck \u2013 KFAN Radio<\/a> (9\/26\/23<\/a>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Related: Gophers Star Avoids Serious Health Scare in Rout<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

From that point forward, money started pouring in to help support Gopher football. And now, Minnesota has been able to keep guys like Darius Taylor, Anthony Smith and Koi Perich<\/a>, who are all being paid handsomely to wear maroon and gold.<\/p>\n

No doubt, that speech on 100,000 watt sports radio will go down as one of the most important moments in Gopher sports history. Without it, there would be no hometown warm fuzzies with Koi or darts being thrown around the field by Drake Lindsey.<\/p>\n

Instead of dreaming of the CFP, we\u2019d be happy to reach bowl eligibility every few seasons, while Huntington Bank Stadium became a desolate, empty wasteland. Are we Ohio State or Oregon? No, and we never will be, as long as there\u2019s no salary cap in power four college football.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: NIL<\/a> P.J. Fleck<\/a> revenue sharing<\/a> <\/p>\n

More About:Minnesota Gophers Football<\/a><\/p>\n

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