Bowling can leave little to spare

January 1, 2011

Seventy college football teams are playing in bowls this season, and a federal database says those schools are each spending millions of dollars on the sport.

A database from the Department of Education shows that Ohio State and Alabama each spend more than $31 million on football and nine other teams spend $20 million plus.

The cheapest bowl-bound program is at Troy, which spends a shade over $5 million.

Schools defend the spending, saying that the revenue football brings in makes it a moneymaker that funds other sports programs. Critics respond that the huge outlay on student-athletes is a sign that schools' educational priorities are out of whack.

The top 10 spenders:

1. Ohio State, $31,763,036

2. Alabama, $31,118,134

3. Notre Dame, $29,490,788

4. Auburn, $27,911,713

5. LSU, $25,566,520

6. Florida, $24,457,557

7. South Carolina, $22,794,211

8. Wisconsin, $22,041,491

9. Arkansas $22,005,014

10. TCU, $20,609,361

Note: University of Texas spent $25.1 million but did not make a bowl game this season.