Oklahoma State spends an estimated $15 million to $19 million on its 2026 football roster, according to The Athletic, among the lowest budgets in power conference football. Yet it pays the highest valued player in the Big 12: quarterback Drew Mestemaker at $3.5 million, ninth in college football, who led the country with 4,379 passing yards at North Texas under Eric Morris, now Oklahoma State’s coach. In September the Cowboys beat Oregon, whose roster The Athletic estimates at $48 million to $54 million.
| Highest paid player | QB Drew Mestemaker, $3.5 million, ninth in college football |
| His story | Did not start a varsity game at quarterback in high school, then led the FBS with 4,379 passing yards at North Texas in 2025 |
| Head coach | Eric Morris, hired from North Texas at $3.8 million |
| Still paying | A $15 million buyout to Mike Gundy and $2.377 million to North Texas for Morris |
The Biggest Upset in Dollars
| Team | Estimated 2026 budget |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $48 million to $54 million |
| Oklahoma State (won the game) | $15 million to $19 million |
Oregon spent roughly three times as much on its roster and lost. Within the Big 12, Oklahoma State’s budget is in the same range as Arizona’s and below the conference average of $18 million to $22 million, while Texas Tech spends $38 million to $42 million.
Budget figures are from The Athletic as reported by Yahoo Sports; Mestemaker’s valuation is On3’s 2026 figure, and his 2025 passing total is from Sports Illustrated. Schools do not publish football payrolls.
The Bottom Line
Oklahoma State spends an estimated $15 million to $19 million on its 2026 roster but pays Drew Mestemaker $3.5 million, the most in the Big 12, and beat a $48 million plus Oregon roster. See the Oregon vs. Oklahoma State page, the national list on highest NIL valuations, and the Oklahoma State football schedule.