The plan for 2025 seemed to be taking on failed high-level recruits and hoping for the best. With the Ole Miss run, I suspect that a lot of staffs are scouring JUCO, Division II and FCS looking for underappreciated talent all the more.
Pretty interesting that 247 puts out a stat showing average salary for starting positions. If you add it all up, a starting roster would cost $30M or so. Is that $45M for a complete roster? I am skeptical. But the amount of NIL+ money being thrown around in coach negotiations makes it more plausible. Regardless, even if not the case, those numbers are probably just a few years away. The numbers are not going to go up based on inflation figures... they are moving up out of control. If that is the case, we will need a ton of booster money to compete and will need a ton and a half in several years, etc.
I could see college sports whittle down on its own, with the financial disparity simply making it unrealistic for all but 40 schools to even try to compete. The B1G/SEC don't need to expand to make it happen, they just need to spend like crazy and the other schools will have to make the tough decision on their own. Why spend $30M per year when other programs are spending $70M? Indiana is coaching up 3-stars, but they are also paying to bring them in and keep them too. Clemson is building almost exclusively from within and it is costing them. Embrace the portal or die.