When college football season kicks off this Saturday fans will be talking about the starting quarterback, the preseason rankings and the new coaches on the sidelines.  While state budgets may not be on every fan's lips, they also certainly impact college football.  Many state school football programs have complicated financing, the money their school receives from the state, or lack thereof, has a direct impact on the football programs.

Football is king in Texas, but state budget woes mean that coaches won't be living like kings. Members of the University of Texas football staff will not receive increase in their base salaries this year due to the state's economic troubles., including reduced state funding.  The University of Texas Athletic Director made the announcement of no raises shortly after Gov. Rick Perry ordered the school to submit a plan on how to cut 5 percent of its budget funded by state money. 

In California, the state general fund contributed $6.9 million to San Diego State University's $32 million athletics budget.  This year, that amount decreases to $5.7 million, and that's before possible mid-year budget cuts.  Those budget cuts mean fewer resources available to the football team.  The Aztecs have fewer secretaries, trainers, equipment managers and academic tutors to support the team.

Amid all the protests in Wisconsin earlier this year, not many held signs opposing the $76.8 million included in the state's capital budget for the new Badger Performance Center on the Madison campus.  That building includes new locker rooms, an equipment room, recovery pools and a 10,000-square-foot strength and conditioning center for the University of Wisconsin football team.  This comes just give years after a $109.5-million expansion of Camp Randall Stadium.

Should your team have a stellar year, where that success is commemorated is also impacted by state budgets.  In FY2011, Georgia state lawmakers significantly cut higher education funding from the state budget but they did include $10 million in funding for the College Football Hall of Fame to buy the land it needed so it could move from South Bend, Indiana to Atlanta.

States budgets have broad impact, including on the gridiron and the jobs and buildings that are part of college football programs.

Filed Under : Higher Education