WILD: Move Over BYU, Texas Tech NIL and Say Hello to West Virginia, Oklahoma State Football Spenders

The 2026 NIL landscape has shifted the balance of power in the Big 12, as Oklahoma State and West Virginia have executed a massive financial pivots to leapfrog established spenders like Texas Tech and BYU. While the Red Raiders and Cougars dominated the early NIL era, the "Pokes" and "Mountaineers" have recently tapped into deep-pocketed alumni networks to create a new tier of spending. Oklahoma State has signaled its "all-in" mentality with an estimated $55 million in collective NIL spending for 2026. This surge was catalyzed by a culture shift in Stillwater; after Mike Gundy famously took a $1 million pay cut to seed NIL funds, the "Pokes with a Purpose" collective saw record-breaking donor participation. This war chest was the primary engine behind the shocking commitment of Audi Crooks, who reportedly commanded a package exceeding $500,000—a figure previously unheard of for a single women’s basketball transfer at OSU. Similarly, West Virginia has utilized the "Country Roads Trust" to reach an $8–$9 million threshold for basketball alone, placing them in the nation's top tier. This investment allowed the Mountaineers to secure elite talent like Sam Leavitt ($4M valuation) and compete directly with Blue Bloods in the portal. By contrast, while Texas Tech and BYU remain "elite" spenders with healthy infrastructures, their growth has stabilized. Oklahoma State and WVU have entered a "hyper-growth" phase, realizing that in the 2026 conference hierarchy, being "flush with cash" is the only way to prevent being left behind in the next round of realignment. Everydayer ClubIf you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! IndeedListeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get two-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOBig12?sid=YouTube Locked On College Conferences, HBCU, Basketball & More 🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnCollege Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drakectoll Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LOBig12