College football? It ain’t what it used to be. Back in the day, kids picked a school based on tradition, coaching, or maybe even the campus vibe. Now? It’s all about the bag. NIL money has turned recruiting into a billionaire’s playground, and two names just put the game in a chokehold—Nico Iamaleava and Bryce Underwood. The duo’s combined $18 million exposure didn’t just shake up the sport; it sent a ripple so big that even the NCAA had to sit up straight. And the one person who broke it all down?

Semi-famous sports comedian ThreeOhFour Joe, whose viral rant had folks questioning if college football officially cooked. “Bryce Underwood and Nico Iamala may have ruined college football for us. The NIL may be cooked, but how exactly?” Joe asked before diving into the chaos.

“You see, there was something very interesting and dirty about Nico Iamala’s Tennessee commitment. He was a five-star freshman coming out of high school; of course, every school wanted him. How does this kid from California say, ‘Hey, I want to go play football at Tennessee?’ I mean, I guess it could happen, but wait, right after he commits, he signs an NIL deal with Spyre Sports totaling $8 million. NCAA is like, ‘Hold up, this has to be pay to win,’ they launch an investigation so rich schools can’t dominate the market.”

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava didn’t exactly ask to be the face of the NIL madness, but here we are. The 6’6” signal-caller from California has tried to keep his head down, but the numbers don’t lie—Spyre Sports, Tennessee’s NIL collective, threw $8 million his way before he even played a snap. This wasn’t some hush-hush operation either. Back in 2022, The Athletic put Spyre on blast, revealing their goal of raising $25 million annually to pay Tennessee athletes. The NCAA heard that and hit the panic button. Fast forward to now, and it’s clear that Nico’s deal was just the tip of the iceberg.

Then came Bryce Underwood. If you don’t know, he’s the next Cam Newton, straight-up football royalty. He had LSU in a headlock—fully committed, all in. Then Michigan showed up like a Hollywood villain, snatching him up with a fat check. And not just any check. According to Joe, “Turns out a billionaire whose wife went to Michigan gives the kid $10 million—$10 million to get beat by Ohio State. It’s crazy. Now the NCAA investigation has just been paused, meaning nothing will change next year, maybe the year after that, but the NCAA is really pressing for this rule.”

For the record, that billionaire isn’t just any billionaire—it’s Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and his wife, Jolin Zhu. And get this: they shelled out around $10 million like it was pocket change at a gas station. Bryce’s high school numbers were already ridiculous—2,900 yards, 39 touchdowns, a state championship as a freshman—but now he’s stepping into Michigan with the type of expectations that could cost his head if he flops.

The NCAA, meanwhile, tried to regulate NIL talks before enrollment, but a court ruled against them, and now they’ve got their hands tied. The investigations? Paused. The chaos? Wide open, and a touchdown for the NCAA.

QBs who make similar NIL bag

And look, while everyone’s talking about Nico and Bryce, there are other QBs out here securing the bag with no fanfare. You heard about Carson Beck’s $4 million Miami move, but what about Tulane’s Darian Mensah? The man just inked a deal with Duke worth $8 million over two years—$4 million per season. That’s higher than what NFL rookies and some veterans in his position make. Darren Heitner, the sports law attorney who helped close the deal, called it “groundbreaking,” and he ain’t wrong.

Same goes for Washington State’s John Mateer, who pulled off a similar NIL heist. Oklahoma, Miami, and North Carolina all fought for him, but in the end, the Sooners won the bidding war. His deal? Likely in the same range. And this Texas native isn’t even using an agent—just straight-up finessing his way to the bank.

So yeah, we’ve officially entered the wild west of college football, and NIL isn’t just a side hustle anymore—it is the game. And if you think this is where it stops, you haven’t been paying attention. With lawsuits looming and revenue-sharing discussions on the horizon, the money flow is only going to get crazy. The NCAA may be pressing for new rules, but at this point, they’re just chasing ghosts. College football is a business now, and the kids? They’re running it like CEOs.