$20 million roster? Here's how Ohio State and its collectives built the 2024 Buckeyes

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- In 2024, the process of building a roster in major college football looks very different than it did even five years ago.

In short, if you want to compete… money matters. A lot of money. And at a school like Ohio State, that roster building relies on a new reality of the sport: collectives.

"They call it the wild, wild west, which it really is." said Brian Schottenstein, co-founder of "The Foundation."

"You have to be on board because we have no choice."

Schottenstein co-founded the collective with former OSU quarterback Cardale Jones in 2021. The Foundation was created in response to the evolving Name, Image and Likeness rules in college sports, allowing athletes to profit off their name

Ohio State partners with two main collectives for the football program: The Foundation and The 1870 Society. The Foundation is a nonprofit organization which partners with numerous local charities. The Foundation compensates athletes for appearances, endorsements and other typical NIL opportunities. The Foundation has no paid employees and relies entirely on donors and volunteers.

In three years, Schottenstein and his partners have signed more than 100 deals with Ohio State athletes. And determining what the collectives can offer athletes can still prove confusing.

"We kind of look to see what our current guys are making and then we base it off of that." Schottenstein said. "That's really the best way we can gauge, and we're not allowed to talk to the coaches about dollar amounts either. So, that makes it really difficult. But we're out trying to figure it out on our own."

Ohio State football general manager Mark Pantoni works closely with the collectives to make sure donors are well-connected to the program and that NCAA rules are being followed.

"There's only so much money to go around." Pantoni said. "All our guys are on one-year contracts for the most part. And because the market keeps evolving, you know… it only takes one school to change the market, you know, in a good or bad way."

Even as NIL rules evolve, along with ongoing cases in congress which could affect NIL regulations, Ohio State's collectives are aiming to keep pace without crossing lines.

"We're going to continue to follow all the rules and regulations. We meet with compliance regularly, so we make sure we're doing things the right way." Schottenstein said.

Athletes cannot sign a contract with a collective until they are officially enrolled and on campus for school. And for transfer athletes, they must be officially registered in the NCAA transfer portal before collectives can make contact.

The transfer portal was particularly good to Ohio State this offseason. The Foundation was able to help attract two high-profile players from Alabama, safety Caleb Downs and freshman quarterback Julian Sayin. Downs' arrival at OSU is an interesting case. He describes his recruitment from Alabama as "wild" as dozens of schools aimed to land one of the best safeties in the nation.

Downs recently announced his own NIL partnership with a company called "Launchpoint."

"I don't really think it caused me to shake at all during this experience, but I think it was handled at a really high level." Downs said of his NIL experience at OSU.

Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork recently said the school's collectives have combined to raise an estimated $20 million to support this year's football roster. OSU is hoping to set the pace in the new football arms race.

"Our two collectives have done a tremendous job raising money for the program and that can't be done without an incredible fanbase and incredible donors." Pantoni said. "Otherwise, you know, this would not be possible."

Schottenstein said his foundation will likely need to raise more money each year as the market evolves.

"The more money raised, you know the better your team's probably going to be." he said. "Whether you like NIL or not, It's here to stay."