It has been just over a year since the House v. NCAA antitrust settlement received final judicial approval and universities were permitted to directly share revenue with student-athletes for the first time. Today we see that the players of an SEC team will make money just for their appearance in a game.

According to CBS Sports, Auburn players will get to share around $6 million among themselves from their season opener against Baylor on September 5. Around 24 players will receive a part of the total amount due to an NIL deal tied to the Tigers’ neutral-site Aflac Kickoff game to start the 2026 campaign. This kickoff is being operated by Peach Bowl, Inc.

This marks the first deal in college football history to include NIL compensation for athletes participating in a game. Of that total, Peach Bowl, Inc. paid Playfly Sport a flat $4 million within 60 days of contract signing. The players would have to indulge in official ads, in-game promotions, and press interviews.

“In the new NIL era of college football, this will be an innovative way to create wins for the teams, programs and student-athletes,” said Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO David Epps, according to CBS Sports. “This new model is a true win-win scenario where Auburn and its student-athletes get a financial boost in the NIL space. At the same time, it’s a potential game-changer for neutral-site games like ours that want to bring added value to participating teams and make it a more attractive and lucrative opportunity.”

Get the Essentially CFB Newsletter. Rivalries, rankings, recruiting, coaching moves, and game action nationwide — your complete college football briefing.

This contract not only covers athletes’ payroll but also provides Auburn with 45% of total ticket revenue. The second leg of a home-and-home series was initially set to be played at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium. However, it was later switched to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Auburn sold 20,645 tickets to its fan base, and Baylor received a standard visiting SEC allotment of 3,000 tickets.

Before this contract, the NCAA had strict rules that legally prohibited student-athletes from receiving any compensation beyond their basic scholarship. While universities used to generate millions of dollars in revenue, athletes weren’t given any share of the profits. That changed in 2021, and since then, new revenue streams have opened for student-athletes.

Not everyone is thrilled with this move. Sports analysts have noted this pushes college football heavily into “pay-to-play” territory. Additionally, the deal has sparked intense debate over team morale, given that fewer than two dozen players will benefit from the $6 million bounty while the rest of the team plays without a game-specific bonus.

But the main criticisms surrounding Auburn’s decision to move the Baylor game to Atlanta for a $6 million NIL payout focuses more on the economic hit to local businesses, the alienation of loyal home fans, and the potential destruction of team locker room chemistry. Forfeiting a premier home game at Jordan-Hare Stadium deprives local hotels, restaurants, bars, and retail shops in the Auburn-Opelika area of millions of dollars in game-day tourism.

Furthermore if the athletic department made the decision to pivot to Atlanta without consulting or warning local business owners, who heavily rely on a fixed seven-game home schedule to survive financially, this would further damage the relationship between the two.

Loyal season-ticket holders, who already pay thousands of dollars are forced to drive nearly two hours away to Atlanta just to watch what was originally promised as a home game.

More updates on Auburn vs Baylor

The last time the two teams faced each other was in 2025 at McLane Stadium in Waco. It was a highly explosive season opener with the Tigers sealing a 38-24 victory. Under head coach Alex Golesh, Auburn will aim to start the 2026 season with another performance similar to the one it delivered in 2025.

As a first-year coach, Golesh has made a couple of changes in the program. He added former USF dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown to his roster. USF transfers wide receiver Keshaun Singleton and tight end Jonathan Echols are also the newest additions to the team. In the transfer portal, 30 players left the program. So now the reins of the defense are in the hands of Rayshawn Pleasant and Champ Anthony, alongside Ole Miss transfer edge-rusher Da’Shawn Womack.

On the other side of the field, Baylor’s head coach, Dave Aranda, enters the 2026 season with a different strategy after a 5-7 season. Aranda stepped away from calling defensive plays and hired long-time Kansas State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman. One drawback for the Bears is that both starting center Yakiri Walker and defensive tackle Hosea Wheeler are fighting eligibility challenges in court.