I always knew we were a big fish in the world of football. I didn’t know we were THE big fish. I sure didn’t know how massive a big fish we are.

Article in the Houston Chronicle this morning (it’s written by William Pack of the San Antonio Express-News) reveals that UT football netted more bucks in 2008 than Baylor, Kansas State, Iowa State and Texas Tech – COMBINED. Story here and here (the Express-News charts are much easier to read). Numbers from the 2009 season are not available.

Second to Texas’ $88 million in the Big 12 was Nebraska ($55 million), followed by Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Colorado. Texas’ haul ALONE is greater than the Aggies’ and Sooners’ combined. Ranked 6 through 12 in the Big 12: Oklahoma State, Missouri, Texas Tech, Kansas State, Iowa State, Kansas, Baylor.

Second nationally was Ohio State, more than $20 million behind Texas. The Buckeyes, Florida, Penn State, Georgia, Alabama and LSU all totaled between $62 million and $69 million. (Notre Dame was 10th, Nebraska 11th).

Of note to those stumping for Houston's addition to the Big 12: UH's football income in '08 was the worst among Division I programs in Texas -- trailing even a downtrodden North Texas program by $400,000!