NCAA football is big business. Every Saturday millions of people file into massive stadiums or tune in on television as "athlete-students" give everything they've got to make their team a success. Billions of dollars now flow into the game; the average budget for a top-ten team is $80 million; top coaches make more than $3 million. But what is the true cost? The players have no share in the oceans of money. And once the lights go down, the glitter doesn't shine so brightly. Filled with mind-blowing details of recent NCAA football scandals, including an in-depth look at the resignation of former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel, the "hostess" culture of Tennessee, the firing of Mike Leach at Texas Tech, Missouri's "tutoring" program, and Texas A&M's controversial recruitment of wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones, The System explores and exposes the complex, and perhaps broken, machine that churns behind the glamour of college football. A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year NCAA football is big business. Every Saturday millions of people file into massive stadiums or tune in on television as "athlete-students" give everything they've got to make their team a success. Billions of dollars now flow into the game. But what is the true cost? The players have no share in the oceans of money. And once the lights go down, the glitter doesn't shine so brightly. Filled with mind-blowing details of major NCAA football scandals, with stops at Ohio State, Tennessee, Texas Tech, Missouri, BYU, LSU, Texas A&M and many more,The Systemexplores and exposes the complex, and perhaps broken, machine that churns behind the glamour of college football. With a New Afterword.