CU Boulder will pay student-athletes $20.5M in NCAA settlement

• The two top revenue-generating sports, football and basketball, are expected to receive the bulk of the payments.

What he's saying: The House vs. NCAA settlement issued last Friday is forcing schools to scramble.

• "It's a challenging time for our peers and us, because you don't have $20.5 million lying around," George said. "So it's going to require some difficult decisions, and we've just got to be willing to make them."

The intrigue: Finding the money will require cuts to other sports, new revenue sources and major donations from athletic booster clubs.

• CU recently eliminated two track coach positions to save money.
• A $1 million project to install artificial turf at Folsom Field will allow the venue to host more high-dollar concerts and events.
• And George is appealing to the fan base, particularly booster clubs like the Flatiron Society and Buff Club, to increase its giving.

The bottom line: To reach the cap, "it's going to require us to manage our expenses. It's going to require us to generate more revenue," he tells BuffZone.