During the Florida-Vanderbilt broadcast on Saturday, analyst Greg McElroy went on an extended monologue about how Vanderbilt is falling behind even a Big 10 team in the arms race of college football. Never mind the big-spending rivals in the SEC.

“The administration just does not provide the resources to Derek Mason and the football program in general,” the former Alabama quarterback said. “You talk to alumni that played here, that were closely associated with the program, it’s a struggle. It’s a real struggle, and it’s an arms race in the SEC. But you’re receiving $41 million from the SEC last year.”

McElroy, on the broadcast with partner Dave Pasch, took the interesting stance of not comparing Vanderbilt to other SEC programs, but instead a Big 10 school that is known for high academic standards, and who has similar football history.

“Northwestern is an academic institution that’s in the Big 10,” McElroy said. “They just built a $260 million facility. Vanderbilt has to commit to football, and they will always be up and down from a consistency standpoint, until they do that. They have to make the financial commitment, and the administration has to make that choice.”

Obviously under James Franklin, Vanderbilt showed that it can establish itself as a program that can consistently win bowl games and have successful seasons. Derek Mason has stabilized the program since the Franklin departure and transition. But how close the program gets to reaching its potential is, in McElroy’s mind, contingent on the investment the administration chooses to make in the multi-million dollar business.