The millions in bonuses college football coaches have earned this season
No one in college football does single-season bonuses like Michigan and Jim Harbaugh do single-season bonuses.
For a third consecutive year, the Wolverines are headed to the Big Ten Conference championship game with Harbaugh able to get $1.5 million if they win it — $1 million for the conference title and $500,000 for reaching the College Football Playoff semifinals.
No matter that this year Harbaugh was suspended for the season’s first three games and for the past three. A Michigan spokesman has said the school plans to honor the bonus provisions their contract. So, this could be Harbaugh’s third consecutive season with at least $2.2 million in bonuses and his second in which that accompanies more than $8 million in scheduled basic annual pay, according to data compiled by USA TODAY Sports.
But in the long run, the most lucrative contract-incentive outcomes of this season will belong to Louisville’s Jeff Brohm and Oregon’s Dan Lanning. In addition to $800,000 in bonuses, Brohm has secured two one-year contract extensions that have added a combined $13.5 million in guaranteed value to his deal.
Lanning has picked up a one-year extension worth — for now — a guaranteed $9.2 million. But if the Ducks end up winning the CFP championship, he would get a $500,000 raise, beginning with the start of his 2024-25 contract year. With that being the first of now-six remaining years on the agreement, that would add another $3 million to its overall value.
And, oh by the way, he’d end up with at least $1.45 million in bonuses for this season.
A full, school-by-school list of public-school head coaches’ bonus data for this season follows. It is based on whether the school’s team has a path to participate in one of the six bowl games affiliated with the CFP.
Within each of those two designations, it is alphabetical, by school. It shows amounts coaches have achieved; still can achieve if they are in contention for a CFP-affiliated game; or achieved prior to leaving for other positions or being fired. In either of the latter two cases, the amounts still may be owed to the coach. This does not include bonuses and/or pay increases for assistant coaches, staff and athletics directors that also may be resulting from these achievements. It also does not include bonuses for team academic achievements. Not all conferences have announced their coach-of-the-year awards.
Coaches capable of earning bonuses this week
Alabama: Nick Saban
Has:
►$65,000: Sixth win, eligible for bowl game not among the six connected to the College Football Playoff
►$25,000: 7-1 record (5-0 in conference play), sets up team for Citrus or Southeastern Conference Pool of Six bowl (ReliaQuest, Gator, Music City, Liberty and Duke’s Mayo).
►$75,000: Play in SEC championship game
Can get:
►$50,000: Win SEC title
►$110,000: Play in Play in CFP non-semifinal game or
$310,000: Play in CFP semifinal
►$200,000: Play in CFP title game
►$200,000: Win CFP title
Florida State: Mike Norvell
Has:
►$100,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$100,000: Play in Atlantic Coast Conference championship game
►$100,000: Win to end season with 12-0 record, set for spot at least in CFP non-semifinal game
Can get:
►$150,000: Win ACC title
►$100,000: Play in CFP semifinal
►$200,000: Play in CFP final
►$300,000: Win CFP title
Georgia: Kirby Smart
Has:
►$50,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$25,000: 7-0 record (4-0 in conference play), sets up team for Southeastern Conference Pool of Six bowl
►$100,000: Play in SEC championship game
►$100,000: Win to end season with 12-0 record, sets up team for at least CFP non-semifinal game
Can get:
►$200,000: Win SEC title
►$325,000: Play in CFP semifinal
►$250,000: Play in CFP final
►$250,000: Win CFP title
Iowa: Kirk Ferentz
Has:
►$100,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$200,000: Play in Big Ten Conference championship game
Can get:
►$50,000: Win Big Ten title
►$250,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal
►Best of:
$150,000: Team ranked No. 25 through 21 in final CFP rankings, US LBM Coaches Poll, or AP media poll
$175,000: Team ranked No. 20 through 16 in final CFP rankings, US LBM Coaches Poll, or AP media poll
$200,000: Team ranked No. 15 through 11 in final CFP rankings, US LBM Coaches Poll, or AP media poll
$275,000: Team ranked No. 10 through 6 in final CFP rankings, US LBM Coaches Poll, or AP media poll
Louisville: Jeff Brohm
Has:
►$100,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►One-year contract extension: Seventh win (Agreement goes through thru Dec. 31, 2029. Scheduled total pay for that season is $6.5 million, all guaranteed)
►$250,000: Ninth regular season win
►$100,000: 9-1 record (6-1 in conference play), sets up team for ACC Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3 bowl (CFP non-semifinal, Outback, Tax.Slayer, Holiday or Cheez-It)
►$100,000: Play in Atlantic Coast Conference championship game
►Additional one-year contract extension and $250,000 bonus this season: 10th win (Agreement thru Dec. 31, 2030 Scheduled total pay for that season is $7 million, all guaranteed)
Can get:
►$150,000: Win ACC title
Michigan: Jim Harbaugh
Has:
►$500,000: Win Big Ten Conference East Division, play in Big Ten championship game
Can get:►$1,000,000: Win Big Ten title
►$200,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal or
$500,000: Play in CFP semifinal
►$1,000,000: Win CFP title
Mississippi: Lane Kiffin
Has:
►$100,000: Regular season win over non-conference Power Five team (Georgia Tech)
►$50,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►One-year contract extension: Seventh win (Agreement set to run through Dec. 31, 2027. According to a recent term sheet from the university, Kiffin’s annual pay for the 2026 contract year is scheduled to be at least $9 million, beginning Jan. 1, 2026. The guaranteed value of the additional year is not available because that is determined, in part, by an agreement with the Ole Miss Athletic Foundation, a private, non-profit organization that declines to provide that agreement.)
►$150,000: Fifth win over Southeastern Conference opponent
►$50,000: Eighth win overall, sets up team for SEC Pool of Six bowl
►$150,000: Sixth win over SEC opponent
Can get:
►$25,000: Play in Citrus Bowl or
$150,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal
Missouri: Eliah Drinkwitz
Has:
►$100,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$50,000: 9-2 record (5-2 in conference play), sets up team for Southeastern Conference Pool of Six bowl or Citrus Bowl
►$25,000: 10th win
►$25,000: Win in season finale as No. 9 team in CFP rankings makes record 10-2, will keep team in final CFP top 25
Can get:
►$150,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal
►$25,000: 11th win
Oklahoma: Brent Venables
Has:
►$25,000: Eligible for non-CFP bowl game with at least seven wins
Can get:
►$75,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal
►$50,000: Win CFP non-semifinal
Oklahoma State: Mike Gundy
Has:
►$62,500: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$62,500: Play in Big 12 Conference championship game
Can get:
►$25,000: Win Big 12 title
Oregon: Dan Lanning
Has:
►$100,000: Play in Pac-12 Conference championship game
►One-year contract extension: 10th win (Agreement now set to run through Jan. 31, 2030. Scheduled total pay for that season would be $9.2 million, all guaranteed)
►$200,000: 11th regular season win
Can get:
►$150,000: Win Pac-12 title
►Best of:
$150,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal
$250,000: Play in CFP semifinal
$500,000: Play in CFP final
►$500,000 bonus this season and $500,000 pay increase, beginning with start of 2024-25 contract year: Win CFP title
Penn State: James Franklin
Has:
►$200,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Can get:
►$100,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal
Texas: Steve Sarkisian
Has:
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$100,000: Play in Big 12 Conference championship game
Can get:
►$100,000: Win Big 12 title
►Best of:
$25,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal
$50,000: Win non-CFP bowl game or CFP non-semifinal
$75,000: Play in CFP semifinal
►$125,000: Play in CFP final
►$250,000: Win CFP title
Washington: Kalen DeBoer
Has:
►$75,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$50,000: Play in Pac-12 Conference championship game
►$225,000: Win to end season with 12-0 record, set for spot at least in CFP non-semifinal game
Can get:
► $100,000: Win Pac-12 title
► $100,000: Play in CFP semifinal
► $450,000: Play in CFP final
► $50,000: Win CFP title
What other coaches have earned this season
Appalachian State: Shawn Clark
►$20,000: Competitive scheduling — play guarantee game at home stadium of Power Five opponent (North Carolina)
►$30,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$25,000: Eighth win
►$30,000: Play in Sun Belt Conference championship game
Arizona: Jedd Fisch
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$25,000: Win in season finale as No. 15 team in CFP rankings makes record 9-3, will keep team in CFP top 25
Arkansas State: Butch Jones
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Army: Jeff Monken
►$75,000: Win over Air Force
Auburn: Hugh Freeze
►$50,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Bowling Green: Scot Loeffler
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$7,500: Fifth win over Mid-American Conference opponent
California: Justin Wilcox
►$25,000: Beat Stanford
►$10,000: Win over UCLA in season in which UCLA has at least six regular season wins
►$25,000: Sixth regular season win
►$40,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Central Florida: Gus Malzahn
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Clemson: Dabo Swinney
►$75,000: Non-CFP bowl game with at least eight regular season wins
Coastal Carolina: Tim Beck
►$150,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Eastern Michigan: Chris Creighton
►One-year contract extension; $10,000 raise, beginning next season; $25,000 bonus this season: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game (Agreement set to run through Dec. 31, 2028. Scheduled total pay for that season would be at least $775,000, with $725,000 guaranteed.)
Fresno State: Jeff Tedford
►$75,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$40,000: Seventh regular season win
►$20,000: Eighth regular season win
Georgia Southern: Clay Helton
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Georgia State: Shawn Elliott
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Georgia Tech: Brent Key
►$50,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Iowa State: Matt Campbell
►$50,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$250,000: Seventh regular season win
Jacksonville State: Rich Rodriguez
►$10,000: Sixth regular season win
►$10,000: Seventh regular season win
►$10,000: Eighth regular season win
James Madison: Curt Cignetti
►$15,000: Win over Power Five team (Virginia)
►$20,000: Sixth regular season win or
$25,000 if play in Sun Belt Conference bowl
►$25,000: Seventh regular season win over FBS team
►One-year contract extension and $10,000 bonus this season: Eighth regular season win over FBS team (Agreement set to run through Jan. 31, 2030. Scheduled total pay for that season would be at least $870,000, with at least $600,000 guaranteed.)
►$5,000: Ninth regular season win over FBS team
►$5,000: 10th regular season win over FBS team
Kansas: Lance Leipold
►$100,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$50,000: Seventh regular season win
Kansas State: Chris Klieman
►$50,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►One-year contract extension: Eighth win (Agreement now set to run through Dec. 31, 2031. Scheduled total pay for that season is $6.5 million, with at least $3,75 million guaranteed)
Kentucky: Mark Stoops
►$100,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
LSU: Brian Kelly
►$500,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Marshall: Charles Huff
►$50,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Maryland: Mike Locksley
►$50,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►One-year contract extension: Seventh win (Agreement now set to run through Dec. 31, 2028. Scheduled total pay for that season would be $7 million, with $4.55 million guaranteed.)
Memphis: Ryan Silverfield
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$75,000: Eighth win
►$25,000: Ninth win
Miami (Ohio): Chuck Martin
►$23,973: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$23,973: Play in Mid-American Conference championship game
Nevada-Las Vegas: Barry Odom
►$50,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$25,000: Play in Mountain West Conference championship game
►$25,000: Mountain West coach of the year
New Mexico State: Jerry Kill
►$10,000: Win over New Mexico
►$10,000: Win over Texas-El Paso
►$20,000: Sixth regular season win
►$5,000: Seventh regular season win
►$5,000: Eighth regular season win
►$5,000: Ninth regular season win
►$25,000: Win over Power Five team (Auburn)
North Carolina: Mack Brown
►$75,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
North Carolina State: Dave Doeren
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$50,000: Eighth win
►$50,000: Ninth win
►$50,000: Win in season finale as No. 22 team in CFP rankings makes record 9-3, will keep team in final CFP top 25
Northern Illinois: Thomas Hammock
►$15,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Ohio: Tim Albin
►One-year contract extension and $5,000 bonus this season: Eighth regular season win (Agreement now set to run through Dec. 31, 2027. Scheduled total pay for that season would be $700,000, with $300,000 guaranteed.)
►$5,000: Ninth regular season win
Old Dominion: Ricky Rahne
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Oregon State: Jonathan Smith
►$50,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►One-year contract extension: Seventh win (Agreement had been set to run through Feb. 28, 2030. Scheduled total pay for that season would have been $5.45 million, with $3,542,500 guaranteed. However, Smith has left Oregon State to become Michigan State’s head coach — and he is set to make $7.25 million for the 2024 season, with $100,000 annual increases in future years.)
►$50,000: Eighth regular season win
Rutgers: Greg Schiano
►$75,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
San Jose State: Brent Brennan
►$15,000: Sixth win
►One-year contract extension and $15,000 bonus this season: Sixth regular season win (Agreement now set to run through Dec. 31, 2027. Scheduled total pay for that season would be $1.9 million, with $950,000 guaranteed.)
►$5,000: Seventh regular season win
South Alabama: Kane Wommack
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
South Florida: Alex Golesh
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Tennessee: Josh Heupel
►$100,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$50,000: Win in season finale as No. 21 team in CFP rankings makes record 8-4, will keep team in final CFP top 25
Texas A&M: Jimbo Fisher
►$100,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Texas State: G.J. Kinne
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Texas Tech: Joey McGuire
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Texas-San Antonio: Jeff Traylor
►$25,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$25,000: Eighth regular season win
Toledo: Jason Candle
►$75,000: Sixth regular season win
►$20,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$60,000: Seventh regular season win
►$130,000: Eighth regular season win
►$25,000: Win Mid-American Conference division title
►$15,000: Clinch berth to play in MAC championship game
►One-year contract extension and $60,000 bonus this season: Ninth regular season win (Agreement now set to run through thru Dec. 31, 2027. Scheduled total pay for that season is $1,125,000, with $900,000 guaranteed.)
►$20,000: MAC coach of the year
Troy: Jon Sumrall
►$50,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►One-year contract extension: Eighth win (Agreement now set to run through Nov. 30, 2028. Scheduled total pay for that season is $1,100,000, all guaranteed.)
►$50,000: Play in Sun Belt championship game
UCLA: Chip Kelly
►$100,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$25,000: Sixth regular season win
►$50,000: Seventh regular season win
Utah: Kyle Whittingham
►$15,000: Team ranked in top 25 at any time during season (AP preseason top 25, No. 14)
►$275,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$10,000: Team in College Football Playoff rankings at any time during season (No. 18 in first rankings of season)
Utah State: Blake Anderson
►$75,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Virginia Tech: Brent Pry
►$50,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
West Virginia: Neal Brown
►$50,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$100,000: Eighth regular season win
Western Kentucky: Tyson Helton
►$50,000: Seventh win, team will have winning record for season
Wisconsin: Luke Fickell
►Share of pool that is 2% of $6.225 million staff pay total ($124,500): Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►Share of pool that is additional 2% of $6.225 million staff pay total (total of $249,000): Seventh win
Wyoming: Craig Bohl
►$100,000: Regular season win over non-conference Power Five team (Texas Tech)
►$33,333: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$50,000: Fifth Mountain West Conference win