Harbaugh leads way as college football coaches earn $12.7M in bonuses
With the college football season headed toward bowl season and the final version of a four-team playoff, head coaches at Bowl Subdivision public schools have picked up nearly $12.7 million in bonuses this season.
Nearly $3.6 million of that was claimed last week, as conference championships were decided, the College Football Playoff semifinalists were selected, other bowl matchups were set and coach-of-the-year awards started being announced.
In addition, 12 coaches have reached goals this season that were set to result in automatic contract extensions scheduled to be worth a combined $57.1 million. Two of those coaches have ended up moving to new jobs: Jonathan Smith to Michigan State from Oregon State, and Curt Cignetti to Indiana from James Madison.
Louisville’s Jeff Brohm has picked up two one-year extensions currently set to pay him a combined $13.5 million, all of which is guaranteed.
Leading the way in bonuses due to be paid this season is Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, who has $2 million so far and could earn another $1 million if the Wolverines win this year’s national championship.
Brohm is next at $800,000. Mississippi’s Lane Kiffin has $650,000, and could be getting $50,000 to $200,000 more based on the school’s football season-ticket sales; the athletics department has not responded to a request for the sales figure.
Washington’s Kalen DeBoer and Alabama’s Nick Saban each have already surpassed $500,000 and will add on if their respective teams advance to the CFP final.
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 is playing in a CFP semifinal, another New Year’s Six bowl game or a bowl game not affiliated with the CFP.
Within each of those three designations, it is alphabetical, by school. It shows amounts coaches have achieved; still can achieve if they are in a CFP semifinal or New Year’s Six 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. There are some head coaches whose teams are playing bowl games not affiliated with the CFP who could get additional bonuses or future contract considerations based on the outcomes of those games.
Bonuses for coaches at private schools are not available because those schools are not subject to open-records laws. Boise State is not listed because bonus-related goals were achieved under an interim coach who previously had been working for the school as an assistant coach.
The head coaches’ list also does not include bonuses for team academic achievements. Not all conferences have announced their coach-of-the-year awards.
Coaches in College Football Playoff semifinals
Alabama: Nick Saban
Has:
►$75,000: Play in SEC championship game
►$50,000: Win SEC title
►$400,000: Play in College Football Playoff semifinal
Can get:
►$200,000: Play in CFP title game
►$200,000: Win CFP title
Michigan: Jim Harbaugh
Has:
►$500,000: Win Big Ten Conference East Division, play in Big Ten championship game
►$1,000,000: Win Big Ten title
►$500,000: Play in CFP semifinal
Can get:
►$1,000,000: Win CFP title
Texas: Steve Sarkisian
Has:
►$100,000: Play in Big 12 Conference championship game
►$100,000: Win Big 12 title
►$100,000: Play in CFP semifinal
Can get:
►$125,000: Play in CFP final
►$250,000: Win CFP title
Washington: Kalen DeBoer
Has:
► $50,000: Play in Pac-12 Conference championship game
► $100,000: Win Pac-12 title
►$400,000: Play in CFP semifinal
Can get:
► $450,000: Play in CFP final
► $50,000: Win CFP title
Coaches in New Year’s Six non-semifinals
Florida State: Mike Norvell
Has:
►$100,000: Play in Atlantic Coast Conference championship game
►$150,000: Win ACC title
►$200,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal game
Georgia: Kirby Smart
Has:
►$100,000: Play in SEC championship game
►$175,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal game
Mississippi: Lane Kiffin
Has:
►$100,000: Regular season win over non-conference Power Five team (Georgia Tech)
►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
►$150,000: Sixth win over SEC opponent
►$250,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal
Missouri: Eliah Drinkwitz
Has:
►$25,000: 10th win
►$25,000: Team in final CFP rankings (No. 9)
►$300,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal
Can get:
►$25,000: 11th win
Ohio State: Ryan Day
►$200,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal
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
►$150,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal
Penn State: James Franklin
Has:
►$300,000: Play in CFP non-semifinal
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, will play in non-CFP bowl game
►$25,000: Eighth win
►$30,000: Play in Sun Belt Conference championship game
Arizona: Jedd Fisch
►$25,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
►$25,000: Team in final CFP rankings (No. 14)
Arkansas State: Butch Jones
►$25,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
Army: Jeff Monken
►$75,000: Win over Air Force
Auburn: Hugh Freeze
►$150,000: Will play in Sotheastern Conference Pool of Six bowl (ReliaQuest, Gator, Music City, Liberty and Duke’s Mayo); team playing in Music City Bowl
Bowling Green: Scot Loeffler
►$25,000: Sixth win, will play in 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, will play in non-CFP bowl game
Central Florida: Gus Malzahn
►$25,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
Clemson: Dabo Swinney
►$75,000: Will play in non-CFP bowl game with at least eight regular season wins
Coastal Carolina: Tim Beck
►$150,000: Sixth win, will play in 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, will play in 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, will play in non-CFP bowl game
►$40,000: Seventh regular season win
►$20,000: Eighth regular season win
Georgia Southern: Clay Helton
►$25,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
Georgia State: Shawn Elliott
►$25,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
Georgia Tech: Brent Key
►$50,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
Iowa: Kirk Ferentz
Has:
►$100,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
►$200,000: Play in Big Ten Conference championship game
►$175,000: Team ranked No. 20 through 16 in final CFP rankings
Iowa State: Matt Campbell
►$50,000: Sixth win, will play in 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, eligible to play in non-CFP 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, will play in non-CFP bowl game
►$50,000: Seventh regular season win
Kansas State: Chris Klieman
►$50,000: Sixth win, will play in 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)
►$25,000: Team in final CFP rankings (No. 25)
Kentucky: Mark Stoops
►$100,000: Sixth win, will play in eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Louisville: Jeff Brohm
►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
►$200,000: 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). Team playing in Holiday Bowl
►$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)
LSU: Brian Kelly
►$500,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
Marshall: Charles Huff
►$50,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
Maryland: Mike Locksley
►$50,000: Sixth win, will play in 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, will play in non-CFP bowl game
►$75,000: Eighth win
►$25,000: Ninth win
Miami (Ohio): Chuck Martin
►$23,973: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
►$23,973: Play in Mid-American Conference championship game
Nevada-Las Vegas: Barry Odom
►$50,000: Sixth win, will play in 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, will play in non-CFP bowl game
North Carolina State: Dave Doeren
►$25,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
►$50,000: Eighth win
►$50,000: Ninth win
►$50,000: Team in final CFP rankings (No. 18)
Northern Illinois: Thomas Hammock
►$15,000: Sixth win, will play in 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
Oklahoma: Brent Venables
►$25,000: Will play in non-CFP bowl game with at least seven wins
Oklahoma State: Mike Gundy
►$62,500: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
►$62,500: Play in Big 12 Conference championship game
Old Dominion: Ricky Rahne
►$25,000: Sixth win, will play in 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, will play in 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, will play in non-CFP bowl game
South Florida: Alex Golesh
►$25,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
Tennessee: Josh Heupel
►$100,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
►$50,000: Team was No. 25 through No. 11 in final CFP rankings (No. 21)
Texas A&M: Jimbo Fisher
►$100,000: Sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game
Texas State: G.J. Kinne
►$25,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
Texas Tech: Joey McGuire
►$25,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
Texas-San Antonio: Jeff Traylor
►$25,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
►$25,000: Eighth regular season win
Toledo: Jason Candle
►$75,000: Sixth regular season win
►$20,000: Sixth win, will play in 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: 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, will play in 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
►$15,000: Win Sun Belt title
UCLA: Chip Kelly
►$100,000: Sixth win, will play in 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, will play in 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, will play in non-CFP bowl game
Virginia Tech: Brent Pry
►$50,000: Sixth win, will play in non-CFP bowl game
West Virginia: Neal Brown
►$50,000: Sixth win, will play in 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, will play in 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, will play in non-CFP bowl game
►$50,000: Fifth Mountain West Conference win