Securing a head coaching position in college football, particularly within the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), is a significant achievement. With only 136 FBS schools, the competition to reach this pinnacle is fierce. While each coach aspires to steer their team to success, the harsh reality is that some fail to meet the high expectations set before each season.

Consequently, it’s not uncommon for schools to part ways with coaches who fall short of these goals. Although college coaches often command multi-million dollar salaries, the financial impact of being dismissed can be surprisingly beneficial due to the lucrative buyouts stipulated in their contracts. This year has witnessed a record-breaking sum being paid out to coaches who have been shown the door.

This season, 15 universities have severed ties with their head coaches, resulting in substantial buyouts. There are additional cases of coaches being dismissed for cause, but these do not qualify for buyout compensation and are therefore excluded from the tally. College football insider Ross Dellenger reports that these 15 coaches will collectively receive an astounding $228 million in buyouts. Here’s a closer look at some of the most notable payouts.

Billy Napier (L) and Mark Stoops are among the fired college football coaches who have received lucrative buyouts. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Brian Kelly, LSU: $54 million

On October 26, LSU decided to terminate Brian Kelly’s tenure, thrusting the institution into a quagmire of coaching challenges. Despite achieving two seasons with ten victories, Kelly couldn’t propel the Tigers into the College Football Playoff. Following a 5-3 start this season, the school opted for a change. Kelly is currently engaged in a legal battle with LSU to secure his full buyout. Meanwhile, LSU has appointed Lane Kiffin as the new head coach. The financial implications are significant, as LSU now finds itself compensating Kiffin, Kelly, and former coach Ed Orgeron, even though two of these coaches are no longer part of the program.

Mark Stoops, Kentucky: $38 million

Mark Stoops is the all-time winningest coach in Kentucky football history, but it wasn’t enough to save his job. Stoops got fired on Dec. 1 after a second consecutive losing season. The school is in talks with Stoops to restructure what it owes him, though as it currently stands, he’ll get one of the largest buyouts the NCAA has ever seen.

Jonathan Smith, Michigan State: $33.5 million

Michigan State hired Jonathan Smith in 2023 with hopes he could help the Spartans contend for a Big Ten title. Instead, the Spartans went 5-7 and then 4-8 in Smith’s two years at the helm before firing him. He’ll also receive an additional three months of health benefits as part of the buyout. Michigan State might get some help in paying Smith, since the coach must make “a reasonable effort to seek new employment.”

Billy Napier, Florida: $21 million

Florida has won three championships since 1996, so there’s a certain expectation of success in Gainesville. Billy Napier couldn’t hit that level with the Gators, finishing 22-23 in four seasons. The university fired him, though he got a new job at James Madison shortly after his dismissal from Florida. His buyout does not include any offsetting, which means he’ll be getting paid from both Florida and James Madison.

Hugh Freeze, Auburn: $15.8 million

Hugh Freeze signed a six-year, $49 million contract with Auburn in 2022. He made it about two-and-a-half seasons before the university fired him, ending his Auburn tenure with a 15-19 record. Freeze will receive the entirety of his money even if he signs with another school.

Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State: $15 million

Mike Gundy gained fame back in the early days of the Internet for his “I’m a man—I’m 40!” press conference. He spent 21 years at Oklahoma State and was the second-longest tenured head coach in FBS before his dismissal. Gundy finished with a 170-90 record, a Big 12 title, and 12 victories in bowl games. The university decided to part ways after a rough season last year and a slow start to this one.

Justin Wilcox, California: $10.9 million

Justin Wilcox began his coaching career in 2001, though he didn’t become a head coach until 2017, when California gave him a shot. Whether they were in the Pac-12 or the ACC, the Bears could never quite overcome mediocrity. Wilcox’s best season was in 2019, when Cal finished with an 8-5 record. Over nine years, Wilcox’s Bears went 48-55 and only 26-47 in conference play.

Sam Pittman, Arkansas: $9.8 million

Sam Pittman had an even longer journey to becoming an FBS coach, spending 35 years at the junior college level and at various assistant positions throughout FBS schools. Arkansas hired him in December 2019, and his first season was during the COVID-19-impacted schedule. After that rough year, Pittman looked like he was turning things around. The Razorbacks finished 9-4 in 2021, ending the season ranked 20th in the Coaches Poll. Despite two more winning seasons over the next three years, the Razorbacks couldn’t reach that 2021 level of success. The school fired Pittman five games into this season after a blowout loss at home against Notre Dame. He ended his Razorbacks tenure with a 32-34 record.

James Franklin, Penn State: $9 million

Last season, James Franklin led Penn State within a score of reaching the national championship. Yet that didn’t matter after a slow start to this season. Franklin was fired in mid-October, and his buyout of about $49 million was one of the largest in college football history. However, Franklin and Penn State negotiated a lesser buyout after the coach found a new home with Virginia Tech.

Brent Pry, Virginia Tech: $6 million

The Hokies fired Brent Pry in September after an 0-3 start, ending his head coaching stint with a 16-21 record over three-plus seasons. But in a move that’s never been seen before, Virginia Tech rehired Pry as defensive coordinator after Franklin accepted the head coaching gig. Pry’s buyout is almost like a raise, since he signed a new contract as defensive coordinator.

DeShaun Foster, UCLA: $5 million

DeShaun Foster spent several years with UCLA, serving in multiple positions (most notably running backs coach) before getting the head coaching job in 2024. Foster didn’t see much success running the program at his alma mater, however. The Bruins finished 5-7 last year and began this season with an 0-3 record before UCLA showed Foster the door.

Trent Bray, Oregon State: $4 million

In 2024, Trent Bray got promoted to head coach from defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Oregon State. Bray replaced Jonathan Smith, who left the Beavers to coach at Michigan State. Both coaches wound up getting fired this year; Bray finished 5-14 with Oregon State, including an 0-7 start this season. Coincidentally, Bray has since taken a job with the other Pac-12 holdover, Washington State.

Trent Dilfer, UAB: $2.4 million

After his NFL career ended, Trent Dilfer spent more than a decade as a broadcaster before moving into coaching. Dilfer had a successful stint at Lipscomb Academy, a high school in Nashville, and that was enough for the UAB Blazers to hire him as their head coach. The jump to college didn’t go smoothly, however. The Blazers had a 9-21 record in two-and-a-half seasons under Dilfer before UAB fired him.

Tim Beck, Coastal Carolina: $1.7 million

Tim Beck led the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers to an 8-5 record and Hawaii Bowl victory in his first season as head coach. However, the past two years ended in .500 or below records, and the school fired Beck on Nov. 30. Less than three weeks later, he accepted a job as the offensive coordinator of the South Florida Bulls.

Jay Norvell, Colorado State: $1.5 million

After a solid five years with Nevada, Jay Norvell headed to Fort Collins to coach the Colorado State Rams. He only managed one winning season in four years, an 8-5 campaign in 2024. After a 2-5 start this season, the Rams fired Norvell and will owe him a modest buyout. Coincidentally, Norvell had 26 losses at both Nevada and Colorado State, though he won 15 more games with the Wolf Pack.