This year, due to an expanded College Football Playoff and impressive performances by teams that missed the CFP, public school head coaches in college football at the Bowl Subdivision enjoyed a remarkable season of bonus payouts.

The total bonuses surpassed $16.8 million for coaches’ on-field achievements, with four coaches earning bonuses of at least $1 million, as reported by YSL News Sports using contracts obtained through public records requests.

Leading the pack is Kenny Dillingham from Arizona State, who secured just over $2.6 million, which includes an additional $39,500 for the Sun Devils’ achievement of ranking in the top 10 of the final US LBM Football Coaches Poll and Associated Press media poll, finishing at No. 7 in both.

Ryan Day from Ohio State also made it into the million-dollar club thanks to the Buckeyes’ journey to the CFP national championship, which concluded with a $500,000 victory over Notre Dame on Monday night, bringing his season total to $1 million. This places him fourth on the bonus leaderboard, following Indiana’s Curt Cignetti ($1.5 million) and Iowa State’s Matt Campbell ($1.35 million).

The total amount includes only a fraction of what Penn State’s James Franklin will likely claim. His team reached the CFP semifinals, and after a restructuring of his bonus framework in late November for the 12-team CFP, further details were not disclosed, as state laws do not mandate public disclosure.

Last season, bonuses for FBS public-school head coaches exceeded $15.5 million, which was the highest total recorded since YSL News Sports began tracking these figures in 2019. In those years, it was rare for more than two coaches to earn $1 million or more in a single season for their on-field accomplishments.

Dillingham’s bonus total for this season marks the second-highest ever for a public school coach in a single season. Under his leadership, the Sun Devils achieved an impressive 11-3 record, clinched the Big 12 Conference title, and faced Texas in double overtime during the CFP quarterfinals. Dillingham has expressed his intention to allocate $200,000 of his bonuses to support program staff members.

Last season, Jim Harbaugh, while coaching at Michigan, earned $3 million as the Wolverines won the CFP championship. Dillingham is also due for an additional $100,000 based on the Arizona State football team’s recently published NCAA Graduation Success Rate, with the potential for further bonuses this spring depending on other academic metrics.

Dillingham and Arizona State have reached an agreement on a new contract that will raise his salary for the 2025 season from the previously agreed $4.05 million to just above $6.4 million, along with a $1 million signing bonus. The deal also allows for the possibility of a five-year rolling contract with pay increases if the team achieves at least six regular-season victories.

Curt Cignetti guided Indiana to an impressive 11-2 record in his inaugural year, following a dismal 3-9 season in 2023. He stands to be the biggest overall earner, as his contract included an automatic one-year extension once the team made a bowl appearance. After accomplishing this, he expanded his contract with Indiana to a longer and more lucrative deal, which included enhanced buyout provisions tied to the team’s CFP eligibility—provisions that were activated when the Hoosiers made the CFP field.

Cignetti began with a six-year contract worth at least $27 million, with an initial $20 million guarantee. He will now start an eight-year contract with a minimum value of at least $72 million, of which at least $64 million is guaranteed.

Moreover, eight coaches who will continue with their universities achieved milestones this season, resulting in automatic extensions and/or increases in their contracts amounting to a collective total of over $37.45 million.

Matt Campbell from Iowa State achieved his $1.35 million in bonuses without participating in the CFP. Nevertheless, the Cyclones established a record for the most wins in a season with 11, and they tied for the Big 12 regular-season title. The school announced a new agreement extending their current contract by four years, though specific financial terms are yet to be disclosed.

A complete list of on-field incentives reached by each school is provided below. It is organized alphabetically and shows amounts earned by coaches who have not departed for other jobs or been terminated, as any owed payments may still apply in such scenarios. The list does not account for bonuses that coaches may share with staff members or incentives based on assistant coaches’ bonuses or achievements, which could be substantial. For instance, Ohio State’s victory in the CFP championship will net its ten primary assistant coaches and the head strength coach a combined bonus of $4.3 million. Furthermore, Buckeyes’ athletics director Ross Bjork will receive $50,000 for advancing to the CFP finals.

Also, the list does not cover bonuses for coaches linked to team academic performance.

Appalachian State: Shawn Clark

►$20,000: Competitive scheduling – play guarantee game at home stadium of a Power Five opponent (Clemson)

Arizona State: Kenny Dillingham

►$50,000: Secured sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game.

►$200,000: Achieved ninth regular-season victory.

►$300,000: Secured 10th regular-season win.

►$395,000: Advanced to Big 12 Conference title game.

►$50,000: Big 12 Coach of the Year.

►$395,000: Won Big 12 title.

►$39,500: Ranked between No. 25 and No. 11 in final CFP rankings (No. 12).

►$1,135,000: Played in CFP quarterfinals.

►$39,500: Ranked between No. 10 and No. 6 in final US LBM Football Coaches Poll and Associated Press media poll (No. 7 in both).

Arkansas: Sam Pittman

►$100,000: Secured sixth win, made eligible for non-CFP bowl game.

►$50,000: Participation in what the contract designates as “Tier 2” bowl (team in Liberty Bowl).

►$250,000 increase effective Jan. 1, 2025: Secured seventh win, accomplished in a bowl game against a Power Five or ranked team (Texas Tech).

Arkansas State: Butch Jones

►$25,000: Achieved sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game.

Army: Jeff Monken

(Note: If the team’s multi-year NCAA Academic Progress Rate is under 975, Monken’s bonuses could be reduced by various percentages based on the APR figure.)

►$100,000: Achieved sixth win, eligible for non-CFP bowl game.

►$25,000: Secured seventh regular-season win.

►$75,000: Victory over Air Force.

►$25,000: Secured eighth regular-season win.

►$25,000: Secured ninth regular-season win.

►$50,000: Achieved 10th regular-season win.

►$50,000: Won American Athletic Conference title.

►$50,000: Ranked in top 25 of final rankings (No. 22 CFP, No. 21 Coaches and AP).

►$50,000: Won non-CFP bowl game.

Boise State: Spencer Danielson

►$11,000: Achieved sixth win in the Mountain West Conference.

►$22,000: Awarded regional coach of the year by American Football Coaches Association.

Seventh Mountain West Win

• $44,000: Compete in the Mountain West title match
• $22,000: Mountain West Coach of the Year
• $66,000: Secure the Mountain West championship
• $110,000: Participate in the CFP quarterfinals

Bowling Green: Scot Loeffler

• $25,000: Achieve sixth victory, qualify for a non-CFP bowl
• $7,500: Fifth win in the Mid-American Conference
• $25,000: Achieve sixth MAC win
• $5,000: Bowling Green player selected as MAC Player of the Year (Harold Fannin Jr.)

Buffalo: Pete Lembo

• $25,000: Achieve sixth victory, qualify for a non-CFP bowl
• $15,000: Eighth regular-season win
• $35,000: Win a non-CFP bowl game

California: Justin Wilcox

• $25,000: Victory against Stanford
• $25,000: Achieve sixth regular-season win
• $40,000: Qualify for a non-CFP bowl with the sixth victory

Clemson: Dabo Swinney

• $75,000: Eligible for a non-CFP bowl with at least eight wins
• $50,000: Compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference title match
• $200,000: Win the ACC title
• $75,000: Play in the first round of the CFP

Coastal Carolina: Tim Beck

• $150,000: Achieve sixth victory, qualify for a non-CFP bowl

Colorado: Deion Sanders

• $150,000: Achieve sixth win
• $150,000: Qualify for a non-CFP bowl
• $100,000: Seventh regular-season win
• $100,000: Eighth regular-season win
• $100,000: Ninth regular-season win

Colorado State: Jay Norvell

• $50,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl
• $25,000: Fourth Mountain West victory
• $50,000: Seventh win
• $25,000: Fifth Mountain West win
• $50,000: Eighth win
• $50,000: Sixth Mountain West victory

Connecticut: Jim Mora

• $25,000: Achieve sixth regular-season win
• $50,000: Qualify for a non-CFP bowl
• $10,000: Seventh regular-season win
• $10,000: Eighth regular-season win

East Carolina: Blake Harrell

(Note: Harrell had been serving as the interim head coach, and his bonus total is based on the terms of his interim head-coaching agreement along with the memorandum of understanding with East Carolina after they formally named him head coach.)

• $45,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl
• $50,000: Win the bowl game after the 2024 season

Florida: Billy Napier

• $100,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl

Fresno State Interim Coach: Tim Skipper

• $50,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl

Georgia: Kirby Smart

• $50,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl
• $25,000: Eighth win, positions team for the SEC Pool of Six bowl
• $100,000: Compete in the SEC title game
• $200,000: Win the SEC title
• $425,000: Compete in the CFP quarterfinals

Georgia Southern: Clay Helton

• $25,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl
• $30,000: Eighth regular-season win

Georgia State: Dell McGee

• $10,000: Victory against a Power Four team (Vanderbilt)

Georgia Tech: Brent Key

• $50,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl

Illinois: Bret Bielema

• One-year contract extension; $25,000 bonus this season: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl (Agreement extends through Jan. 31, 2030, total annual pay set at $7.25 million, fully guaranteed.)
• $150,000 increase in total and guaranteed pay for the added season, bringing it to $7.4 million: Seventh win
• $50,000: Eighth regular-season win
• $50,000: Ninth regular-season win
• $75,000: Ninth win, positions team for what contract terms call a “Tier 1” bowl, which includes ReliaQuest and Citrus (team in Citrus game)

Indiana: Curt Cignetti

• • One-year contract extension; $250,000 raise starting next season; $200,000 bonus this season: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl (Agreement set through Nov. 30, 2030; scheduled annual pay of $5.1 million, with $3.3 million guaranteed.)

Note: Following this achievement, Cignetti and the school agreed on a longer, more lucrative contract.

• $100,000: Fifth Big Ten victory
• $50,000: Sixth Big Ten win
• $500,000: Finish in the top two of the final Big Ten standings
• $50,000: Big Ten Coach of the Year
• $500,000 this year and an increase in the buyout value to 100% of the remaining value of the new contract if Cignetti is dismissed without cause, up from 85%. (As of Dec. 10, 2024, the difference is almost $9.5 million.): Compete in the CFP first round
• $100,000: National Coach of the Year, awarded by the Associated Press and other organizations

Iowa: Kirk Ferentz

• $100,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl

Iowa State: Matt Campbell

• $50,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl
• $250,000: Seventh regular-season victory
• $250,000: Eighth regular-season victory
• $250,000: Ninth regular-season victory
• $250,000: Tenth regular-season victory
• $250,000: Compete in the Big 12 title match while tied for first place in conference standings
• $50,000: Win the bowl game

Jacksonville State: Rich Rodriguez

• $10,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl
• $10,000: Seventh regular-season victory
• $10,000: Eighth regular-season win
• $20,000: Win the Conference USA title

James Madison: Bob Chesney

• $15,000: Win against a Power Four team (North Carolina)
• $25,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl
• $25,000: Seventh victory over FBS opponents
• $25,000: Win a non-CFP bowl game

Kansas State: Chris Klieman

• $50,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl
• One-year contract extension: Eighth regular-season victory (Contract now valid through Dec. 31, 2032, scheduled annual pay at $6.5 million with at least $3.75 million guaranteed.)

Louisville: Jeff Brohm

• $100,000: Achieve sixth victory, qualify for a non-CFP bowl

LSU: Brian Kelly

• $500,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl

Louisiana-Lafayette: Michael Desormeaux

• $25,000: Qualify for a non-CFP bowl with at least seven wins
• One-year contract extension: Tenth victory (Contract extends through Dec. 31, 2027, with a new annual pay of $772,800 and $443,680 guaranteed.)
• $25,000: Achieve tenth regular-season win
• $25,000: Win the Sun Belt Conference division title
• $20,000: Awarded as Sun Belt Coach of the Year

Marshall: Charles Huff

• $50,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl
• $30,000: Seventh victory
• $50,000: Win the Sun Belt title

Memphis: Ryan Silverfield

• $25,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for a non-CFP bowl
• $75,000: Eighth victory
• One-year contract extension: Ninth regular-season victory (Contract now valid through Dec. 31, 2029, with annual pay set at $2.8 million and $1.68 million guaranteed.)
• $25,000: Ninth win
• $25,000: Tenth victory
• $25,000: Team ranked from No. 25 to No. 11 in final rankings (No. 25 CFP, No. 23 Coaches, No. 24 AP)
• $25,000: Eleventh victory
• $50,000: Win a non-CFP bowl game

Miami (Ohio): Chuck Martin

• $25,000: Achieve sixth win, qualify for non-CFP bowl game

►$25,000: Participation in the MAC championship game

►$25,000: Success in non-CFP bowl game

Minnesota: P.J. Fleck

►$100,000: Achieve a sixth win, qualifying for a non-CFP bowl game

►$50,000: Claim a fifth victory in the Big Ten

►$50,000: Victory in a non-CFP bowl game against a Power Four team (Virginia Tech)

Mississippi: Lane Kiffin

►$100,000: Regular-season triumph over a non-conference Power Five opponent (Wake Forest)

►$50,000: Achieve a sixth win, making the team bowl eligible

►One-year extension: Achieve a seventh victory (Contract with Ole Miss Athletics Foundation extended through Dec. 31, 2030; university contract extended through Dec. 31, 2028. New extension set to provide $9,000,000, with $7.2 million guaranteed.)

►$50,000: Achieve an eighth win, positioning the team for the SEC Pool of Six bowl (team participating in the Gator Bowl)

►$150,000: Fifth SEC win

Missouri: Eliah Drinkwitz

►$100,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

►$25,000: Team finishes in the top 25 of final rankings (No. 19 CFP, No. 20 Coaches, No. 22 AP)

►$50,000: Participation in an SEC Group of Six bowl game (team in Music City Bowl)

Nebraska: Matt Rhule

►$150,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

Nevada-Las Vegas: Barry Odom

►$50,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

►$25,000: Participation in the Mountain West championship game

►$25,000: Team ranks in top of final rankings (No. 24 CFP, No. 24 Coaches, No. 23 AP)

North Carolina: Mack Brown

►$75,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

North Carolina State: Dave Doeren

►$25,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

North Texas: Eric Morris

►$35,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

Northern Illinois: Thomas Hammock

►$15,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

►One-year extension: Win a bowl game (Contract now through June 30, 2030. Extension set to pay $786,225 with $330,500 guaranteed.)

►$20,000: Win a non-CFP bowl game

Ohio: Tim Albin

►One-year extension and a $5,000 bonus: Achieve an eighth regular-season win (Contract now through Dec. 31, 2028. Extension set to pay $710,000 with $305,000 guaranteed.)

►$5,000: Achieve a ninth regular-season win

►$30,753: Participate in the MAC championship game

►$10,000: MAC Coach of the Year award

►$30,753: Win the MAC championship

Ohio State: Ryan Day

►$100,000: Participation in the CFP first round

►$150,000: Participation in the CFP quarterfinal

►$100,000: Participation in the CFP semifinal

►$150,000: Participation in the CFP championship game

Oregon: Dan Lanning

►One-year contract extension: Achieve a tenth regular-season win (Contract now through Jan. 31, 2031. Extension set to pay $9,400,000, all guaranteed.)

►$200,000: Achieve an eleventh regular-season win

►$100,000: Participation in the Big Ten championship game

►$200,000: Achieve a twelfth regular-season win

►$150,000: Win the Big Ten championship

►$200,000: Participation in the CFP quarterfinals

Penn State: James Franklin

(Note: Penn State announced on Nov. 29 that Franklin’s bonus structure has been updated to reflect a 12-team CFP. Full details haven’t been disclosed. The bonuses presented here come from a previously released term sheet rather than a complete contract.)

►$200,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

►$200,000: Participation in the Big Ten championship game

Rutgers: Greg Schiano

►$100,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

Sam Houston State: K.C. Keeler

►$25,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

San Jose State: Ken Niumatalolo

►$30,000: Achieve a seventh regular-season win

South Alabama: Major Applewhite

►$15,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

►$20,000: Win a bowl game

South Carolina: Shane Beamer

►$100,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

►$50,000: Participation in the Citrus Bowl

South Florida: Alex Golesh

►$25,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

►$50,000: Win a non-CFP bowl game

Tennessee: Josh Heupel

►$100,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

►$100,000: Team ranks between No. 10 and No. 6 at the end of the season (No. 7 CFP, No. 8 Coaches, No. 9 AP)

►$100,000: Participation in the CFP first round

Texas: Steve Sarkisian

►$100,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

►$150,000: Participation in the SEC championship game

►$150,000: Participation in the CFP first round

►$250,000: Participation in the CFP quarterfinal

►$250,000: Participation in the CFP semifinal

Texas-San Antonio: Jeff Traylor

►$25,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

►$25,000: Win a bowl game

Texas State: G.J. Kinne

►$25,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

►$50,000: Win a bowl game

Texas Tech: Joey McGuire

►$25,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

►$100,000: Achieve an eighth regular-season win

Toledo: Jason Candle

►$75,000: Achieve a sixth regular-season win

►$20,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

►$60,000: Achieve a seventh regular-season win

►$30,000: Win a bowl game

Utah: Kyle Whittingham

►$15,000: Team in top 25 at any point in the season (AP preseason top 25, No. 12)

Virginia Tech: Brent Pry

►$50,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

Washington: Jedd Fisch

►$75,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

Washington State: Jake Dickert

►$25,000: Bowl eligible with at least seven wins

West Virginia: Neal Brown

►$50,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible

Western Kentucky: Tyson Helton

►$50,000: Participation in the Conference USA championship game

►$50,000: Eighth win guarantees a winning season

Western Michigan: Lance Taylor

►$25,000: Achieve a sixth win, bowl eligible