CFB’s Chaotic (and Pricey) Coaching Carousel Only Getting Started

As more money continues to flow into college football for players, the sport’s coaching carousel is spinning like never before—and getting more expensive each week. 

The firings of Florida’s Billy Napier and Colorado State’s Jay Norvell pushed the buyout total for canned coaches this year to roughly $116 million, led by the $49 million Penn State owes to James Franklin.

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban, now a regular on ESPN’s College GameDay, said he’s not surprised by the high-priced moves. “Because everybody’s raising money to pay players. So, the people that are giving the money think they have a voice and they’re just like a bunch of fans,” Saban said this week. “When they get frustrated and disappointed, they put pressure on the [athletic directors] to take action, and it’s the way of the world.”

Heating Up

Heading into Week 9, several other coaches with large buyouts remain on the hot seat, Florida State’s Mike Norvell (about $54 million) and Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell (about $25 million), despite public statements of support from their respective ADs. The Seminoles are 3–4 (on a four-game losing streak) and the Badgers are 2–5.

Auburn coach Hugh Freeze (whose buyout is roughly $15 million) said a vote of confidence from his own AD “would be huge,” as the Tigers (3–4) are still searching for their first SEC win of the season.

There are just six weeks left in the college football season, which means more moves could be on the way soon.

This season has already turned out to be much more expensive than 2024, as 15 FBS firings either midseason or in the days immediately following the regular season accounted for only roughly $36 million in buyout fees.

In 2023, a record $118 million in contract buyouts was spent, led by the unprecedented $76.8 million cost for Texas A&M to fire Jimbo Fisher.

If Florida State fires Mike Norvell by season’s end, this year’s total could easily reach or surpass $200 million.