Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

College Football Coaches' Buyouts Skyrocket: $1.19 Billion Crisis

11/7/2025

39 8

Summary

Story summary

The average buyout for the top 30 college football coaches is $41.3 million, totaling more than $1.19 billion.
The COACH Act would cap compensation at ten times a school's annual tuition, underscoring the divide between athletics and academics.
As of mid-season 2025, about $185 million has been spent on buyouts.
Coaches Kirby Smart and Jimbo Fisher exemplify the strain, with buyouts exceeding 700 times their schools' tuition caps.

1 of 1

Story summary

The average buyout for the top 30 college football coaches is $41.3 million, totaling more than $1.19 billion.
The COACH Act would cap compensation at ten times a school's annual tuition, underscoring the divide between athletics and academics.
As of mid-season 2025, about $185 million has been spent on buyouts.
Coaches Kirby Smart and Jimbo Fisher exemplify the strain, with buyouts exceeding 700 times their schools' tuition caps.