Every sports fan knows that college athletics is serious business—especially football, as it’s the biggest revenue-making sport on campus. For that reason, school’s go to great lengths to maintain a program that compete for conference and national titles, bringing in recruits to help them get to the next level, the NFL. With that in mind, it’s no surprise to see that they’ll pay millions of dollars for head coaches each and every year, making sure they keep a guy around to lead the program to both on and off the field. So which ones are being rewarded the most in their 2014 annual salaries? I break down the top-20 here for you.\
Photo via Getty Images
20. Bret Bielema – Arkansas, $3.21 million
After leaving the Wisconsin Badgers back in 2012 for the University of Arkansas, Bret Bielema not only went from a good head coach in a power conference, but got a nice pay raise in the best conference in the entire country when he took over the Razorbacks. He has had varying success in Fayetteville, with a few big wins—yet, not quite taking his team to a major bowl like he did with the Badgers.
Photo via Getty Images
19. Jim Mora – UCLA, $3.25 million
A former NFL head coach and son of a coach himself, Jim Mora Jr. took over the reins to the UCLA Bruins in 2012 and has put the program back on the national radar thanks to solid recruiting and decent seasons. The Bruins may not be in the national title hunt this year, but they were talked about as being a darkhorse contender before the 2014 season kicked-off, with quarterback Brett Hundley being a major reason why. Still, Mora gets paid over $3.25 million for a chance to lead the prestigious school.
Photo via Getty Images
18. Rich Rodriguez – Arizona, $3.29 million
Remember when Rich Rodrgiuez enjoyed great success at West Virginia, left to lead the University of Michigan, flamed out and got hired to take his high-flying offense to the desert at the University of Arizona? Its been a long journey for Rich Rod, but he has proven to be one of the best coaches in the game, again, taking Arizona to a ranked team in 2014 and getting paid nicely thanks to doing so.
Photo via Getty Images
17. Mark Richt – Georgia, $3.31 million
It’s a little surprising to see that Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt is only the 17th-highest paid coach in the country. After all, he has been on the sidelines in Athens as lead dog since 2001, taking the team to a few major bowls and, continuously, being ranked and in the national title conversation. He has yet to actually lead the Dawgs to a title birth, but he recruits well and is always a threat in the deep SEC.
Photo via Getty Images
16. Gary Pinkel – Missouri, $3.4 million
With a chance to play in the SEC Championship Game this season, Missouri Tigers head coach Gary Pinkel has, once again, shown to be one of the conference’s best leaders. Sure, his team might play in the “softer” division, but wins are wins, and Pinkel continuously gets his Tigers teams ready to go up against whomever is on their schedule, and, deservedly, makes a lot of money for his success in doing so.
Photo via Getty Images
15. Mike Gundy – Oklahoma State, $3.5 million
He’s a man! He’s 40! And he also happens to be a very rich man for knowing how to coach the game of football. While Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy hasn’t won a national title in Stillwater yet, he has had solid years since taking over the head gig, averaging 10 wins in the past five seasons. He’s had a down year in 2014, putting him on the hot seat a bit in 2014, but has shown to be a great coach over the years.
Photo via Getty Images
14. Jimbo Fisher – Florida State, $3.59 million
There was a time when Jimbo Fisher was, “just the next guy,” following the legendary Bobby Bowden at Florida State University. Sure, he was a hot commodity thanks to his offensive prowess at various schools, but no one could have imagined he would turn the Seminoles into what they currently are—last season’s national champions and, in 2014, still undefeated with a chance to defend their crown. He recruits well, handles adversity well and has proven to be at his best in clutch situations, so it’s no wonder the school pays him $3.59 million per season.
Photo via Getty Images
13. Chris Petersen – Washington, $3.68 million
After an unprecedented run with the Boise State Broncos, head coach Chris Petersen decided he wanted a new challenge in 2014, leaving his post from Boise to Seattle, taking over the Washington Huskies. Although he would have better resources and a bigger conference to compete in, I’m sure the $3.68 million annual salary was the real reason he switched posts—and no one can blame him for that.
Photo via Getty Images
12. Gus Malzahn – Auburn, $3.85 million
After reaching last year’s national title game against the aforementioned Jimbo Fisher’s Florida State Seminoles, Auburn Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn can include himself amongst the highest-paid coaches in the college game. After going from a high school coach to offensive coordinator for the Tigers in their national title run a few seasons ago, Malzahn has been back at it for Auburn since last year, with the school very happy with the decision to hire the guy.
Photo via Getty Images
11. Gary Patterson – TCU, $4 million
Arguably the coach who gets the most out of his team, Gary Patterson of TCU could just be the best coach in the country—yet, no one really thinks of him as such. That’s because he coaches at the smaller TCU, playing in a Big 12 Conference that lacks the starpower that it once did earlier in the decade. Still, one can’t fault Patterson or his Horned Frogs for doing what they do best; winning. And for going to a few major bowls with the good chance to do so again in 2014, the school rewards him for a doing such a great job.
Photo via Getty Images
10. Steve Spurrier – South Carolina, $4.01 million
Ah, yes, the Ol’ Ball Coach. Steve Spurrier is an absolute legacy in the college game, winning a Heisman Trophy during his playing days for the Florida Gators before taking those same Gators to a national title in explosive fashion during the ’90s. When he returned to the college football in 2005, Spurrier was expected to turn the South Carolina Gamecocks into a conference and national title contender, and, other than a few years, he has done just that, with the school having a number of big seasons under the brash head coach.
Photo via Getty Images
9. Kirk Ferentz – Iowa, $4.07 million
Why does Kirk Ferentz’s name come up anytime there’s a head coaching job available in the NFL? Well, because the guy knows how to coach. He might not have a gaudy program or flashy offense or bells and whistles, but Ferentz stays conservative in his recruiting and game-calling, continuously taking his Iowa Hawkeyes to bowl games year in and year out. A byproduct of legendary coach Bill Belichick, it’s no wonder he keeps to himself and has his team so focused on the task at hand each week.
Photo via Getty Images
8. James Franklin – Penn State, $4.3 million
Is Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin worth $4.3 million? I would argue against it. But seeing how successful he was while leading Vanderbilt, and with Penn State needing to make a serious splash to move on from their allegations from a couple of years ago, the school believed he was. Showing that he can coach with the best the SEC has to offer, Franklin leaped to the Big 10 in hopes to put the Nittany Lions back on the map, which he has had varying success at in this, his first year in Happy Valley.
Photo via Getty Images
7. Les Miles – LSU, $4.36 million
As a national champion and, generally regarded as, one of the best coaches in the country, no one should be surprised that Les Miles gets paid $4.36 million by LSU. The Mad Hatter is known for his aggressiveness and lethal defenses in Death Valley, and routinely has his Tigers competing for big-time bowls each season. He may also be in line for another big day, with his alma mater, Michigan, appearing to be on the hunt for a new coach in the coming weeks.
Photo via Getty Images
6. Urban Meyer – Ohio State, $4.53 million
A two-time national championship head coach, everywhere Urban Meyer has gone, he has won. And in Columbus, that seems like it’s almost all he has ever done. After going undefeated in his first season in 2012, the team didn’t lose until the Big 10 Conference Title Game last year, before falling to Clemson in the Orange Bowl to end on a two-game skid. But with just one loss this season, Meyer has his Bucks in position to, potentially, make it into the College Football Playoff, showing why he’s worth over $4.5 million per season.
Photo via Getty Images
5. Charlie Strong – Texas, $5 million
In his first season in Austin, former Louisville head coach Charlie Strong has rebounded a little bit from a shaky start, with his squad looking more like the team he expected when he took the gig. Still, Strong has a long way to go to build the program back to where it was during the early-to-late 2000’s, where they were contending for national titles and routinely winning double-digit games. With the school paying him $5 million per season, they clearly think he’s the right guy for the task.
Photo via Getty Images
4. Kevin Sumlin – Texas A&M, $5.06 million
One of the major rivals of previously mentioned Texas, A&M’s head man Kevin Sumlin might not have the state’s favorite burnt orange on his cap each weekend, but he can claim to have a higher salary. Enjoying great success in College Station since taking over a few years ago, Sumlin, no doubt, was boosted by the whole Johnny Manziel mania in 2012 and ’13, putting the school in the national spotlight and showcasing both his recruiting and coaching skills, along with his high-powered offensive schemes.
Photo via Getty Images
3. Bob Stoops – Oklahoma, $5.05 million
The Oklahoma Sooners have had a variety of legendary head coaches in its history, but none might be as impactful as the current one, Bob Stoops. With a national title ring on his finger, Stoops always seems to get rich, blue chip recruits to play for him in Norman, with both sides of the ball represented well in the NFL thanks to his coaching style. There have always been rumors about Stoops being courted elsewhere, but it’s clear that his heart is in Oklahoma—which it should be.
Photo via Getty Images
2. Mark Dantonio – Michigan State, $5.63 million
Want to know how much Michigan State enjoyed head coach Mark Dantonio winning the Rose Bowl last season? Enough to pay him a lot of money for doing it. In fact, if you asked 100 college football fans, I would wager a bet that only a handful would know that he’s the second highest-paid coach in the country. A very good coach who has won an average of 10 games in the past five years—including this year’s nine, thus far—Dantonio knows what he’s doing, so the Spartans see him as well worth the $5.6 million he gets paid.
Photo via Getty Images
1. Nick Saban – Alabama, $7.16 million
How much does football mean to the University of Alabama? A lot. And if their fans poisoning rivals’ trees or yelling, “Roll Tide” wasn’t enough evidence, than maybe the over $7 million they pay head coach Nick Saban is. With four national titles on his resume, Saban is the best coach in the college game, winning no less than 10 games in all but one of his eight years in Tuscaloosa. And with the Tide currently ranked No. 1 in the nation and set to play in the College Football Playoff, he may just find himself with even more bling on his hand to flash to five-star recruits in the offseason.
Photo via Getty Images
