"CFP Semifinal Success Brings Generous Bonuses for Coaches"
A spot in the College Football Playoff championship game will be up for grabs when Texas and Ohio State face off on January 10th in one of the national semifinals. However, the stakes are not only high for the teams, but also for their head coaches who stand to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars with a win.
Both Steve Sarkisian of Texas and Ryan Day of Ohio State have the potential to cash in on significant bonuses with a victory at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas.
According to data from USA Today, Sarkisian has already earned $650,000 for qualifying for the semifinal after the Longhorns' double-overtime win over Arizona State in the Peach Bowl on Wednesday. This is in addition to the $250,000 he received for reaching the Southeastern Conference title game.
If the Longhorns advance to the championship game, Sarkisian will earn another $250,000, which will double with a win.
Day, on the other hand, has already earned an extra $350,000 for reaching the CFP semifinal with the Buckeyes' win over Oregon in the quarterfinals of the Rose Bowl on Wednesday. If Ohio State defeats Texas, Day will be guaranteed an additional $150,000, plus a potential $500,000 more if they go on to win the national championship, bringing his total bonus payout to $1 million.
Penn State, led by head coach James Franklin, will face the winner of Thursday's Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame after their victory over Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. In November, Penn State and Franklin agreed to a contract amendment to account for the revamped, 12-team CFP, but the details have not been announced. According to Front Office Sports, under the previous four-team playoff structure, Franklin would have received $400,000 for making the field, $500,000 for a semifinal win, or $800,000 for winning the national championship.
Salary information for Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, who is at a private school, was not available. However, at public school Georgia, head coach Kirby Smart could potentially earn $1.175 million in bonuses if the Bulldogs win the national title. He has already earned $425,000 of that amount.
While these are substantial amounts of money, they still fall short of the $3 million earned by Jim Harbaugh last season for leading Michigan to its first title since 1997.
