Buyout figures for five CFB head coaches on the hot seat

The 2025 season is only half over, and at least seven college football head coaches already have been fired, with Penn State's James Franklin and Oregon State's Trent Bray the latest to get let go this past Sunday.

Analysts and national commentators say that more head coaches could get fired during the season or after the 2025 campaign wraps up. Reports indicate that buyouts could exceed more than $200 million during this current coaching carousel.

Now, with the revenue-sharing era upon us, a result of the House settlement's approval earlier this year, coaches' salaries and buyouts might be reduced, as schools need to free up money to directly pay their athletes. Still, the current salaries and buyouts of head coaches at many Power 4 conference programs are immense. Let's take a look at the buyout figures of five head coaches who are likely on the hot seat (listed in alphabetical order).

Luke Fickell, Wisconsin

Buyout: $27.49 million

The Badgers are 2-4 overall and have lost four straight, including a 37-0 shellacking at home to Iowa last week. No. 1 Ohio State comes to Madison this weekend. Fickell is just 15-17 at Wisconsin and is likely out at the end of the 2025 season, if not sooner.

Hugh Freeze, Auburn

Buyout: $15.44 million

The Tigers (3-3) are on a three-game skid, albeit against three ranked foes. Plus, Auburn plays three more top-25 teams in 2025, so an under .500 record is possible. Freeze is a subpar 14–17 in his tenure with the Tigers.

Billy Napier, Florida

Buyout: $20.43 million

The Gators had high hopes coming into the 2025 campaign, but they are just 2-4, although three of their setbacks were to top-five opponents. Florida beating then-No. 9 Texas earlier in October might have saved Napier's job for the time being, but he's only 21-23 in Gainesville.

Mike Norvell, Florida State

Buyout: $58.67 million

The Seminoles appear to be on a downward spiral. They stunned Alabama to kick off the 2025 season, got to 3-0 and were ranked in the top 10. But since then, FSU has lost three in a row. The upcoming schedule isn't overly daunting, although Norvell is a combined 36-30 in Tallahassee. He needs to finish strong to keep his job safe.

Mark Stoops, Kentucky

Buyout: $37.69 million

Stoops is in his 13th season with the Wildcats, sporting a 79-76 record. Since Kentucky went 10-3 back in 2021, the Wildcats are just 20-23, including a dismal 4-8 last year and 2-3 so far in 2025. In its three Southeastern Conference losses this season, Stoops' team has been outscored by 50 points. His time in Lexington could be over soon.

Honorable Mention

One other name to briefly mention is North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick. His buyout is $20.83 million. Last week, reports surfaced stating that there could be a head-coaching change in Chapel Hill, although the school's athletics director and Belichick himself have emphatically stated that those reports are inaccurate. Belichick, however, needs to get his program moving in a positive direction.