Nick Saban's New Contract And The Top 20 Highest Paid College Football Coaches

Nick Saban signed a contract extension with the Alabama Crimson Tide Tuesday, making him college football's first "$10 million dollar man." Saban will earn over $11 million next year, surpassing Michigan's Jim Harbaugh as the highest-paid coach. But, aside from Saban and Harbaugh, who are the highest paid coaches in college football?

Thanks USA Today's coaching salaries data, we have complied the top 20 highest paid coaches. The order is based on the 2016 pay for every coach, save for Saban and Texas' Tom Herman. The SEC dominates the list and there might be a few surprises as well. 

20. Bobby Petrino, Louisville - $3.9 million

2016 Record: 9-4
Career Record: 109-43 (12 years, 67-22 in 7 years at Louisville)
National Championships: 0
Conference Championships: 2 (Both at Louisville)
Bowl Game Record: 5-5 (3-4 at Louisville)

19. Gary Patterson, TCU - $4.01 million

2016 Record: 6-7
Career Record: 149-54 (17 years, all at TCU)
National Championships: 0 
Conference Championships: 6
Bowl Game Record: 9-6

18. David Shaw, Stanford - $4.07 million

2016 Record: 10-3
​Career Record: 64-17 (6 years, all at Stanford)
National Championships: 0 
Conference Championships: 3
Bowl Game Record: 4-2

17. Butch Jones, Tennessee - $4.11 million

2016 Record: 9-4
​Career Record: 80-48 (10 years, 30-21 in 4 years at Tennessee)
National Championships: 0
Conference Championships: 4 (0 at Tennessee)
Bowl Game Record: 4-2 (3-0 at Tennessee)

16. Bret Bielema, Arkansas - $4.15 million

2016 Record: 7-6
​Career Record: 93-50 (11 years, 25-26 in 4 years at Arkansas)
National Championships: 0 
Conference Championships: 3 (0 at Arkansas)
Bowl Game Record: 4-5 (2-1 at Arkansas)

15. Dan Mullen, Mississippi State - $4.2 million

2016 Record: 6-7
​Career Record: 61-42 (8 years at Mississippi State) 
National Championships: 0
Conference Championships: 0
Bowl Game Record: 5-2

14. Jim McElwain, Florida - $4.29 million

2016 Record: 9-4
​Career Record: 41-24 (5 years, 19-8 in 2 years at Florida)
National Championships: 0 
Conference Championships: 0
Bowl Game Record: 2-1 (1-1 at Florida)

13. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State - $4.3 million

2016 Record: 3-9
​Career Record: 108-59 (13 years, 90-42 in 10 years at MSU)
National Championships: 0 
Conference Championships: 3
Bowl Game Record: 5-5 (4-5 at MSU)

12. Dabo Swinney, Clemson - $4.42 million

2016 Record: 14-1
​Career Record: 89-29 (9 years at Clemson)
National Championships: 1 
Conference Championships: 3
Bowl Game Record: 7-4

T-10. James Franklin, Penn State - $4.5 million

2016 Record: 11-3
​Career Record: 49-30 (6 years, 25-15 in 3 years at PSU)
National Championships: 0 
Conference Championships: 1
Bowl Game Record: 3-3 (1-2 at PSU)

T-10. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa - $4.5 million

2016 Record: 8-5
​Career Record: 135-92 (18 years at Iowa)
National Championships: 0 
Conference Championships: 2
Bowl Game Record: 6-8

9. Hugh Freeze, Mississippi - $4.7 million

2016 Record: 5-7
​Career Record: 49-28 (6 years, 39-25 in 5 years at Ole Miss)
National Championships: 0 
Conference Championships: 1 (0 at Ole Miss)
Bowl Game Record: 3-2 (3-1 at Ole Miss)

8. Gus Malzahn, Auburn - $4.73 million

2016 Record: 8-5
​Career Record: 44-21 (5 years, 35-18 in 4 years at Auburn)
National Championships: 0
Conference Championships: 2 (1 at Auburn)
Bowl Game Record: 1-3

7. Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M - $5 million

2016 Record: 8-5
​Career Record: 79-38 (9 years, 44-21 in 5 years at Texas A&M)
National Championships: 0 
Conference Championships: 2 (0 at Texas A&M)
Bowl Game Record: 4-3 (3-2 at Texas A&M)

T-5. Tom Herman, Texas - $5.25 million

2016 Record: 9-3
​Career Record: 22-4 (2 years at Houston)
National Championships: 0 
Conference Championships: 1
Bowl Game Record: 1-0

T-5. Jimbo Fisher, Florida State - $5.25 million

2016 Record: 10-3
​Career Record: 78-17 (7 years at FSU)
National Championships: 1
Conference Championships: 3
Bowl Game Record: 5-2

4. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma - $5.55 million

2016 Record: 11-2
​Career Record: 190-49 (18 years at OU)
National Championships: 1
Conference Championships: 10
Bowl Game Record: 9-9

3. Urban Meyer, Ohio State - $6.1 million

2016 Record: 11-2
​Career Record: 165-29 (15 years, 61-6 in 5 years at OSU)
National Championships: 3
Conference Championships: 5 (1 at OSU)
Bowl Game Record: 10-3 (3-2 at OSU)

2. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan - $7 million

2016 Record: 10-3
​Career Record: 49-27 (6 years, 20-6 in 2 years at Michigan)
National Championships: 0 
Conference Championships: 0
Bowl Game Record: 2-2 (1-1 at Michigan)

1. Nick Saban, Alabama - $11.125 million

2016 Record: 14-1
​Career Record: 210-61-1 (21 years, 119-19 in 10 years at Alabama)
National Championships: 5 (4 at Alabama)
Conference Championships: 8 (5 at Alabama)
Bowl Game Record: 11-9

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Related Topics: College Football Coaches, 2017 College Football, Kevin Sumlin, Jim Harbaugh, Bob Stoops, James Franklin, Jimbo Fisher, Tom Herman, Nick Saban, Dan Mullen, Dabo Swinney, David Shaw, Urban Meyer, Mark Dantonio, Butch Jones, College Football Coaches Salaries