NCAAF · 11 minutes ago

CBS Sports Reveals 10 Highest-Paid College Football Coaches: Curt Cignetti Dethrones Kirby Smart

John Canady

Host · Writer

10) Dan Lanning, Oregon - $10.6 Million
Dan Lanning has Oregon operating like a true national powerhouse again, and the Ducks have backed that up with one of the sport's biggest financial commitments. The question is no longer whether Oregon can win the Big Ten; it’s whether Lanning can turn consistent contention into a national title appearance. At some point, the expectations shift from “keep us in the hunt” to “finish the job,” and that pressure is only growing in Eugene.

“The expectations in Eugene for Lanning to finally cash in on those resources to at least reach a national title game will start to ramp up.” — Robby Kalland

Career record: 48-8
Record at Oregon: 48-8
Conference championships: 1
Playoff appearances: 2
National titles: 0
1) Curt Cignetti, Indiana $13.2 Million
Curt Cignetti has done what few thought possible: turn Indiana into a legitimate national title program in a short window. The challenge now isn’t the rise, it’s maintaining it while everyone else adjusts to what Indiana has become. Sustaining that level of success with increased expectations is where programs either stabilize or slide.

“The Hoosiers and Cignetti face a challenge going forward in keeping up the momentum they've built.” — Robby Kalland

Career record: 46-6
Record at school: 27-2
Conference championships: 1
Playoff appearances: 2
National titles: 1
T-2) Kirby Smart, Georgia $13 Million
Kirby Smart has already built Georgia into a modern standard-bearer, and even minor dips get measured against elite history. The expectation isn’t just to win; it’s to sustain dominance in an era where that’s increasingly difficult. At this point, the conversation around Georgia is less about stability and more about how long the run can realistically continue.

“It would take a lengthy swoon in Athens for there to be any actionable noise about Smart's job status.” — Robby Kalland

Career record: 117-21
Record at school: 117-21
Conference championships: 4
Playoff appearances: 5
National titles: 2
T-2) Lane Kiffin, LSU - $13 Million
Lane Kiffin enters LSU with as much attention as any coach in the country, and with it comes a level of scrutiny that doesn’t leave much room for patience. The expectations aren’t subtle, compete for the SEC immediately, and stay in the national title mix. And with his history, there’s no scenario where he’s allowed to quietly “build” anything.

“No coach enters the 2026 season feeling more pressure to live up to expectations than Kiffin.” — Robby Kalland

Career record: 116-53
Record at school: 0-0
Conference championships: 0
Playoff appearances: 1* (did not coach in playoff)
National titles: 0
T-4) Ryan Day, Ohio State $12.5 Million
Ryan Day has already proven he can win at the highest level, but at Ohio State, one title doesn’t end the conversation; it resets it. The Buckeyes remain built to contend every year, yet the margin for disappointment is razor-thin when expectations sit at national championship or bust. Even after success, the pressure in Columbus never really goes away.

“After watching another crop of stars go off to the NFL… Day will feel the heat again to get the Buckeyes back on top of the Big Ten and advance deep into the playoff.” — Robby Kalland

Career record: 82-12
Record at school: 82-12
Conference championships: 3
Playoff appearances: 5
National titles: 1
T-4) Kalen DeBoer, Alabama $12.5 Million
Kalen DeBoer stepped into one of the toughest jobs in sports, and every result gets filtered through the shadow of what came before him. Alabama is still talented enough to win at the highest level, but the standard there doesn’t really allow for transition years or “almost” seasons. Even when things stabilize, the expectation is simple: championships, not progress reports.

“Until he wins a national title with the Tide, Saban's long shadow will continue to hang over him.” — Robby Kalland

Career record: 57-17
Record at school: 20-8
Conference championships: 1
Playoff appearances: 2
National titles: 0
T-6) Lincoln Riley, USC - $11.5 Million
Lincoln Riley brought offensive firepower to USC, but the full picture still hasn’t come together the way the hire was sold. The Trojans can score with anyone, but the inability to field a balanced, physical roster has kept them from truly breaking through in a new era of college football. Watching peers thrive elsewhere only sharpens the frustration around what still feels like an incomplete rebuild.

“The inability to field a complete team has led to some frustration in Los Angeles.” — Robby Kalland

Career record: 90-28
Record at school: 35-18
Conference championships: 3
Playoff appearances: 3
National titles: 0
T-6) Dabo Swinney, Clemson - $11.5 Million
Dabo Swinney is still the defining figure of modern Clemson football, but the gap between past dominance and present reality has become harder to ignore. The Tigers haven’t disappeared, but they also don’t look like the program that used to set the national standard every fall. At some point, legacy only buys so much runway before performance has to catch up again.

“If nothing else, he'll have to show he can still make Clemson a threat in 2026.” — Robby Kalland

Career record: 187-53
Record at Clemson: 187-53
Conference championships: 9
Playoff appearances: 7
National titles: 2
T-8) Mike Elko, Texas A&M - $11.05 Million
Mike Elko has Texas A&M in a place it hasn’t consistently lived in, real SEC contention talk instead of annual disappointment. The Aggies finally look like a program that can hang with the league’s best week to week, and that changes everything about expectations in College Station. Now it’s less about rebuilding and more about proving this isn’t just a one-year surge.

“The Aggies weren't about to let a coach who has them in that conversation leave, and paid up to keep Elko in Aggieland for years to come.” — Robby Kalland

Career record: 35-16
Record at Texas A&M: 19-7
Conference championships: 0
Playoff appearances: 1
National titles: 0
T-8) Steve Sarkisian, Texas - $11.05 Million
Steve Sarkisian has Texas back in the national spotlight, but the standard in Austin is no longer relevance; it’s championships. The Longhorns have stacked talent and resources around him, and anything short of a serious title run is going to feel like falling short of the assignment. After a year that didn’t match preseason expectations, the margin for “almost” is shrinking fast.

“The 2026 season may very well be a prove-it year for Sark, as Texas believes it's provided him with the roster and resources to get them back in the national title picture.” — Robby Kalland

Career record: 94-55
Record at Texas: 48-20
Conference championships: 1
Playoff appearances: 2
National titles: 0
10) Dan Lanning, Oregon - $10.6 Million
Dan Lanning has Oregon operating like a true national powerhouse again, and the Ducks have backed that up with one of the sport's biggest financial commitments. The question is no longer whether Oregon can win the Big Ten; it’s whether Lanning can turn consistent contention into a national title appearance. At some point, the expectations shift from “keep us in the hunt” to “finish the job,” and that pressure is only growing in Eugene.

“The expectations in Eugene for Lanning to finally cash in on those resources to at least reach a national title game will start to ramp up.” — Robby Kalland

Career record: 48-8
Record at Oregon: 48-8
Conference championships: 1
Playoff appearances: 2
National titles: 0
1) Curt Cignetti, Indiana $13.2 Million
Curt Cignetti has done what few thought possible: turn Indiana into a legitimate national title program in a short window. The challenge now isn’t the rise, it’s maintaining it while everyone else adjusts to what Indiana has become. Sustaining that level of success with increased expectations is where programs either stabilize or slide.

“The Hoosiers and Cignetti face a challenge going forward in keeping up the momentum they've built.” — Robby Kalland

Career record: 46-6
Record at school: 27-2
Conference championships: 1
Playoff appearances: 2
National titles: 1

CBS Sports Reveals 10 Highest-Paid College Football Coaches: Curt Cignetti Dethrones Kirby Smart

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