The time college football fans love to know arrived Wednesday morning when USA TODAY released its annual update to its coaching salaries database.
Jim Harbaugh, he of the 7-0 record and the No. 2 ranking, is the sport's highest paid coach after two two-million life insurance policy premium payments bumped his base salary from $5 million to $9 million.
Nick Saban is No. 2 in the list after being displaced as the pay king. Ohio State's Urban Meyer is No. 3, and Oklahoma's Bop Stoops and and Florida State's Jimbo Fisher round out the Top 5.
The SEC and Big Ten each have four coaches in the Top 11.
| RANK | COACH (SCHOOL) | SCHOOL PAY | OTHER PAY | TOTAL PAY | MAX BONUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JIM HARBAUGH (MICHIGAN) | $9,004,000 | -- | $9,004,000 | $1,325,000 |
| 2 | NICK SABAN (ALABAMA) | $6,939,359 | -- | $6,939,359 | $700,000 |
| 3 | URBAN MEYER (OHIO STATE) | $6,003,000 | $91,800 | $6,094,800 | $775,000 |
| 4 | BOB STOOPS (OKLAHOMA) | $5,550,000 | $0 | $5,550,000 | $834,000 |
| 5 | JIMBO FISHER (FLORIDA STATE) | $5,250,000 | -- | $5,250,000 | $1,475,000 |
| 6 | CHARLIE STRONG (TEXAS) | $5,200,000 | $130 | $5,200,130 | $1,06,000 |
| 7 | KEVIN SUMLIN (TEXAS A&M) | $5,000,000 | -- | $5,000,000 | $1,350,000 |
| 8 | GUS MALZAHN (AUBURN) | $4,725,000 | $4,500 | $4,729,500 | $1,400,000 |
| 9 | HUGH FREEZE (MISSISSIPPI) | $4,700,000 | $3,500 | $4,703,500 | $1,225,000 |
| 10 | JAMES FRANKLIN (PENN STATE) | $4,500,000 | -- | $4,500,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 11 | KIRK FERENTZ (IOWA) | $4,500,000 | $0 | $4,500,000 | $2,875,000 |
Charlie Strong, at $5.2 million for three wins, is one of the worst returns on investment in the country. At least Kirk Ferentz has five!
Western Michigan's P.J. Fleck makes $816,000, which is a shrewd investment considering the team is 8-0 and ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time in school history.
Larry Fedora at North Carolina ($1.982 million at 6-2) and Willie Taggart at Southern Florida ($1.7 million at 6-2) aren't bad purchases, either.
As for the Big Ten, who would've picked Minnesota to bring up the back?
| RANK | COACH (SCHOOL) | SCHOOL PAY | OTHER PAY | TOTAL PAY | MAX BONUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JIM HARBAUGH (MICHIGAN) | $9,004,000 | -- | $9,004,000 | $1,325,000 |
| 3 | URBAN MEYER (OHIO STATE) | $6,003,000 | $91,800 | $6,094,800 | $775,000 |
| 10 | JAMES FRANKLIN (PENN STATE) | $4,500,000 | -- | $4,500,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 11 | KIRK FERENTZ (IOWA) | $4,500,000 | $0 | $4,500,000 | $2,875,000 |
| 14 | MARK DANTONIO (MICHIGAN STATE) | $4,300,000 | $0 | $4,300,000 | $650,000 |
| 28 | PAT FITZGERALD (NORTHWESTERN) | $3,350,000 | -- | $3,350,000 | -- |
| 42 | MIKE RILEY (NEBRASKA) | $2,800,000 | -- | $2,800,000 | $950,000 |
| 43 | PAUL CHRYST (WISCONSIN) | $2,700,000 | $6,200 | $2,706,200 | $440,000 |
| 46 | D.J. DURKIN (MARYLAND) | $2,412,000 | -- | $2,412,000 | $625,000 |
| 50 | KEVIN WILSON (INDIANA) | $2,320,000 | -- | $2,320,000 | $1,130,00 |
| 53 | DARRELL HAZELL (PURDUE) | $2,190,000 | -- | $2,190,000 | $1,545,000 |
| 57 | CHRIS ASH (RUTGERS) | $2,000,000 | -- | $2,000,000 | $960,000 |
| 60 | LOVIE SMITH (ILLINOIS) | $1,809,000 | -- | $1,809,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 68 | TRACY CLAEYS (MINNESOTA) | $1,400,000 | -- | $1,400,000 | $1,250,000 |
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