$9 million head coach viewed as having best job in all of college football

Big paycheck, low panic, sturdy Saturdays, Kentucky comfort under Stoops

College football analyst Josh Pate highlighted Kentucky Wildcats coach Mark Stoops as having the best job in the sport. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kentucky landed in a national debate this week, and the framing cut cleanly along two lanes. In a conversation with Colin Cowherd, college football analyst Josh Pate said some jobs are built for titles, while others are built for stability, pay, and sanity.

Asked which program offers the best head coaching job when a national championship is not the aim, Pate pointed to Kentucky and Mark Stoops. For coaches who want the sport’s ultimate prize, he said the standard resides at Georgia.

Pate highlighted compensation, security, and expectations to explain Kentucky’s appeal. “You’re going to think I’m joking with you, but Kentucky football would be the job that I would want to take. Mark Stoops makes close to $10 million a year. The goal there is to win seven games. In rural Kentucky, you can be there forever. He’s got a massive buyout. That guy figured it out.”

He added that if you want to compete for a national championship, the answer is Georgia.

Kentucky’s Setup Matches Pate’s Best-Job Criteria

Stoops is deep into his Lexington tenure, earning roughly $9 million per year and having a deal through 2031. If Kentucky were to make a change, the school would owe 75 percent of the remaining salary, totaling nearly $40 million after this season, which would be paid within 60 days.

That math explains why stability often outlasts slumps, and it pairs with expectations that are ambitious without demanding a Playoff-or-bust bar. The current on-field picture aligns with the profile, as Kentucky is 2–1 following a 48–23 win over Eastern Michigan.

The best job in College Football…

Titles don’t matter: Kentucky

Titles do matter: UGA pic.twitter.com/XTreITh4Gs

— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) September 19, 2025

Seth McGowan rushed for 104 yards and three touchdowns, and Cutter Boley, in for injured starter Zach Calzada, went 12 of 21 for 240 yards with touchdowns to tight ends Willie Rodriquez and Josh Kattus. The offense balanced 252 rushing yards with 240 through the air, and the defense set the tone when Terhyon Nichols tipped a Noah Kim pass and Daveren Rayner intercepted it to set up an early score.

That is the kind of clean, professional Saturday that keeps the path to bowl eligibility intact, and it reinforces Pate’s premise about a job defined by steady wins, not constant crisis.

Contract Math, Expectations, And A Tough Stretch Ahead

Context matters after last year’s 4–8 finish and the offseason exit of longtime aide Vince Marrow, and the schedule tightens soon with a midseason run that includes South Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and Tennessee.

Athletics director Mitch Barnhart has emphasized a broad standard of progress and sustained competence, and eight straight bowls under Stoops plus two 10-win seasons established a modern baseline.

That framing shapes the pressure level in 2025 and clarifies why Pate’s take resonates with coaches who value security, resources, and reasonable benchmarks.

Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops is in his 13th season with the Wildcats with a 69-74 record. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Saturday offered more than the scoreboard, as Boley avoided sacks, connected with seven receivers, and delivered eight completions of 15 or more yards. Eastern Michigan piled up 461 total yards and hit a 64-yard strike from Kim to Terry Lockett Jr., and Kentucky answered with fourth-down stops, early takeaways, and ground control.

Stack a few more balanced outings, and the usual measuring sticks will remain within reach. The Wildcats will travel to South Carolina on Sept. 27 after their upcoming bye week.