College football program forced to pay head coach for previous school's playoff run

A unique contractual arrangement has one SEC football powerhouse paying a coach for the achievements of his former school on the field.

USA Today Sports | Imagn

Ole Miss was eliminated from the College Football Playoff this week after a narrow defeat against Miami in the last seconds of the Fiesta Bowl semifinal game.

Now, Lane Kiffin is about to become an even richer man despite not being on their sideline.

Even after leaving Ole Miss for LSU in the biggest coaching move in college football this year, the veteran head coach is still getting serious payouts on the back of his former school’s accomplishments.

All at LSU’s expense, too.

What will LSU pay Kiffin?

The grand total heading into Kiffin’s pocket? That will be $500,000, the amount that Ole Miss would have paid him had he been on its sideline in the semifinal round, but that LSU agreed to shell out for him even though he’s no longer at the school.

Ole Miss moving ahead in the College Football Playoff had gradually made Kiffin a little richer, with those sums also being handed over from LSU’s coffers, and now the school has a month to hand over the final payment.

What LSU has owed Kiffin up to now

How much was Kiffin due for each of the Rebels’ accomplishments this postseason?

First round game: $150,000
Quarterfinal appearance: $250,000
Semifinal appearance: $500,000
Title game appearance: $750,000
National title win: $1 million

After the Rebels got bounced from the tournament, LSU will at least be able to save that final $1.75 million it would have had to pay if they kept winning.

Now, they can use that money to help build Kiffin’s first roster at LSU, amid reports that the school has been making a serious effort behind the scenes to marshal their donors in a renewed effort to attract skill players to the team for next season.

What his LSU contract says

As part of the landmark deal that drew Kiffin to LSU, the school agreed to hand over the considerable money that the coach would have made had he stayed on Ole Miss’ sideline, a part of the agreement that goes into force now.

“Coach will be entitled to receive a payment in an amount equal to the amount Coach would have been entitled to receive had he remained Head Coach at Coach’s immediate prior employer and coached the prior employer’s football team through the 2025-26 CFP,” Kiffin’s contract with LSU reads.

It adds: “If applicable, the payment under this section may be paid from affiliated foundation funds and shall be paid within 30 days following the prior employer’s team being eliminated from the 2025-26 CFP.”

Those 30 days begin now after Ole Miss was removed from College Football Playoff contention, and LSU now has to pay up.