Franklin was fired on Oct. 12after leading Penn State to three consecutive losses againstOregon,UCLAand Northwestern after being ranked No. 3 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll. The loss to UCLA marked the Bruins' first win of the season, and Northwestern was unranked.
Franklin's contract buyout ranks as the second-highest sum ever, behind formerTexas A&Mcoach Jimbo Fisher, who was fired midway through the 2023 season.
Franklin led Penn State to the College Football Playoff semifinals in 2024 after theNittany Lionsbeat SMU andBoise Statein consecutive rounds before falling to eventual national runner-up Notre Dame.
Here's a look at Franklin's full buyout and contract details after being fired:
Cal fired Justin Wilcox on Nov. 23 with one game left in the regular season. The Golden Bears are 6-5 this season but 48-55 in Wilcox's seven seasons in charge.
(Brian Bishop-Imagn Images)
Auburn fired coach Hugh Freeze on Nov. 2 following a home loss to Kentucky. Freeze was 15-19 in two-plus seasons on the Plains.
(John Reed, John Reed-Imagn Images)
LSU fired Brian Kelly on Oct. 26 after an embarrassing home loss to Texas A&M the night before.
(Tyler Kaufman, Getty Images)
Florida fired Billy Napier on Oct. 19 during his fourth season as Gators coach. UF was 22-23 during Napier's tenure.
(Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)
Penn State fired James Franklin on Oct. 12 after a third straight loss. The Nittany Lions were 104-45 in 11-plus seasons under Franklin.
(Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images)
UAB fired Trent Dilfer on Oct. 12 after a 2-4 start to the 2025 season. Dilfer was in his third season as head coach of the Blazers.
(Randy Sartin, Imagn Images)
Sam Pittman was fired by Arkansas on Sept. 25, a day after the Razorbacks were blown out by Notre Dame, 56-13. Pittman was 32-34 in his five-plus seasons as Hogs coach.
(Nelson Chenault, Imagn Images)
Virginia Tech fired Brent Pry on Sept. 14 after the Hokies started the season 0-3. Virginia Tech was 16-24 overall in Pry's three-plus seasons.
(Brian Bishop-Imagn Images)
UCLA fired DeShaun Foster on Sept. 14 after the Bruins fell to 0-3 following a home loss to New Mexico. The Bruins were 5-10 in Foster's one-plus season in charge.
(Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
Mike Gundy was in his 21st season as Oklahoma State coach when he was fired on Sept. 23. Gundy was 170-90 as Cowboys coach, but started 1-2 this season after going 3-9 in 2024.
(William Purnell, Imagn Images)
Oregon State fired Trent Bray on Oct. 12 after the Beavers started the season 0-7. The Beavers were 5-14 in Bray's season-plus in Corvallis.
(Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images)
Colorado State fired football coach Jay Norvell on Oct. 19. Norvell was 18-26 in his four seasons in Fort Collins.
(Logan Newell/The Coloradoan)
Stanford coach Troy Taylor was fired prior to the 2025 season following allegations of mistreating staff. He was 6-18 in two seasons with the Cardinal and was replaced by interim coach Frank Reich.
(Eakin Howard-Imagn Images)
Kent State coach fired coach Kenni Burns on April 15 after he posted a 1-23 record of and was placed on administrative leave by the school in March. Mark Carney is serving as interim coach.
(Matthew O'Haren, Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Cal fired Justin Wilcox on Nov. 23 with one game left in the regular season. The Golden Bears are 6-5 this season but 48-55 in Wilcox's seven seasons in charge.
(Brian Bishop-Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Cal fired Justin Wilcox on Nov. 23 with one game left in the regular season. The Golden Bears are 6-5 this season but 48-55 in Wilcox's seven seasons in charge.
(Brian Bishop-Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Auburn fired coach Hugh Freeze on Nov. 2 following a home loss to Kentucky. Freeze was 15-19 in two-plus seasons on the Plains.
(John Reed, John Reed-Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
LSU fired Brian Kelly on Oct. 26 after an embarrassing home loss to Texas A&M the night before.
(Tyler Kaufman, Getty Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Florida fired Billy Napier on Oct. 19 during his fourth season as Gators coach. UF was 22-23 during Napier's tenure.
(Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Penn State fired James Franklin on Oct. 12 after a third straight loss. The Nittany Lions were 104-45 in 11-plus seasons under Franklin.
(Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images)
6/14
College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
UAB fired Trent Dilfer on Oct. 12 after a 2-4 start to the 2025 season. Dilfer was in his third season as head coach of the Blazers.
(Randy Sartin, Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Sam Pittman was fired by Arkansas on Sept. 25, a day after the Razorbacks were blown out by Notre Dame, 56-13. Pittman was 32-34 in his five-plus seasons as Hogs coach.
(Nelson Chenault, Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Virginia Tech fired Brent Pry on Sept. 14 after the Hokies started the season 0-3. Virginia Tech was 16-24 overall in Pry's three-plus seasons.
(Brian Bishop-Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
UCLA fired DeShaun Foster on Sept. 14 after the Bruins fell to 0-3 following a home loss to New Mexico. The Bruins were 5-10 in Foster's one-plus season in charge.
(Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
10/14
College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Mike Gundy was in his 21st season as Oklahoma State coach when he was fired on Sept. 23. Gundy was 170-90 as Cowboys coach, but started 1-2 this season after going 3-9 in 2024.
(William Purnell, Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Oregon State fired Trent Bray on Oct. 12 after the Beavers started the season 0-7. The Beavers were 5-14 in Bray's season-plus in Corvallis.
(Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Colorado State fired football coach Jay Norvell on Oct. 19. Norvell was 18-26 in his four seasons in Fort Collins.
(Logan Newell/The Coloradoan)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Stanford coach Troy Taylor was fired prior to the 2025 season following allegations of mistreating staff. He was 6-18 in two seasons with the Cardinal and was replaced by interim coach Frank Reich.
(Eakin Howard-Imagn Images)
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College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Kent State coach fired coach Kenni Burns on April 15 after he posted a 1-23 record of and was placed on administrative leave by the school in March. Mark Carney is serving as interim coach.
Franklin's buyout is only the second-most expensive contract buyout for a coach in college football history, behind Fisher. He takes over the No. 2 spot from former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn after the latter received a $21.7 million buyout following the 2020 season.
Fisher's buyout is still tops in college football history, at a whopping $76.8 million.
