Hours after No. 10 Miami fell at SMU in overtime, attention around the program turned — as it always does in 2025 — to Mario Cristobal's contract and the cost of making a change. The Hurricanes lost 26-20 on Saturday with the Mustangs winning on a 1-yard T.J. Harden touchdown after Ahmaad Moses intercepted Carson Beck on Miami's first overtime possession.
SMU takes down No. 10 Miami in overtime for its first home win against a top-10 team in 51 years‼️ pic.twitter.com/qF7hgq9Gzj
— ESPN (@espn) November 1, 2025
Cristobal’s buyout — what Miami would owe if it fired him without cause — remains among the largest in college football. The figure is estimated to be about $61 million as of the 2025 season, keeping Miami on the short list of schools with eight-figure barriers to a coaching change.
Manny Diaz has a higher win percentage at Duke than Mario Cristobal has at Miami.
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) November 1, 2025
When Cristobal was hired in December 2021, he signed a 10-year, $80 million contract — an "all-in" wager by the university that its former All-American could lift the program back into national contention.
Big picture, that $61 million range places Miami in college football’s buyout elite in 2025. Kirby Smart (Georgia) and Lincoln Riley (USC) top the board, while Cristobal appears in the next cluster with Kalen DeBoer, Steve Sarkisian and Mike Norvell.
Head Coach Buyouts in 2025 Season
- LSU — Brian Kelly (fired Oct. 26): ~$54 million.
- Penn State — James Franklin (Oct. 12): ~$49 million.
- Florida — Billy Napier (Oct. 19): ~$21.2 million (half due within 30 days).
- Oklahoma State — Mike Gundy (Sept. 23): $15 million.
- Arkansas — Sam Pittman (Sept. 28): ~$9.3-$9.8 million.
- Virginia Tech — Brent Pry (Sept. 14): ~$6 million.
- UCLA — DeShaun Foster (Sept. 14): ~$6.4 million.
- Oregon State — Trent Bray (Oct. 12): ~$3.6-$4 million.
- UAB — Trent Dilfer (Oct. 12): ~$2.4 million.
- Colorado State — Jay Norvell (Oct. 19): ~$1.5 million.
Some notes on CFB buyouts this season
- As of this week, the running tally for in-season 2025 FBS head-coach buyouts is about $168M-$169M (will adjust as settlements finalize).
- Napier's contract is notable: no offset/mitigation and 50% due within 30 days; most other contracts reduce school obligations if the coach quickly takes another paid job.