the drop. · Oct 25, 2026

NC State and Maryland owe nearly $20M in buyouts after firing head coaches in same week

North Carolina State fired head coach Dave Doeren on Saturday evening following a loss to Stanford that dropped the Wolfpack to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC. Doeren's buyout is $9.75 million after 14 seasons leading the program. Maryland had already fired Mike Locksley on Wednesday, seven games into his eighth season, with Locksley owed nearly $10 million — including a reported $4.9 million lump-sum payment due within 60 days of termination. According to Front Office Sports estimates, buyout spending across college football has approached $1 billion since the College Football Playoff began in 2014.

Since the College Football Playoff's inception in 2014, the amount of buyout money has approached $1 billion , according to estimates by Front Office Sports .

From Front Office Sports

Why it matters

For brands: Sponsors and partners tied to either program may see shifts in marketing strategy and institutional priorities during coaching transitions.

For coaches: The back-to-back firings underscore the financial scale and speed at which programs are willing to move on from coaches, with buyouts now routinely reaching into the tens of millions.

For athletes: Players at NC State and Maryland now face an uncertain transition period as both programs begin searches for new head coaches.

For collectives: Collectives at both schools will need to align quickly with interim or incoming staff on recruiting and NIL commitments.

Read the full story at Front Office Sports

Sources

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