Nebraska Extends Matt Rhule Through 2032; $15M Buyout

The 2025 college-football coaching carousel has exploded into an unusually chaotic, high-stakes cycle after moves like LSU’s firing of Brian Kelly and vacancies at Penn State, Florida, Arkansas and others that threaten to reshape the SEC and the wider sport. Schools are answering with mega-deals and punitive buyouts aimed at deterring poaching, exemplified by Nebraska’s extension of Matt Rhule through 2032 that includes a $15 million buyout and CFP-based salary escalators. Observers say already well over $100 million in buyouts have been committed, and many expect a coming spending spree of huge coaching salaries, staff expansions and larger player-acquisition pools. That arms race is expected to ripple across athletic departments, squeeze revenue-sharing caps and divert dollars from other sports such as basketball. Political and public backlash is mounting, with governors and commentators questioning university accountability and the fiscal and governance consequences of the current model. Meanwhile, sought-after coaches such as Lane Kiffin and candidates like Drinkwitz, Lashlee and Jeff Brohm are being linked to top openings, setting up protracted bidding wars that could materially change college athletics’ competitive and financial landscape.