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James Franklin buyout: Where Penn State's massive payment to fired coach ranks in history of college football

Arguably the biggest firing at the halfway point of the 2025 college football season is James Franklin at Penn State. The Nittany Lions have started the season 3-3, with all three losses coming in the Big Ten. The final straw for Franklin was a Week 7 loss to Northwestern, the team's third in a row, and second consecutive to an unranked opponent.

Franklin's firing triggered a massive buyout for the former head coach as Penn State owes upwards of $49 million after firing him.

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Here is more on where Franklin's buyout ranks in college football history. Rank Year Coach School Buyout 1 2023 Jimbo Fisher Texas

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