Ryan Day guaranteed $250k contract bonus for CFP semifinal appearance

Ryan Day is guaranteed a healthy chunk of change after Ohio State defeated Oregon in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday.

According to his contract, the Buckeyes head coach will receive at least $250,000 in supplemental compensation for an appearance in the College Football Playoff semifinal. After knocking down Tennessee and the Ducks in consecutive playoff games — he’s earned himself some bonus cash for his team’s postseason performances.

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Ohio State is now set to face off against Texas in the Cotton Bowl, and Day has a chance to tack $100,000 to that total. If the Buckeyes emerge victorious on Jan. 10, Ohio State is contractually obligated to push that playoff semifinal bonus to $350,000.

This stipulation was added to Day’s contract and reads, “if the Team wins its semi-final CFP game, Coach is not entitled to receive this $250,000.” He would only receive this bonus if they did not make the CFP finals.

If they defeat Texas, under that is a seperate space in his contract’s ‘exceptional achievements’ section on Page 6, Section 3.5, it states that he’ll instead be given a total of $350,000 for an appearance in the national championship game. These bonuses would not stack.

It’s another financial feather in the Day’s cap, as he is already set to receive another bonus totaling $200,000 for leading his team to a College Football Playoff bowl game, which is outlined in the same ‘exceptional achievements’ caregory.

Other incentives that he can earn season-by-season include bonuses for team GPA up to $150,000 as well as $100,000 for winning the Big Ten Championship game. Big Ten coach of the year ($50,000) and national coach of the year ($100,000) honors would also pay Day handsomely.

Ohio State will pay out these totals to Day within 60 days following the respective achievement.

This is added on top of Day’s $9.5 million per year contract, and is already among some of college football’s highest-paid head coaches.

With the Buckeyes outscoring its competition 83-38 so far in the College Football Playoff, it’s no surprise that Ohio State opened the semi-final matchup as 4.5-point favorites over Texas in the Cotton Bowl.

Kickoff between Ohio State and Texas is set for Friday, Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET and will air live on ESPN.