Josh Heupel, Tennessee staff earn bonus money for College Football Playoff appearance
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel and his staff earned substantial bonus money on Sunday afternoon when the Vols made the 12-team College Football Playoff. No. 9 Tennessee will play at No. 8 Ohio State in the first round on December 21, with the winner advancing to the Rose Bowl against No. 1 Oregon.
Per Heupel’s contract, will receive a $200,000 bonus for making the expanded College Football Playoff. If Tennessee wins the first-round game, Heupel’s bonus goes up to $250,000.
A trip to the semifinals would take the bonus money up to $300,000. It goes to $400,000 if the Vols make the championship game. If Tennessee won the College Football Playoff national championship game, Heupel would receive a $1 million bonus.
Tennessee assistant coaches to receive percentage bonuses
Heupel’s assistants are receiving a bonus as well. Assistants will receive a 12% bonus in their pay. That 12% is capped on a salary figure of $500,000. Any assistant making more than $500,000 annually will receive a bonus of $60,000 for reaching the College Football Playoff.
The bonus percentage jumps to 16% if the Vols make the semifinals. The bonus goes to 18% for playing in the national championship game and 20% if Tennessee wins the title.
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Tennessee Athletics Director Danny White gets a 3% bonus for the Vols making the playoff. White’s total incentive compensation can’t exceed $600,000. He has maxed out his incentive compensation package every year he has been Tennessee’s director of athletics.
The College Football Playoff Schedule
Tennessee’s game at Ohio State in the first round of the College Football Playoff will start at 8 p.m. Eastern Time and the game will be televised by ABC and ESPN. The winner will advance to face No. 1 Oregon in Rose Bowl on January 1, a 5 p.m. Eastern Time start on ABC and ESPN.
The first round will start on Friday, December 20 with No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame in an 8 p.m. ET start on ABC and ESPN. The triple header on Saturday will begin with No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State in a Noon ET game and will be followed by No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas in a 4 p.m. start on TNT and streaming on HBO Max.
The four-highest ranked conference championships received byes into the quarterfinals. No. 1 Oregon followed by No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Boise State and No. 4 Arizona State. Georgia awaits the Indiana-Notre Dame winner in the Sugar Bowl, Boise State will face the SMU-Penn State winner in the Fiesta Bowl and Arizona State will be in the Peach Bowl waiting on the Clemson-Texas winner.
