ATLANTA — Georgia coach Kirby Smart has once again led the Bulldogs into the College Football Playoff - and, already handsomely rewarded for his success leading the Dawgs, he stands to earn a bit more cash if they beat the Buckeyes on Saturday night.
If Kirby and the Dawgs reach the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, the coach stands to earn $250,000 for the one victory.
But that represents only one small part of what a run to a repeat championship would mean in terms of bonus money for Smart.
Here's how it breaks down:
Kirby Smart contract & bonus structure
The UGA coach, first off, is making a bit more than $10 million this season after he and the school agreed to a contract extension in July.
According to a copy of his contract, most of that gets paid out in funds controlled by the University of Georgia Athletic Association. His "base salary" is just $600,000, and then he earns $6.25 million from the Association as "media compensation" for radio, television and other public relations obligations as well as $3.4 million as "compensation for his equipment endorsement efforts."
Then there's how his bonus structure works.
- Smart is eligible for two separate payments, one based on SEC achievements, and the other one based on general postseason achievements.
- His bonus payout is capped at $1.3 million, based on those two potential payments.
- He would get either $100,000 in a given year for reaching the SEC Championship Game or $300,000 for winning it (his contract is structured with either/or bonuses in this case - so he would get $100,000 for reaching the game and then an additional $200,000 for winning it, not $400,000. As Georgia won the SEC Championship, that $300,000 is already money in Smart's pocket).
After that, here's the specific breakdown for postseason achievements:
- $50,000 if Georgia goes to the Birmingham or Independence Bowl
- $75,000 if Georgia plays in one of six other bowls: Gator, ReliaQuest (formerly Outback), Duke's Mayo (formerly Belk), Music City, Texas or Liberty
- $100,000 if Georgia plays in the Citrus Bowl
- $175,000 if Georgia plays in a New Year's Six bowl that isn't part of the Playoff that year (Sugar, Rose, Orange, Cotton, Fiesta, Peach)
- $500,000 for playing in one of those bowls for the College Football Playoff semifinal
- $750,000 for winning the semifinal and going to the National Championship Game
- $1 million for winning the National Championship Game
Again, these are not cumulative - Smart has already earned $500,000 for getting to the College Football Playoff semifinal (plus the other $300,000 for winning the SEC Championship).
If the Dawgs win on Saturday, his total postseason bonus will rise to $750,000. Thus, the Peach Bowl will be worth a cool $250,000 to Smart with a victory.
Then, of course, a national title would bring him another $250,000.
Here's a look at the contract provision itself:
