The fine folks at USA Today have once again dropped their annual coaching salary database. Today’s release just includes head coaching salaries; the assistant and strength versions are presumably forthcoming.

Nick Saban is once again the highest-paid coach in college football, with a salary of $8.307 million and a possible $1.1 million in bonuses. That’s down from the $11 million he made a year ago, though we doubt his bank account feels the sting.

A total of 13 coaches surveyed by USA Today will earn at least $5 million this year, rounded out by a group of four coaches that includes Lovie Smith of Illinois.

Fifteen highest-paid FBS head coaches
1. Nick Saban, Alabama — $8.307 million
2. Urban Meyer, Ohio State — $7.6 million
3. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan — $7.504 million
4. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M — $7.5 million
5. Gus Malzahn, Auburn — $6.705 million
6. Kirby Smart, Georgia — $6.603 million
7. Dabo Swinney, Clemson — $6.543 million
8. Dan Mullen, Florida — $6.070 million
9. Tom Herman, Texas — $5.5 million
10. Scott Frost, Nebraska — $5 million
10. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State — $5 million
10. Willie Taggart, Florida State — $5 million
10. Love Smith, Illinois — $5 million
14. Gary Patterson, TCU — $4.840 million
15. James Franklin, Penn State — $4.8 million

Among the 123 coaches surveyed — five of the coaches excluded were at private schools, plus Army and Air Force — the top 47 were all at Power 5 institutions. Next let’s look at the highest-paid Group of 5 coaches.

Ten highest-paid Group of 5 head coaches
1. Mike Norvell, Memphis — $2.6 million
2. Ken Niumatalolo, Navy — $2.163 million
3. Luke Fickell, Cincinnati — $2 million
4. Mike Bobo, Colorado State — $1.8 million
5. Major Applewhite, Houston — $1.75 million
6. Josh Heupel, UCF — $1.7 million
7. Bryan Harsin, Boise State — $1.65 million
8. Willie Fritz, Tulane — $1.629 million
9. Jeff Tedford, Fresno State — $1.55 million
10. Philip Montgomery, Tulsa — $1.518 million

Let’s go ahead and check out the three highest-paid coaches from each of the 10 FBS conferences:

AAC
1. Mike Norvell, Memphis — $2.6 million
2. Ken Niumatalolo, Navy — $2.163 million
3. Luke Fickell, Cincinnati — $2 million

ACC
1. Dabo Swinney, Clemson — $6.543 million
2. Willie Taggart, Florida State — $5 million
3. Mark Richt, Miami — $4.058 million

Big 12
1. Tom Herman, Texas — $5.5 million
2. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State — $5 million
3. Gary Patterson, TCU — $4.84 million

Big Ten
1. Urban Meyer, Ohio State — $7.6 million
2. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan — $7.504 million
3. Scott Frost, Nebraska — $5 million
3. Lovie Smith, Illinois — $5 million

Conference USA
1. Seth Littrell, North Texas — $1.425 million
2. Frank Wilson, UTSA — $1.1 million
3. Lane Kiffin, Florida Atlantic — $1 million

MAC
1. Jason Candle, Toledo — $1.125 million
2. Tim Lester, Western Michigan — $800,000
3. John Bonamego, Central Michigan — $655,000

Mountain West
1. Mike Bobo, Colorado State — $1.8 million
2. Bryan Harsin, Boise State — $1.65 million
3. Jeff Tedford, Fresno State — $1.55 million

Pac-12
1. Chris Petersen, Washington — $4.377 million
2. David Shaw, Stanford — $4.311 million
3. Kyle Whittingham, Utah — $3.787 million

SEC
1. Nick Saban, Alabama — $8.307 million
2. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M — $7.5 million
3. Gus Malzahn, Auburn — $6.705 million

Sun Belt
1. Billy Napier, Louisiana-Lafayette — $850,000
2. Blake Anderson, Arkansas State — $825,000
3. Neal Brown, Troy — $810,000

And, finally, USA Today added a new but crucial column to its database — buyouts! Here are the 10 most expensive coaches to fire, as of Dec. 1 of this year.

Ten most expensive coaches to fire
1. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M — $68.125 million
2. Urban Meyer, Ohio State — $38.058 million
3. Dabo Swinney, Clemson — $35 million
4. Nick Saban, Alabama — $33.6 million
5. Gus Malzahn, Auburn — $32.143 million
6. Kirby Smart, Georgia — $27.917 million
7. Chris Petersen, Washington — $26.354 million
8. Scott Frost, Nebraska — $25.416 million
9. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa — $22.396 million
10. Willie Taggart, Florida State — $21.958 million

As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.