Dan Mullen got fired and got $12 million. Which college football coach has the biggest buyout?

The Florida Gators fired Dan Mullen as head football coach Sunday a day after an overtime loss to Missouri.

It was the Gators' sixth loss in a hugely disappointing 2021 season and their fourth loss in four SEC road games.

It wasn't the only big loss the Gators suffered this weekend. By parting ways with Mullen, Scott Stricklin and the athletic department will also part with $12 million owed to their coach for terminating his contract early.

Mullen signed a three-year contract extension in June that was meant to him in Gainesville through the 2026 season. The extension came with a raise that made him the sixth highest paid coach in the country at $7.57 million annually, according to USA TODAY Sports' database of coach salaries.

David Whitley:Dan Mullen saga with Florida Gators is a cautionary tale for next football coach hiring

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New coach speaks:Greg Knox discusses interim role, what went wrong with Gators in 2021

Where does Mullen's buyout rank among the biggest buyouts in recent college football history?

Dan Mullen: Details on his buyout from Florida

Mullen's $12 million buyout will be spread over seven installments, with a $6 million payout coming within 30 days. Mullen will then get $1 million every July 15 through 2027. 

Looking back on Mullen era:Here are the Florida Gators' 5 best and worst games since 2018

Coaching search:Who will be the Florida Gators' next head football coach? Here's a potential list of candidates.

Guz Malzahn buyout: A record from Auburn

Auburn relieved Gus Malzahn of his duties in December 2020. The coach, who led the Tigers to the national championship game in 2013, received an incredible $21.45 million buyout, which he then took to the head job at UCF.

Charlie Weis buyouts from Notre Dame and Kansas

The former New England Patriots offensive coordinator had a disastrous run in college football. He was fired from Notre Dame after the 2009 season and was given a $19 million buyout over six years. During that time, he was hired and fired from the top job at Kansas, from which he received a $5.6 million buyout.

Will Muschamp buyout from South Carolina

Muschamp received a $6.3 million buyout in 2014 after Florida fired him (though he was allowed to finish out the season). Muschamp went to USC after that, where he coached until he was axed in 2020. The Gamecocks gave him $12.9 million in buying out his contract.

Who has the highest buyout among active college football coaches?

Jimbo Fisher signed a contract extension with Texas A&M before the start of the season. The deal came with a buyout clause that would give him $95.6 million if he were to be fired before Dec. 1. 

Fisher, by the way, got a $5 million buyout in 2017 after leaving Florida State for the Texas A&M job. FSU would hire Willie Taggart to replace Fisher. The Seminoles fired Taggart midway through his second season, giving him an $18 million buyout.