Getty Images Michigan Wolverines head football coach Sherrone Moore.
Sherrone Moore, Michigan Wolverines’ new head football, is surprisingly underpaid. Moore’s current salary, $5.5 million a year, is less than half what the sport’s top coach earns. In fact, Moore’s salary doesn’t even come close to cracking the top ten. Yet, it’s an easy case to make that Sherrone Moore should be the highest-paid coach in college football.
Moore just signed a five-year, $5.5 million per year deal to be the Michigan Wolverines coach. By comparison, Ohio State’s Ryan Day, whose team lost to Michigan the past three years, will earn an estimated $10.2 million per year, nearly double.
Given the value of recent media deals, the fact that Michigan is consistently a top draw on television, plus the fact the team sells out the biggest stadium in the country are all proofs that Moore is not paid full market value. Now add to this, Michigan is set to play the greatest schedule in college football history. All eyes will soon be on the Wolverines — and coach Moore.
Michigan Wolverines Are the Top Draw
Clemson head coach, Dabo Swinney, is set to earn $11.5 million in 2024, making him the highest paid college football coach. Kalen DeBoer, first year head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, will earn $10 million. Almost certainly, more will watch Sherrone Moore and the Michigan Wolverines — on television, and in the stands.
This past season, the most-watched college football game was Michigan versus Alabama in the Rose Bowl. The second-most watched game was Michigan versus Washington in the national championship game. Michigan versus Ohio State was the third-most watched. Michigan versus Iowa was #8, Michigan versus Penn State was #15, and Michigan versus Nebraska, Michigan versus Maryland, and Michigan versus Michigan State were all among the highest rated games the week they played.
Add to this, Michigan plays its home games at the “Big House,” and regularly draws the largest crowds. Home attendance in 2023 totaled nearly 770,000.
Still more proof. Michigan plays in the Big Ten, which has the richest media deal. Per Sports Business Journal, the conference’s seven-year, $8 billion deal with FOX, CBS, and NBC, averages out to $1.15 billion per year. The next-richest media deal, the SEC’s, is worth about $710 million. Nielsen estimates the deal will deliver close to $100 million per year to each Big Ten member school.
The Greatest Football Schedule In History
More proof: Michigan’s 2024 football schedule. It may be the greatest in history.
In 2024, the Michigan Wolverines will play the team they just beat to win their first national championship since 1997, the Washington Huskies. Plus, as always, Michigan will play in “The Game” — Michigan versus Ohio State. There’s more. Michigan will play against the University of Texas. They will play USC and Oregon. They will play in-state, arch rival Michigan State. The Wolverines so-called easy, non-conference game? Against the Fresno State Bulldogs. For those unaware, Fresno State won the Mountain West in 2022 and is one of the all-time winningest programs in D1.
In ESPN’s pre-season rankings, Ohio State is #2. Oregon is #3. Texas is #4. All Michigan opponents. Washington and USC are just outside the top 25. Expect record television ratings.
How do you follow-up a national championship season — and replace a coaching legend? For new head coach Sherrone Moore and the Michigan Wolverines, the answer is clear: they will play the greatest football schedule in history. And no doubt, more will watch Michigan, in the stands and on the screens, than any other team in the country.