GJ Kinne, Texas State

The 35-year-old former Tulsa quarterback has quickly made a name for himself by leading Incarnate Word to the Football Championship Subdivision semifinals as a first-time coach in 2022 and then guiding Texas State to a bowl game in his debut. The Bobcats are 4-2 this season and a perfect 2-0 in the Sun Belt with a competitive loss to Arizona State in non-conference play. His up-tempo offensive scheme and immediate success will make him an attractive candidate for upper-tier Group of Five job openings this offseason. Kinne’s salary of just over $1 million in compensation this year ranks 88th among coaches in our survey.

Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State

The youngest coach in the Power Four, Dillingham took over an Arizona State program in major decline and won just three games last season. After beating then-No. 17 Utah last Friday, the Sun Devils are 5-1 and one of the first teams outside the US LBM Coaches Poll. That he’s an ASU graduate who got his start on the local high school scene before entering the college ranks makes Dillingham a contender to see his rebuild through and try to steer the Sun Devils to the top of the Big 12. But his winning ways will force the administration to pony up to move his salary more in line with the league’s top coaches. Dillingham’s $3.95 million in compensation in 2024 ranks third from the bottom among Big 12 coaches at public universities.

Deion Sanders, Colorado

Is Sanders in line for a raise after showing on-field results to join his enormous off-field impact on the program? He’s making $5.7 million in compensation this season, a relative bargain given the eyeballs, hype and attention dedicated to the Buffaloes since he was hired away from Jackson State. And while last year’s team was much more style than substance, CU is 4-2 and in deep competition for a bowl game. Sanders might not be a major target for other Power Four openings – Norvell isn’t in any real danger of losing his job, taking FSU off the table – but he could have his deal reworked and extended after a nice breakthrough in 2024.

Barry Odom, UNLV

Already counted among our most underpaid coaches in the FBS at $1.75 million a year, Odom’s $4 million buyout is also a very manageable total for Power Four schools shopping for a new coach after this season. While UNLV lost to Syracuse earlier this month and dropped out of the Top 25, the Rebels have been one of the top teams in the Mountain West since Odom took over in 2023. That will put him on the radar for some second-tier Power Four openings, though schools would have to look past his four-year stint at Missouri that never saw the Tigers finish higher than third in the SEC East division.