2023 college football season to open with several payouts topping $1.5 million

The first full week of the college football season typically features many non-conference games that appear to be mismatches. While the scoreboard often, but certainly not always reflects one-sided affairs, the visiting teams’ athletic departments benefit from hefty paydays.

The first full week of the 2023 college football season, which is Labor Day weekend, will feature several games with seven-figure payouts, including a handful north of $1.5 million. With financial details obtained from published reports and/or athletic communications departments, here is a look at some of those heftier payouts. (Some schools, such as private institutions, do not disclose such information.)

Friday, September 1

$1.75 million: Central Michigan at Michigan State

The bus ride down US-127 will be a little more than an hour for the Chippewas, and it will be a profitable one as far as the CMU athletic department in concerned. The schools have met 11 times with the first meeting taking place in 1991. The Chippewas won that initial meeting and were victorious in 1992 as well. The Spartans have since won eight of nine for an 8-3 series lead and enter this year’s matchup with a four-game win streak, including the most recent meeting in 2018. CMU returns to East Lansing in 2027 and 2030 with both games featuring $1.5-million payouts.

Saturday, September 2

$1.95 million: UMass at Auburn

The Minutemen have not won many games since joining the FBS in 2011 and this trip to the Plains, in the first meeting between the schools, is not likely to result in a joyous plane ride back to New England. As an independent without conference television money and the like, UMass can certainly benefit from such paydays. Auburn will also write a hefty check to New Mexico State two weeks later: $1.85 million.

$1.8 million: East Carolina at Michigan

After paying Hawaii $1.9 million and Colorado State $1.8 million to visit Ann Arbor last season, Michigan will provide ECU with a hefty payday. The Wolverines were originally scheduled to play UCLA on this date as the back end of a home-and home agreement. However, that arrangement was cancelled with Michigan sending UCLA $1.5 million for its troubles. The cancellation allowed Michigan to schedule Hawaii last season and ECU this season, guaranteeing seven home games both years. The cancellation fee combined with the payouts to Hawaii and ECU cost UM $5.2 million.

$1.65 million: Ball State at Kentucky

The trip to Lexington will mark the second meeting between Ball State and Kentucky, with the latter winning (28-20) in 2001. This will be the first of two visits to SEC country in as many weeks for the Cardinals. On September 9, BSU will receive $1.6 million for playing at Georgia. The Cardinals, who will meet the Bulldogs for the first time, are 0-11 against current SEC teams, including a 59-10 loss at Tennessee last year for which they received $1.5 million.

To accommodate the game in Athens, Ball State’s trip to West Point, in what would have been the front end of a home-and-home with the Black Knights, was cancelled. Next year’s game between the teams in Muncie remains as scheduled. The Bulldogs were scheduled to play at Oklahoma on September 9 in the front end of a home-and-home agreement, with the Sooners returning the favor in 2031. With OU joining the SEC in 2024, the back end of the schedule arrangement could not be fulfilled given Oklahoma would be a conference member. Hence, the agreement was scrapped leaving UGA with open date that was filled by Ball State.

$1.6 million: New Mexico at Texas A&M

It is not often a school comes away with a seven-figure payday and a victory. That happened at Kyle Field last September when Appalachian State defeated the Aggies, 17-14, and came away with $1.5 million. Texas A&M has won all five meetings against New Mexico, a series that stretches from 1926 to 2021, though the last four games were played this century. The Aggies won the most recent matchup, 34-0. Texas A&M will also pay Louisiana-Monroe $1.6 million for a September 16 visit. (By the way, Notre Dame lost to Marshall, and paid $1.25 million, the same day the Aggies lost to the Mountaineers last season.)

$1.6 million: Middle Tennessee at Alabama

It is not unusual for Alabama to pay a non-power conference foe a considerable sum. After all, Utah State arrived in Tuscaloosa last season and returned to Logan after having been shut out (55-0) on the field, but not at the bank thanks to a $1.91-millon guarantee. That was $100,000 more than Alabama paid Southern Miss to visit in 2021. This meeting with Middle Tennessee will be the fourth between the schools with Alabama having won the first three, played between 2002 and 2015.

$1.6 million: Nevada at USC

Nevada’s take-home pay will exceed the $1.5 million received for playing at Iowa (27-0 loss) last year. This meeting with the Trojans at the Coliseum will be the first between the schools in 94 years. They played five times previously, each in the 1920s and with USC winning all five by a combined 164-14. The matchup with the Wolf Pack will be the Trojans’ second game of 2023 as it follows an August 26 encounter with visiting San Jose State. (USC and San Jose State are private institutions not required to disclose contractual details.)

$1.5 million: Boise State at Washington

The Broncos’ 17-13 loss at Michigan State to kick off the 2012 season was the first of three scheduled games against the Spartans with the others taking place in 2022 and 2023. However, two years ago, Boise State cancelled the remaining games against Michigan State and added Tennessee-Martin last season and a trip to Washington this season. Boise State, which was paid $1.2 million for the 2012 game in East Lansing, will receive $1.5 million for this year’s game at UW. The Broncos will return to Seattle in 2029 and receive $1.6 million.