Clemson's Dabo Swinney in line for massive financial bonuses

Now that Clemson's football team has completed an undefeated regular season, it can begin looking toward even bigger prizes.

So can Tigers coach Dabo Swinney.

With a victory against North Carolina in next Saturday's Atlantic Coast Conference championship game alone, Swinney will get $500,000 in one-time performance bonuses this season and add another $300,000 to the value of the six years remaining on his contract, according to the terms of his agreement.

Swinney's overall basic compensation from the school for this season is $3.3 million. It already was scheduled to increase by $150,000, beginning Jan. 1.

However, if the Tigers (12-0 overall, 8-0 ACC) win the conference title game, Swinney's basic compensation will go up by an additional $50,000 per year.

In addition, because the team's most recently calculated NCAA Academic Progress Rate is at least 950 — 20 points above the minimum to avoid NCAA sanctions — he is eligible to be paid a variety of one-time bonuses for this season.

He already has picked up a $50,000 bonus for the Tigers' advance to the ACC title game as the conference's Atlantic Division champion.

If they win the game, he gets another $100,000 for that accomplishment.

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Then, there is the additional bonus he can get based on the team's bowl game.

Because of Clemson's standing as the No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff rankings, a victory next week over North Carolina (10-1 entering its game Saturday against North Carolina State) is all but certain to mean they would be among the four teams placed in the CFP semifinals. That accomplishment would result in a $400,000, one-time bonus for Swinney.

Swinney would be able to add another $400,000 for reaching the CFP national title game and $100,000 for winning the championship.

Including money Swinney can get for ACC and national coach-of-the-year awards, his overall maximum bonus payout for this season is $1.125 million.

The possible coach of the year awards and bonuses are $25,000 for ACC COY and $50,000 for national COY by the AFCA or the Bear Bryant Award.