When it comes to buying out coaches, Auburn leads the nation this season.

On Monday, Auburn parted ways with embattled coach Bryan Harsin, leaving the Tigers on the hook for more than $15 million.

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According to Ross Dellenger of SI.com, the buyout is the largest buyout this season, overtaking the $15 million owed to Scott Frost by Nebraska. Per Dellenger, last year, schools spent $94 million on buyouts. This year, that total is $71.8 million as of Harsin’s firing.

Frost was fired Sept. 11, the day after a 45-42 loss to Georgia Southern dropped the Huskers to 1-2 this year and 19-31 in Frost’s four-plus seasons. Mickey Joseph was named interim head coach. Earlier this month, Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts said Frost would have received a one-year contract extension and had his annual salary restored to $5 million if the Cornhuskers had shown improvement, gone 6-6 in the regular season and played in a bowl game.

Alberts and Frost last November agreed to a restructured contract that reduced Frost’s pay to $4 million this year.

Harsin, meanwhile, was fired after less than two full seasons, ending a rocky tenure in which the Tigers struggled to compete in the SEC. Harsin went 9-12 overall and 3-5 this year. Auburn has lost four straight games while struggling against Power Five opponents, including a 41-27 loss to Arkansas on Saturday.

Auburn will owe Harsin 70 percent of his remaining contract, which adds up to more than $15 million. Half of that must be paid within 30 days. Harsin was hired away from Boise State in December 2020 and Auburn gave him a 6-year, $31.5 million deal.

Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.