Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, November 7, 2013

The always popular USA Today salary ranking is out for college football coaches, and Alabama?s Nick Saban is on top with a whopping $5.5 million salary in total compensation. That?ll buy a lot of ribs at Dreamland in Tuscaloosa. That?s what winning three national titles in four years will do for your pocketbook. The Big Ten is well-represented with three coaches among the top 10. The top-paid Big Ten boss? Do you have to ask?

It?s Ohio State?s Urban Meyer at $4.6 million, which ranks No. 6 in the nation. Michigan?s Brady Hoke is No. 8 at $4.1, followed by Iowa?s Kirk Ferentz at No. 9 at $3.9.

Here is how the Big Ten ranks:

1. Ohio State?s Urban Meyer, No. 6 overall: $4.608,000 m
2. Michigan?s Brady Hoke, No. 8: $4.154,000
3. Iowa?s Kirk Ferentz, No. 9: $3.98500
4. Penn State?s Bill O?Brien, No. 14: $3.282,779
5. Nebraska?s Bo Pelini, No. 18: $2.975,000
6. Northwestern?s Pat Fitzgerald, No. 41: $2,221,153
7. Purdue?s Darrell Hazell, No. 43: $2,160,833
8. Wisconsin?s Gary Andersen, No. 47: $2,120,823
9. Michigan State?s Mark Dantonio, No. 51: $1,959,744
10. Illinois? Tim Beckman, No. 60: $1,700,000
11. Indiana?s Kevin Wilson, No. 66: $1,291,220
12. Minnesota?s Jerry Kill, No. 67: $1,200,000

It seems Dantonio is underpaid, along with Andersen. These are two of the best in the league and should be in the upper-half of salaries in the Big Ten. And Kill should ask for a raise, considering the work he has done. Otherwise, it's difficult to argue too much with how these salaries stack up against each other.

***

About Tom Dienhart BTN.com senior writer Tom Dienhart is a veteran sports journalist who covers Big Ten football and men's basketball for BTN.com and BTN TV. Find him on Twitter and Facebook, read all of his work at btn.com/tomdienhart, and subscribe to his posts via RSS. Also, send questions to his weekly mailbag using the form below and read all of his previous answers in his reader mailbag section.

And if you want to leave a comment on this post, use the box below. All comments need to be approved by a moderator.