CHART: Why The Bidding War For Nick Saban Could Reach Shocking Levels

Nick Saban is already the highest-paid coach in college football, making $5.3 million in 2012. However, as rumors continue to swirl that the University of Texas will try to lure Saban away from Alabama, the bidding war between the two schools could turn into something never before seen in college sports.

When Saban was first hired by Alabama in 2007, he made $4 million per year. That represented 5.9% of the revenue generated by the entire Alabama athletic department from the year before ($67.7 million; via USA Today). In the following five years, Bama's revenue rose 83.9% but Saban's salary only rose 32.5%.

Now Alabama may have to compete with the even deeper pockets of Texas. If Texas were to offer Saban 5.9% of their revenue, the deal would be worth at least $8.9 million per year. Not bad considering only a handful of coaches even make $4.0 million per year. But as television revenues continue to soar and the cost of paying for the scholarships does not, the money has to be spent someplace...

Data via USAToday.com