So why exactly hasn’t Nebraska fired Scott Frost yet?

Update: It finally happened as Scott Frost was fired on Sunday, September 11 following a 45-42 loss to Georgia Southern at home.

It’s a Monday afternoon in September in Lincoln, Nebraska, and thus the “has Scott Frost been fired?” is the biggest topic of conversation from Agate to Omaha in the Tree Planters State.

As we write this, the head man in Lincoln is still in charge despite a 15–30 record, being 10–26 in the B1G, 5-21 record in one-score games, and 0–14 record against ranked opponents. For a team that finished 37th in SP+ last season, to have a 3-9 record in 2021 is almost mathematically impossible. In fact it breaks our brains thinking about it.

But one reason it’s likely Survivor Scott makes it to at least the Indiana game on October 1 is that date also doubles as the day his buyout is cut in half: Nebraska would owe their beleaguered coach $15 million if he’s fired before that day, but only around $7.5 million after October 1.

And with an unimpressive-but-still-counts 38-17 win over North Dakota in the Cornhuskers annual FCS game (not the legendarily good FCS team from ND, the other one), despite being tied at halftime 7-7, there’s no need to waste anymore money than necessary here.

Nebraska should be able to get by Clay Helton and Georgia Southern on Saturday, September 10 as well. That leaves what will likely be a pasting by Oklahoma at home on September 17 as a mini-red-letter day, but the true test being Tom Allen’s Indiana squad on the road October 1.

A loss in Bloomington to the always-scrappy-but-less-talented Hoosiers would seem to be a death knell. But until then, we can probably put the scorching-hottest-seat watch to the side. Check back in 25 days however, as we’ll know much more after Week 5 of college football.