Winners and Losers of the College Football Transfer Portal

The first year of the one-time transfer portal window was every bit as wild as we thought it would be. 

You couldn't have scripted more twists and turns. From star starters leaving the places where they're entrenched to essentially entire teams heading elsewhere, the portal has provided endless cinema. It's like a two-week-long fever dream of the older National Signing Day drama.

We've seen a robust quarterback class get top dollar and some of the new-money usual suspects prove they weren't just a one-year, flash-in-the-pan portal power. 

Some college blue bloods have experienced a hard time keeping up, such as Alabama and Miami. Others are showing that parity is possible when it comes to purchasing talent, as long as you've got deep pockets.

What does it all mean? College football is changing all around us. It's now more about roster management, budgeting for certain positions and developing chemistry from all the new pieces rather than luring young talent and developing it. Those who harness it are bound for deep runs in the College Football Playoff.

Here are the winners and losers from the 2026 portal season.

Winner: Texas Tech, Again

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Even though they flamed out in their first College Football Playoff game this year, the Texas Tech Red Raiders proved that going all-in when it comes to the portal pays big dividends. 

With Joey McGuire at the helm and mega booster Cody Campbell heavily involved, the Red Raiders are portal monsters again this year, and when they're involved, you'd better get ready to pay or watch the players you covet head to Lubbock. 

TTU set the market by plucking Brendan Sorsby from Big 12 rival Cincinnati to play his final collegiate year as the Red Raiders quarterback, and he has the electrifying potential to have them right back in the mix in 2026.

Malcolm Simmons (Auburn) and Jett Carpenter (Nevada), Kenny Johnson (Pittsburgh), Donte Lee (Liberty) and Jalen Jones (Alabama State) are some weapons surrounding Sorsby, but the bulk of the terrific portal haul again is on the defensive front.

That's where McGuire piled up players last year, and he's done it again this cycle with stars like defensive tackle Mateen Ibirogba (Wake Forest) and edge rushers Trey White (San Diego State) and Adam Trick (Miami Ohio) leading the way.

This group is deep and strong.

Loser: Iowa State Cyclones

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As if winning in Ames, Iowa, wasn't tough enough, there may not be a coach with a harder job next year than Jimmy Rogers.

Rogers replaced Matt Campbell, who left for Penn State, and while he knows all about difficult tasks after leading Washington State in 2025, little could prepare him for what awaits. Campbell built a quality program at Iowa State, and when he left, it all crumbled.

Many of the Cyclones joined Campbell in Happy Valley and at one point of this process, there were stunningly only 17 players remaining on the Iowa State roster. 

What happened to the Cyclones essentially redefines the word "rebuild." If Iowa State can make any noise in the Big 12 with a complete facelift, Rogers deserves national coach of the year consideration.

Replacing 52 players is an impossible task, but Rogers has enjoyed some success landing players, led by Arkansas State quarterback Jaylen Raynor.

The transfer portal can be a cool thing that allows players the opportunity to find bigger stages in other spots, advance their careers and make some life-changing money, even if they don't have NFL-caliber talent. But what happened to the Cyclones this year is the dark side of the portal.

It's going to be tough for the program to climb from this hole.

Winner: New Tennessee Defensive Coordinator Jim Knowles

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A year after making the College Football Playoff, Tennessee tumbled to an 8-5 record thanks largely in part to a horrific defense that ranked 92nd nationally and led to the firing of coordinator Tim Banks.

Josh Heupel quickly replaced him with veteran defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, and what the Vols have done to rebuild that side of the ball quickly is nothing short of remarkable. They've got one of the top portal hauls in the nation, and it's defense-heavy.

Starting Michigan safety TJ Metcalf committed most recently, giving the Vols a star on the back end to go along with Dejuan Lane, who was with Knowles at Penn State.

Other former Nittany Lions who followed their coordinator include defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam, linebacker Amare Campbell and star edge Chaz Coleman, who will be paired with Jordan Norman (Tulane) coming after quarterbacks. 

Former Kansas State defensive back Qua Moss and cornerback Kayin Lee (Auburn) round out an elite defensive haul that will help offset several young, talented Vols who left for the portal after Banks was let go.

Tennessee isn't done on that side of the ball, either. The Vols have a chance to surge back to the top of the SEC in defense if Knowles can get everything to mesh quickly.

Loser: Alabama's Slow Start

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Kalen DeBoer's couple of years at Alabama have been interesting, to say the least.

The coach had a disappointing finish to his first season in Tuscaloosa, but while many thought it may be a curve ball for him to recruit in the Southeast, DeBoer and his staff have been exceptional luring high school players during both of the recruiting cycles he's been at Alabama.

After Alabama laid a big, fat egg in an annihilation by Indiana in the second round of the playoffs, the Tide have seen a mass exodus of players in the portal. And they aren't exactly replacing those guys with top-tier players, either.

Perhaps the biggest blow came when top target Cam Coleman chose Texas over the Tide after transferring from Auburn, and the Longhorns flipped running back portal pledge Hollywood Smothers from Bama, too.

Overall, Alabama has lost 20 players and several starters. Yes, they've gotten some good replacements in guys like defensive lineman Devan Thompkins (USC) and receiver Noah Rogers (North Carolina State) and some potential future studs like offensive tackle Ty Haywood (Michigan). But they need more juice.

How Alabama finishes this portal class can help steer the narrative toward the positive. Right now, it's just not good enough by Bama standards.

Winner: Top-of-the-Market Quarterbacks

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We may not be talking generational wealth when it comes to athletes, but when you consider what the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal are commanding these days, it's one-year money that will be more than most of us see in a lifetime.

It's also more than several rookie NFL contracts.

Brendan Sorsby reportedly will make $5 million for one season at Texas Tech, and while he is an excellent player with a huge skill set, he wasn't near the top of the list of top signal-callers in the nation this past year.

When you take into consideration he wasn't even the top quarterback in the portal, that money is even more staggering. Top-ranked Sam Leavitt ultimately chose LSU over Tennessee and Miami, and even though the contract details haven't yet been disclosed, it is believed to be more than $4 million a year.

Those numbers are ridiculous but nowhere near the top. Reportedly, Alabama's Ty Simpson is heading to the NFL, but he could have gone to Tennessee and played a season for his home-state Vols for millions or Miami for life-changing money.

Simpson could have gone to Coral Gables for a one-year, $6.5 million contract. 

These days, one season of college football can make you wealthy for life.

Loser: Mike Norvell's Make-or-Break Offseason

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Alabama and Notre Dame are struggling a bit in the portal by their standards, but there are few blue bloods that have free-fallen the way Mike Norvell has at Florida State, and things aren't getting any better this portal season.

If the Seminoles were in better financial shape, they'd probably have a new coach in 2026, but as it stands, Norvell enters a pivotal year with a lot of important pieces gone from a bad football team. Now, they're hemorrhaging players in the portal.

A whopping 38 FSU players have entered the portal, highlighted by the 'Noles' three best defensive linemen. Even worse, the replacements they have coming in aren't half that, and the talent level is depleted.

"They did a really good job in the portal when they ran the table two years ago," 247Sports' Cooper Petagna said recently on CBS Sports HQ, via 247Sports' Grant Hughes. "However, that's a long time ago in college football years. 

The signal-caller Norvell appears to be hinging his future on is former Auburn part-time signal-caller Ashton Daniels, who was just OK when he finally got on the field.

Now, he's supposed to be the Seminoles' savior? This could be a long, final year in Tallahassee for Norvell.

Winner: Arch Manning

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Entering what's almost certain to be his final season in Austin, quarterback Arch Manning has to feel like he scratched off a winning lottery ticket.

Just a couple weeks ago, the Longhorns were losing offensive playmakers to the portal left and right after a less-than-stellar supporting cast led to a mediocre season for Manning despite a preseason No. 1 ranking.

Late in the year, though, the light came on for Manning. Now, the rising junior has some stars around him that can justify more playoff aspirations in Austin.

Coach Steve Sarkisian's biggest pull was the portal's top-ranked overall player in former Auburn receiver Cam Coleman, who has top-of-the-draft potential. He will slide in beside Ryan Wingo for an elite 1-2 receiver punch on the perimeter.

On the same day Coleman chose Texas, the 'Horns also flipped Alabama running back commit Hollywood Smothers, who'd originally planned to go to Tuscaloosa from North Carolina State.

Dynamic speed back Raleek Brown (Arizona State) and reliable tight end Michael Masunas are additional weapons who'll help right away. Young tackle Jonte Norman, Oregon State guard Dylan Sikorski will protect Manning, too.

This is reloading at its finest.

Loser: Miami's Veteran QB Formula

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When it comes to setting the quarterback market in the transfer portal, everyone's attention shifts toward Miami.

The Hurricanes currently have much bigger things on their mind right now—like playing for a national championship on Monday—but that doesn't change the fact that the transfer portal season has come and gone, and they are without a star signal-caller.

Last year, Miami grabbed Cam Ward from Washington State and turned him into the top overall pick in the draft after a dynamic senior season. This season, they talked Carson Beck out of the NFL draft and into a final season with The U, and he's led them to the title game.

This year, they've struck out with Sam Leavitt (LSU), Dylan Raiola (Oregon) and Ty Simpson (NFL). There aren't currently any can't-miss names in the portal.

Two things are true here: Miami's inexperienced quarterback room is a major worry for 2026, and everybody knows the ridiculous numbers that were floated around, like that Miami was willing to pay former Alabama QB Simpson $6.5 million to eschew the NFL for The U.

With money like that, somebody likely will go a-portaling or drop from the draft and head to Miami. But who? Right now, it looks like Cristobal has struck out in the portal.

Winner: Curt Cignetti

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The Indiana Hoosiers have taken college football by storm in the two years since Curt Cignetti left James Madison for Bloomington, and the blueprint works.

They spend big portal dollars on the quarterback they think best fits what they want to do offensively, and while they aren't scared to throw around money, it's Cignetti who sets the standard.

It's about production over potential only. He gets the guys he believes will fit, and it's worked to the tune of just two losses in two years. This is arguably the most ridiculous two-year turnaround in the history of organized college athletics.

They're doing the same thing this year.

Indiana zeroed in on TCU quarterback Josh Hoover, who has posted terrific numbers for mid-level Horned Frogs teams, banking on Hoover falling right in line with what Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza did after coming from Cal and what Kurtis Rourke did after leaving Ohio.

Guys like offensive lineman Joe Brunner (Wisconsin), cornerback Carson Williams (Montana State), tight end Brock Schott (Miami), edge rusher Josh Burnham (Notre Dame), receivers Shazz Preston (Tulane) and Nick Marsh (Michigan State) and cornerback AJ Harris (Penn State) are all terrific players who've produced on their stages.

Now, they'll be expected to come in and fit the formula to keep playing for titles. At this point, don't doubt Cig.

Loser: Alex Golesh

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Sometimes, it takes a while for a new coach's message to resonate. But, with Auburn's new head man, Alex Golesh, there were just a lot of guys who obviously didn't want to hear what he was selling upon arriving at his new program.

Even when he kept interim head coach and terrific defensive coordinator DJ Durkin at AU, it didn't help him to retain his key players. The Tigers have watched basically the majority of its stars head to the portal after ending the Hugh Freeze era.

We've already mentioned Cam Coleman leaving, which is the biggest departure. But the future of the quarterback position—former 5-star Deuce Knight—left for his home state of Mississippi and the Ole Miss Rebels once Byrum Brown followed Golesh from South Florida.

Overall, Auburn lost 36 players including receiver Eric Singleton Jr. (Florida), linebacker Robert Woodyard (Missouri), cornerback Kayin Lee (Tennessee), quarterback Ashton Daniels (Florida State), edge Amaris Williams (Georgia), D-lineman Malik Blocton (LSU), cornerback Jay Crawford (Ole Miss), receiver Malcolm Williams (Texas Tech) and many more.

Golesh has several quality players coming in like Brown and Baylor running back Bryson Washington, but this looks like a complete rebuild on the Plains.

Winner: Oklahoma State Cowboys

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On the flipside, it's always nice when the new coach you're bringing in has ties to some of the most exciting, young players in the entire sport.

In 2025, one of the best low-key stories was the resurrection of North Texas' football program under Eric Morris, who is one of the most brilliant, young offensive minds in the sport. The players who made the Mean Green tick were freshmen quarterback Drew Mestemaker and running back Caleb Hawkins.

Now that Morris is heading to Oklahoma State to take over the woebegone Cowboys program run into the ground the past few years by Mike Gundy, that dynamic, young duo is leaving Denton, Texas, and headed to Stillwater with him.

While it'll take a bit to build OSU back up, Mestemaker and Hawkins can be dangerous for Big 12 defenses right away.

They headline a group of near 50 new players signed on to be Cowboys. That was necessary after a whopping 64 players left following the Gundy regime.

It's going to be a whole new team in Stillwater next year, and after such a rough couple of seasons, that's not a bad thing. Four-star receiver Chris Barnes (Wake Forest) and Justin Bowick (Illinois) are just a couple of playmakers heading that way, along with 17 former North Texas players.

Loser: Those Expecting a Big Dip from Big Ten Blue Bloods

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It's been a forgettable offseason for Michigan and Penn State.

For Michigan, they moved on from Sherrone Moore.

While Penn State's embarrassment was of a far lesser nature, the Nittany Lions shockingly fired coach James Franklin during the season, had longer than anybody else to hire a coach and largely botched the process before backing into a terrific hire in Iowa State's Matt Campbell.

Michigan lucked into former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, who was in the right place at the right time to bring stability and integrity back to Big Blue.

Those expecting a huge group of departures from Michigan were disappointed as the Wolverines kept much of their star base, including freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. Running back Justice Haynes left, but there's a deep RB room behind him.

TJ Metcalf (Tennessee), Jayden Sanders (Notre Dame) and Brandyn Hillman (Virginia) were big losses from the secondary, but Whittingham has added some great pieces, too.

While the Nittany Lions lost 48 players recruited by Franklin, Campbell has restocked the shelves with 36 new faces, including many of his key contributors from Iowa State such as quarterback Rocco Becht, receiver Chase Sowell, tight end Benjamin Brahmer and running back Carson Hansen.

So far, 23 former Iowa State players joined Campbell in Happy Valley, so PSU shouldn't have a huge drop-off in 2026, either.