Transfer Portal Adjustments

Introducing the Transfer Portal

The transfer portal was first introduced on October 15, 2018 to help student athletes in all sports manage their transfers between colleges. It has since evolved to allow players more freedom to switch schools without previous restrictions. When first introduced, the football transfer portal used to have two periods. The first transfer portal period happened in December, while the second happened in the Spring.

It Showed Cracks

The system showed cracks. In 2024-25, college football student athletes got a 20-day window to enter the portal in December and a 10-day window in April. Coaches have been very vocal about the negatives outweighing the positives of the spring portal window. The very few positives about the spring portal window is the following:

• Some contenders were able to get the final missing pieces for their upcoming season during the April portal window. Sometimes those last few needs don't become obvious until a team goes through spring practice.
• Many players were able to earn big paydays in the most recent spring window simply because teams were desperate and eager to spend.

The negatives were the following:

• Coaches, general managers and NIL collectives got tired of players signing deals in December and then asking for more money in April.
• With unlimited transfers, players have a ton of leverage in the spring.
• It's difficult to replace starters who leave at the end of April because top players can always get offered more money by someone else.
• Some coaches took advantage of the spring window to run off underperforming players and free up more scholarships.

In addition, players were able to enter the transfer portal before their teams play in the bowl games. In addition, when the 4-team playoff expanded to 12 teams, some players also entered the transfer portal before their respective teams played in the playoff. It also has opened up criticism over players who transfer every year, and questions about whether unlimited transfers hurt players more than it benefits them.

Recent Transfer Portal Modifications

In October 2025, the spring portal was eliminated, while the winter transfer portal was moved from December to January 2 - 16, a 15-day transfer window. The transfer window exception granted to student football players after a new head coaching change was also reformed. Initially, student football athletes had a 30-day window to enter the transfer portal after a head coaching change. That has been reduced to a 15-day window. There is also a 5-day transfer window for players on teams whose last postseason game is anytime on or after January 12.

The 5-Day Window

Looking back at the playoff schedule, how many times would the extra 5-day transfer portal window happen if we utilized my 32-team playoff schedule? Here is what we would see if the 5-day transfer period would have been enforced depending on the National Championship game date:

Modified 15-Day Transfer Portal Window

The NCAA recently has moved to modify the transfer portal periods to after the National Championship games in Men’s and Women’s Basketball and Men’s Ice Hockey. It would definitely benefit the FBS if the 15-day transfer portal window starts concluding the CFP National Championship Game. If we want to do the same for the CFP, the transfer portal period would then have the following periods:

Here, we would still have the 15-day transfer portal window. It may look like it may be too late to transfer into the Winter Quarter, Winter Trimester, or perhaps the Spring Semester. However, if you look at the bright side, certain courses within semesters are split into sessions (aka half-semesters/trimesters). For student athletes that transfer when it’s too late to register for courses, they can use this portal period to transfer for the second half of a trimester or semester. For universities that do split their calendar years into quarters, transferring to another university that enforces quarters would not be out of the realm.

Option 1: Reinstate the One-Time Transfer Rule with Graduate Exception

Return to allowing one penalty-free transfer, with additional transfers requiring sitting out one year unless transferring as a graduate with eligibility remaining. This was the pre-2021 model.

Advantages: Provides player freedom while discouraging serial transferring; maintains roster stability; preserves development culture

Disadvantages: May face legal challenges on restraint of trade grounds; doesn't account for coaching changes or other legitimate reasons for multiple transfers

Option 2: Transfer Windows with Diminishing Eligibility

Allow unlimited transfers but reduce remaining eligibility by one year for each transfer beyond the first. For example, a player who transfers twice would have only three years of eligibility remaining instead of four.

Advantages: Creates natural deterrent against frivolous transfers; maintains player freedom; avoids legal challenges

Disadvantages: Punishes players for legitimate transfers (coaching changes, family emergencies); may be seen as coercive

Option 3: Institutional Caps on Transfer Intake

Limit how many transfers any single program can accept per year (e.g., maximum 10 incoming transfers annually). This doesn't restrict player movement but prevents teams from building entire rosters through the portal.

Advantages: Maintains player freedom; reduces "transfer portal recruiting wars"; encourages high school recruiting and development

Disadvantages: Could leave quality players without landing spots if all programs hit their caps; may disadvantage programs recovering from sanctions or coaching changes

The Recommended Approach

This proposal takes no definitive stance on unlimited transfers vs. restrictions. The transfer portal policy is complex, involving competing interests of player freedom, academic integrity, competitive balance, and legal compliance. What matters most for a 32-team playoff is that the transfer portal window occurs after the championship game, ensuring that:

• Players on playoff teams aren't distracted during championship runs
• Coaches can focus on their teams rather than recruiting during the playoffs
• The transfer window doesn't interfere with playoff preparation and execution
• All teams have equal access to transfer recruiting once the season concludes

The NCAA, conferences, and potentially Congress will need to determine the appropriate balance on transfer frequency limits. Whatever policy emerges, timing the portal after the championship resolves the immediate conflict between transfers and postseason competition.