NCAA Football: Winners and Losers of the 2026 Transfer Portal

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The 2026 college football winter transfer portal window (January 2–16) has officially closed, leaving a trail of decimated rosters and “instant-fix” championship contenders. With the elimination of the spring window, this two-week sprint was the only chance for programs to retool for the 2026 season.

From Lane Kiffin’s aggressive LSU overhaul to the “Heisman brother” move in Atlanta, here are the winners and losers of this cycle.

The Winners

1. LSU Tigers (The Lane Kiffin Effect)

Lane Kiffin didn’t just enter the portal; he annexed it. After moving from Ole Miss to Baton Rouge, Kiffin brought the “Portal King” moniker with him, landing the No. 1-ranked transfer class in the country.

The Prize: Sam Leavitt (QB, Arizona State). The top-ranked portal quarterback and CFP veteran chose LSU over Miami and Tennessee.
The Trench Warfare: Kiffin secured five-star OT Jordan Seaton (Colorado) and a haul of elite edge rushers, including Princewill Umanmielen and Jordan Ross.

2. Indiana Hoosiers (The National Champs Reload)

Fresh off a 2025 National Championship, Curt Cignetti proved that Indiana is no longer a “one-hit wonder.” Despite losing Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza to the NFL Draft, the Hoosiers didn’t blink.

The Replacement: They landed TCU star Josh Hoover to lead the offense, along with Michigan State standout receiver Nick Marsh.
The Momentum: Indiana currently holds a top-10 transfer class, ensuring it remains a force in the expanded Big Ten.

3. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Brent Key made waves by leaning into the “bloodline” hype and power-run game.

The Legacy: They landed Alberto Mendoza (QB, Indiana), the younger brother of the Heisman winner, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle twice.
The Ground Game: They secured Justice Haynes, the Big Ten’s rushing leader from Michigan, to form one of the most formidable backfields in the ACC.

The Losers

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

The “Saban Mystique” is officially showing cracks. For the first time in decades, Alabama was out-dueled for its own commitments.

The De-commitment: Star RB Hollywood Smothers committed to the Tide but flipped to Texas before ever signing an NIL deal.
Roster Attrition: Alabama lost 19 players to the transfer portal while adding only five, including blue-chip defensive talents like James Smith and Keon Keeley.

2. Auburn Tigers

It was a revolving door in Auburn that only seemed to swing one way: Out. New coach Alex Golesh struggled to retain the roster he inherited.

Massive Exits: The Tigers lost 37 players, headlined by five-star freshman WR Cam Coleman (to Texas) and QB Deuce Knight (to Ole Miss).
The Silver Lining: While they landed USF’s Byrum Brown at QB, the sheer volume of talent leaving for other SEC rivals is a major setback.

3. Duke Blue Devils

After an ACC Championship appearance, Duke was “blindsided” by the late entry of QB Darian Mensah into the portal. With the window nearly closed, the Blue Devils were left with almost no time to find a Power 4-caliber replacement, likely knocking them out of the 2026 ACC title race before spring practice even begins.