The NCAA Division I Administrative Committee approved on Tuesday two significant changes to the transfer portal, shrinking the amount of time granted to athletes to declare their intention to pursue a transfer. Finalizing the modification brought forth last month by the FBS Oversight Committee, the college football transfer portal will have just one window to enter the portal moving forward rather than one in the winter and another in the spring.

That window in 2026 will run for two weeks from Jan. 2-16. Because the 12-team College Football Playoff schedule extends deep into January, players participating in a postseason game on or after Jan. 12 will have an opportunity to start the transfer process during a five-day period that begins the day after their final postseason game. 

The second alteration pertains to the transfer exceptions granted to players after coaching changes. The exception currently allows players to enter the transfer portal during a 30-day window that opens the day after their coach leaves or is fired. The committee approved a new format, however, that is shortened to 15 days and begins five days after a new coach is hired or announced, seemingly in an effort to crack down on midseason portal activity.

Both of these changes are expected to be finalized after the committee concludes its meeting on Wednesday.

The transfer process will look much different for college football players

This is better but could still be better. They have an opportunity to make the season almost perfect when they make the switch to a 14/16 team playoff after 2026. No byes before the playoffs, National Championship on Jan 1st, portal opens Jan 2! How can it be this difficult!?

I like the one transfer portal window but why not just move it until after the season concludes, so that it’s not a distraction or negative for those players playing in the post season?

Student athletes and coaches both should have to sit out a year when they transfer to another FBS program with the exception of graduate transfers who can play immediately. I know what the ramifications are and I think they're healthy.

And then, there's this - 'Help me operator, even with Gundy gone, this line is always busy!' 😁

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Oops! Nothing to see here, move right along! It was only a $40 million mistake. 👌👍🤬

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2 hours ago, OregonDucks said:

I like the one transfer portal window but why not just move it until after the season concludes, so that it’s not a distraction or negative for those players playing in the post season?

Issues at that point with students enrolling. They do still need to be student athletes.

The new window makes that a bit more difficult but pushing it into February means many students might not be able to enroll until after spring camp which is counter productive.

For schools on the quarter system, like Oregon, that wouldn't be so bad but more schools are on semesters and that locks students in or out until summer.