A new, single transfer window for college football players has been approved by the NCAA.
The Division I Administrative Committee voted to set Jan. 2-16 as the new portal window for all FBS and FCS players beginning in 2026. The move comes after college athletics’ governing body eliminated the spring portal period a month ago, following a recommendation to make legislative changes to the football recruiting calendar.
With the new rule in place, college football players must wait until the second day of the calendar year to enter their names in the transfer portal and begin contacting schools other than the one they currently attend — even if their season ends earlier than others.
The 15-day window will open right in the thick of the College Football Playoff, with the semifinals occurring within that period, while the quarterfinals and championship game take place right outside of the transfer timeframe. However, concessions will be made for players who are competing in the national championship game, as they will get five days from Jan. 20-24 to seek another collegiate landing spot.
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While the elimination of the spring portal was generally praised, not all coaches were thrilled about the updated format. Ryan Day, the head coach of reigning national champion Ohio State, questioned how programs competing in the College Football Playoff would be able to sign transfers during the designated window while also preparing their teams for postseason matchups.
Though players looking to transfer will be obligated to hop in the portal during the newly outlined dates, they will not be required to sign with another school in that timeframe. Players are not confined to a specific date to commit to a school or sign a letter of intent to play for a program after entering the portal.
For schools like Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Southern Miss, the portal has proven fruitful, yielding some of each program’s top performers in recent years. Rebel frontman Lane Kiffin, especially, has garnered a reputation as the “portal king” for his ability to spot talent at other programs and reel them into Oxford.
Another new rule the NCAA approved surrounds players being granted a special transfer window in the event of a head coaching change at their institution. Beginning five days after a new head coach is hired or announced, players will have 15 days to determine whether or not they want to find greener pastures elsewhere.
