Transfer portal winners and losers: Which teams loaded up and which teams let down in January window? Nick Bromberg January 15, 2026 at 7:57 AM 6 The college football transfer portal is open through Friday, but we have a pretty good idea of which teams have done well and which teams still have to fill some needs before spring practices. Here is our early list of winners and losers from the 2026 January transfer period. This could change a bit if there's a lot of late movement.
- - Transfer portal winners and losers: Which teams loaded up and which teams let down in January window?
Nick Bromberg January 15, 2026 at 7:57 AM
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The college football transfer portal is open through Friday, but we have a pretty good idea of which teams have done well and which teams still have to fill some needs before spring practices.
Here is our early list of winners and losers from the 2026 January transfer period. This could change a bit if there's a lot of late movement.
WinnersTexas Tech Red Raiders
The Red Raiders' transfer spree worked so well in 2025 that they might as well try the same formula again for 2026. And this time, Tech went hunting for a quarterback. After the offense was impotent against Oregon in the Orange Bowl, the Red Raiders added former Cincinnati QB Brendan Sorsby on an NIL deal worth a reported $5 million. Sorsby emerged as one of the better quarterbacks in the country in 2025.
The defensive line is also getting reinforcements after David Bailey and Romello Height partnered to create a fantastic edge rushing duo in 2025. The Red Raiders added former San Diego State DE Trey White along with ex-Wake Forest DL Mateen Ibirogba, among others. With a lot of turnover at linebacker following Jacob Rodriguez's departure, star Kansas State LB Austin Romaine should immediately be a starter. Tech will be the favorite to win the Big 12 again in 2026.
Texas Longhorns
The Longhorns have been aggressive adding talent around Arch Manning for what could be his final season of college football in 2026. Texas landed former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman, a player who was widely seen as the best wide receiver available. He should form one of the best receiving tandems in the country with Ryan Wingo.
The run game should be a lot better, too. Texas struggled to run the ball over the course of the 2025 season and added Arizona State RB Raleek Brown after he rushed for over 1,100 yards in 2025. Not long after adding Brown, the Longhorns flipped NC State RB Hollywood Smothers away from Alabama. Both players can be very effective pass catchers out of the backfield too. Smothers had 37 grabs in 2025 while Brown had 34.
There has been plenty of movement as the college football transfer portal winds down. Which teams have done the best and worst? (Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)Louisville Cardinals
The Cardinals have been especially active in the transfer portal as they look to get to the ACC title game. Remember, the Cardinals were one of just two teams to take down Miami this season.
Louisville has signed former Ohio State QB Lincoln Kienholz and he's got the chance to succeed USC transfer Miller Moss as the Cardinals' starter. Coach Jeff Brohm also added former Vanderbilt wide receiver Tre Richardson. He can be a serious deep threat.
The biggest add was already on the Louisville roster, however. Running back Isaac Brown entered the transfer portal but decided to stay with the school. Brown appeared in nine games in 2025 and was one of the most dynamic rushers in college football with 884 yards and seven TDs on just 101 carries.
Indiana Hoosiers
The Hoosiers could still have some roster attrition after the national title game. Players for Indiana and Miami have five days after Monday's game to enter the transfer portal. But even if Indiana loses a key contributor or two, the Hoosiers have already restocked well as they go for the first national title in school history.
Indiana has added TCU QB Josh Hoover to succeed Fernando Mendoza. The Heisman winner has the option to return to school in 2026 but he's the likely No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft and is widely expected to declare.
Curt Cignetti and his staff have also added Tulane WR Shazz Preston and Boston College RB Turbo Richard. The defense has been bolstered by Kansas State edge rushers Tobi Osunsanmi and Chiddi Obiazor and corners AJ Harris (Penn State) and Carson Williams (Montana State).
Virginia Tech Hokies
James Franklin put his Penn State relationships to good use in the transfer portal. Eight Nittany Lions have committed to the Hokies, including tight end Luke Reynolds. That number will move to nine when former PSU QB Ethan Grunkemeyer officially commits.
Virginia Tech has also added Missouri defensive end Javion Hilson and North Carolina QB Bryce Baker.
Baker originally signed with the Tar Heels out of high school as a four-star prospect and redshirted in 2025. Grunkemeyer backed up Drew Allar to start the 2025 season and became the Nittany Lions' starter for the last seven games of the season after Allar suffered a season-ending injury.
QB Rocco Becht is following Matt Campbell, leaving Iowa State for Penn State. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File) ()LosersIowa State Cyclones
The Cyclones' roster is going to be unrecognizable in 2026 under new coach Jimmy Rogers. Over 50 players entered the transfer portal following Matt Campbell's departure to Penn State and many of those players went to State College with Campbell.
That group includes QB Rocco Becht, RB Carson Hansen, TEs Ben Brahmer and Gabe Burkle, CB Jeremiah Cooper and backup QB Alex Manske. Becht has one year of eligibility remaining and Manske could take over for Campbell as the Nittany Lions' starter in 2027.
Rogers is very familiar with the Upper Midwest from his time as South Dakota State's head coach. He's going to need to recruit the area well to help rebuild the roster after the departure of the most successful coach in school history.
Utah Utes
The Utes also experienced significant roster turnover in the wake of Kyle Whittingham's departure. Utah was likely expecting a level of roster consistency as defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley took over for Whittingham and there was no logical landing spot for Whittingham in 2026.
But Michigan opened up after Sherrone Moore was fired with cause and Whittingham became the Wolverines' new coach. In addition to bringing offensive coordinator Jason Beck with him, players like DE John Henry Daley, CB Smith Snowden, edge rusher Jonah Lea'ea and WR JJ Buchanan have all transferred to Michigan.
Losing top recruit Jordan Seaton is a hard pill for the Colorado Buffaloes to swallow. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images) (Andrew Wevers via Getty Images)Colorado Buffaloes
The Buffaloes lost their best offensive player when Jordan Seaton announced his intention to enter the transfer portal earlier this week. Seaton was the highest-ranked recruit of the Deion Sanders era at Colorado and immediately became the best offensive lineman to potentially change teams this transfer cycle.
Seaton is not easily replaceable, especially for an offense that took a significant step back in 2025 without Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter on the field. Colorado has done well on the defensive side of the ball in the transfer portal, but the offense is still a major question mark, even with the addition of Texas WR DeAndre Moore Jr. and tackles Taj White (Rutgers) and Bo Hughley (Georgia).
Alabama Crimson Tide
It's hard to say how Alabama has gotten better so far through this transfer cycle. Sure, Ty Simpson could have taken a mega NIL offer and changed schools instead of heading to the NFL, but the Tide have suffered some serious transfer portal losses.
LB Qua Russaw and DL James Smith transferred to Ohio State earlier in the week, edge rusher Keon Keeley is off to Notre Dame, and WR Isaiah Horton and OT Wilkin Formby transferred to Texas A&M. Those are all main playoff competitors of the Crimson Tide.
Losing Smothers to Texas hurts too. Alabama really needs to figure out a better running game in 2026.
The Tide did add DL Devan Thompkins from USC and OL Ty Haywood from Michigan. But Alabama could be asking a lot of unproven skill position players to step up in 2026.
Tennessee Volunteers
The Vols have addressed their biggest weakness from the 2025 season this offseason. A defense that hampered Tennessee at numerous points a season ago added coordinator Jim Knowles from Penn State. Edge rusher Chaz Coleman and LB Amare Campbell followed him to Knoxville along with safety Dejuan Lane.
Michigan safety TJ Metcalf recently arrived and so did CB Kayin Lee from Auburn. But Tennessee ends up in this column because the Vols don't appear to have an answer at quarterback.
After hosting numerous transfer portal QBs on visits and pushing hard for Arizona State's Sam Leavitt, the Vols have struck out. It appears that QB Joey Aguilar is not going to get a seventh year of eligibility for 2026 and backup Jake Merklinger is in the transfer portal.
Source: "AOL Sports"
Source: Sports
Published: January 14, 2026 at 11:27PM on Source: RED MAG
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