The next era of the college football transfer portal officially opens Jan. 2, but make no mistake -- the 2026 cycle is already underway. Behind the scenes, portal boards have been set for months. Agents are working phones. Players are making quiet decisions. As one source put it, "Deals are being struck."

One power conference football program already has 15 players who have announced their intention to transfer out of the program following a tough 2025 season on the field

Two more Auburn Tigers have declared their intentions to find opportunities elsewhere as the transfer portal window inches closer. Reports from Justin Hokanson of Rivals show that wide receiver Horatio Fields and defensive back Amon Lane-Ganus are expected to enter the transfer portal once the window opens on Jan. 2.

Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish lose quarterback to the NCAA transfer portal after being snubbed from CFP.

Now, we are seeing some of the roster fallout that is expected at the end of the season. Notably, backup quarterback Kenny Minchey has announced that he will enter the transfer portal when it opens at the start of the new year.

He joined the program as a walk-on ahead of the 2024 season, transferring from Colorado State. At the time, it seemed like a long shot for Stratton to see legitimate playing time, especially in his first season with the Hawkeyes. But the unlikely came to fruition after Iowa's quarterback room was decimated by injuries last season.

A Texas Longhorns quarterback is hitting the transfer portal after five-star quarterback Dia Bell signed with the program.

With the transfer portal set to open January 2, Rutgers needs to plan their strategy for filling the roster gaps after a season-ending loss to Penn State. Alrea