NCAA Transfer Portal Opens for College Football Players

The NCAA transfer portal officially opened for all college football players on Friday, offering a two-week window that will close on January 16. This period allows athletes to explore new opportunities and consider transferring to different schools. Among the thousands of players who have entered the portal, quarterbacks have been the most talked about in the weeks following the end of the regular season.

Several Power Four quarterbacks are making headlines as they look to move to new programs, but Group of Five quarterbacks are also seeking to boost their national exposure for the 2026 season. One such player is Katin Houser, a former starter at East Carolina who has entered the transfer portal. Houser will have one season of eligibility remaining at his third school.

Houser began his college football career with Mel Tucker at Michigan State in 2022. He appeared in a blowout victory against Akron, completing a two-yard pass and rushing for 13 yards. In 2023, he played in 11 of the Spartans’ 12 games, finishing the season with 1,130 passing yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions. After Michigan State fired Tucker with cause during the 2023 season, Houser decided to transfer out the following offseason.

East Carolina acquired Houser from the portal to start the 2024 season. However, he only played in nine games while recovering from a wrist fracture, throwing for 2,006 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, while also rushing for 170 yards and four touchdowns. Houser started the entire 2025 regular season for the Pirates, throwing for 3,300 yards, 19 touchdowns, and six interceptions, and rushing for 181 yards and nine touchdowns.

Although Houser is not receiving the same level of attention as some Power Four quarterbacks, there are still Power Four schools showing interest in him. According to Pete Nakos of On3, two schools are considering Houser as a potential starter from the portal.

Arkansas

Arkansas is undergoing a coaching change from Sam Pittman to Ryan Silverfield, which will lead to significant changes in the 2026 portal cycle. At quarterback, Taylen Green’s eligibility has expired, and Trever Jackson and Grayson Wilson have both entered the portal. There is still a possibility that 2025 second-stringer KJ Jackson may enter the transfer portal as well. If that happens, Houser could potentially take over the starting role. Even if Jackson stays, Houser’s experience could create a competition for the Razorbacks’ starting quarterback position next season.

Illinois

Transfer quarterback acquisitions have played a crucial role in Illinois’ rise under Bret Bielema. Brandon Peters (Michigan), Artur Sitkowski (Rutgers), and Tommy DeVito (Syracuse) were all key players during Bielema’s first two seasons. Luke Altmyer (Ole Miss) was the Fighting Illini’s starter for three seasons. However, Altmyer will not be the only loss for Illinois at quarterback, as Ethan Hampton’s eligibility is set to expire after five seasons of college football.

If Houser were to transfer to Illinois, he would face a highly unproven competition for the starting job. His experience could make him an attractive option for the program, especially given the lack of depth at the quarterback position.

Other Notable Transfers

Other notable names in the transfer portal include:

• A 1,300-yard transfer wide receiver who is drawing strong interest from major college football programs.
• Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss, who presents high-end uncertainty as a 2026 NFL draft prospect.
• A top-ranked transfer portal quarterback who is strongly linked to four college football programs.
• Three College Football Playoff teams that are linked to a 1,000-yard running back in the transfer portal.