Potential Changes to NCAA Transfer Portal Set to Impact College Football

As discussions continue in Indianapolis, the NCAA Football Oversight Group is currently evaluating the possibility of eliminating the Spring transfer portal, according to recent reports. The adjustments could affect the way college football players transfer, specifically during the upcoming 2024-25 season.

Sources indicate that talks are ongoing, and formal discussions have yet to occur between the FBS and FCS Oversight Groups. A proposal introduced this week suggests that, starting in 2024-25, the transfer portal would only be open for 30 days during the winter months, down from the current 45 days, which includes a spring window. This change would mean that players would no longer have the opportunity to enter the portal for a brief period in the spring.

At present, the transfer portal is set to open the day after the College Football Playoff field is announced, specifically from December 9, 2024, to January 7, 2025. Currently, players have had a total of 60 days in the past but saw the window shrink to 45 days in June. Interestingly, data from the NCAA shows that most athletes enter the portal within the first four weeks, leading to discussions about a reduced timeframe.

The influential SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12, along with the American Football Coaches Association, have expressed support for eliminating the Spring window entirely. During the previous school year, over 2,800 FBS scholarship players entered the transfer portal, with around 2,707 ultimately transferring after accounting for withdrawals or players going pro.

Notably, if this proposal doesn’t move forward, the existing Spring window would remain as planned, opening on April 16, 2025, and closing on April 30, 2025. The potential removal of the Spring portal also comes at a time when roster limits are expected to tighten in college football, following a legal settlement. Currently, programs can have up to 85 scholarship players, but impending limits may reduce that number to 105, significantly affecting roster sizes and player availability.

With the proposed changes to the transfer portal, many college football players could find themselves in uncertain situations, especially if teams cannot accommodate their needs within the new roster structures.