Transfer season is upon us in college football.
The next transfer portal window officially opens on Dec. 4. However, players on teams whose coaches have left or been fired can enter the portal before then. Other players have already reportedly expressed their intentions to enter the portal once they’re able to.
Which players will be on the move this offseason? Let’s take a look at which stars and standouts are testing the waters for a possible transfer.
Nov. 28
ADVERTISEMENT
Minnesota QB Athan Kaliakmanis
The sophomore quarterback announced Tuesday he will enter the transfer portal and leave the program after his first full season as the starter.
Kaliakmanis posted on social media that playing with his Gophers teammates “has been the honor of all honors” and that “the most difficult part” of his decision was to leave them. With the coaching staff planning to open competition for the starting job next season, Kaliakmanis opted to depart with two years of eligibility remaining.
The native of Antioch, Illinois, started five games as a freshman last season when five-year starter Tanner Morgan was injured. Kaliakmanis closed the regular season by passing for a career-high 319 yards and two touchdowns in a road win against rival Wisconsin, but he never found the same groove in 2023.
Kaliakmanis had 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 12 games during a disappointing year for the Gophers (5-7), who became bowl-eligible when there was a shortage of six-win teams. He had a 53.1% completion rate and an average of 153 passing yards per game. His backup was fifth-year senior Cole Kramer, who has one season of eligibility remaining.
The redshirt sophomore announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Tuesday, holding two more seasons of eligibility. Burks led Purdue in receiving in 2023, recording 47 receptions for 629 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s reportedly expected to be one of the top receivers to enter the portal this offseason as some scouts believe he had the potential to be drafted this upcoming spring.
Louisiana Tech QB Hank Bachmeier
The senior quarterback officially entered the transfer portal on Tuesday with one year of eligibility remaining. He was statistically one of the more efficient Group of 5 quarterbacks this season, completing 67.7 percent of his passes for 2,058 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing for two scores. He began his college career at Boise State before transferring to Louisiana Tech in 2023.
Nov. 27
Howard officially entered the transfer portal on Monday as a grad transfer, allowing him to bypass the waiting period. The senior enjoyed a great deal of success during his time in Manhattan, leading the Cougars to a win in the Big 12 Championship Game in 2022. He became Kansas State’s starting quarterback in the middle of that season, throwing for 1,633 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions with three rushing touchdowns. Kansas State went 4-1 in the games he started that season.
The quarterback nearly got Kansas State back to the Big 12 title game in 2023, leading it to an 8-4 record as he started all 12 games. He threw for 2,643 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, adding 364 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns.
The junior signal-caller is entering the transfer portal, according to ESPN, after the Hurricanes finished the regular season a disappointing 7-5. Van Dyke completed 65.8% of his passes this season for 2,703 yards and 18 touchdowns, but also threw 12 interceptions.
Michigan State QB Katin Houser
The redshirt freshman is entering the portal just days after Michigan State hired Jonathan Smith as its next head coach, ESPN reported. Houser, a four-star recruit, redshirted as a freshman and began the 2023 season as the Spartans’ backup quarterback before becoming their starter. He threw for 1,132 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions with two rushing scores. Starting Michigan State right tackle Spencer Brown and linebacker Darius Snow also announced on social media that they’re entering the portal.
The redshirt junior quarterback told ESPN that he will be entering the transfer portal. After helping Baylor win the Big 12 title game in 2021 in one of his two fill-in starts that season, he became the Bears‘ starting quarterback in 2022. He threw for 2,790 yards, 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with two rushing scores that season, going 6-7 as a starter. He threw for 2,188 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions with four rushing touchdowns in 2023, missing four games due to injury as Baylor went 2-6 in his starts.
USC WR Raleek Brown
The sophomore wideout has told multiple outlets that he’s planning to enter the transfer portal. Brown, who was regarded as a top-70 prospect in the Class of 2022, decommitted from Oklahoma and committed to USC following Lincoln Riley’s decision to go to Southern California at the end of the 2021 season. He had 14 receptions for 151 yards and three touchdowns while adding 166 rushing yards and two rushing scores as a freshman. His playing time diminished in 2023, recording only three receptions and three rushes.
The senior running back will enter the transfer portal for a second straight season, leaving Manhattan after joining the Wildcats from Florida State last year. Ward had a solid year at Kansas State, rushing for 643 yards and scoring seven total touchdowns as he split starting halfback duties.
Nov. 26
The southpaw quarterback is entering the portal as a grad transfer, making him immediately eligible to play. He began the 2022 season as Texas A&M’s starter, but suffered a season-ending in the fourth game of the season. He began the 2023 season as the backup but became the starter following an injury to Conner Weigman, throwing for 1,452 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games.
He began his college career with LSU before transferring to A&M in 2022.
Utah QB Nate Johnson
The redshirt freshman told ESPN that he’s intending to enter the transfer portal once he’s eligible. Johnson’s decision to enter the portal comes after he flipped roles as the starting quarterback for the Utes with Bryson Barnes. He ended up finishing the season on the bench, throwing for 499 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions with 235 rushing yards and four rushing scores. Despite the solid-looking numbers, Utah struggled to score in two of his three starts, losing one of them.
Nov. 24
Mississippi State QB Will Rogers
The quarterback announced his intention to transfer a day after his team’s season finale, making the decision before Jeff Lebby was announced as the school’s new head coach. Rogers can move as a grad transfer, making him eligible to play immediately.
Rogers started every game for the Bulldogs in the 2021 and 2022 seasons after starting for half of the 2020 season. Under Mike Leach, Rogers thrived in his first three years in Starkville, throwing for an SEC-record 505 completions in 2021 and had 82 total touchdown passes during that span.
However, the death of Leach last December seemed to affect the Bulldogs this season, struggling under Zach Arnett. Rogers also missed four games due to injury, throwing for 1,626 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions in 2023.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL trending
Get more from College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Sponsored Content
Bet the World Cup in Wager.dm
