College football’s transfer portal has seen a flurry of activity since it opened over two weeks ago on Dec. 9.
With only two days remaining until the transfer window closes on Dec. 28, here are the winter portal’s winners and losers.
Winner: LSU
The Tigers have turned the page following an awful November.
Last month, LSU lost consecutive games to Alabama and Florida as part of a three-game losing streak and saw 2025 No. 1 overall high school recruit Bryce Underwood pull back his commitment and sign with in-state Michigan.
Head coach Brian Kelly has rebounded with the fifth-best transfer portal class (h/t On3), headlined by three edge-rushers as the Tigers seek to improve their defense.
LSU added former Florida State edge Patrick Payton, Florida’s Jack Pyburn and Nebraska’s Jimari Butler.
Payton, who will be a fifth-year senior in 2025, has 16 total sacks (four in 2024). In 2023, the 6-foot-5 defensive end batted 10 passes.
During his junior season in 2024, Pyburn had 60 tackles (four for loss), a sack, an interception and a forced fumble.
Butler, another 2025 fifth-year senior, has 7.5 career sacks (two in 2024) and 18 tackles for loss (seven in 2024).
Generating pressure was a problem in LSU’s four regular-season losses. Per CFB Stats, the Tigers only posted six of their 33 sacks in losing efforts — and four of those came against former Aggies quarterback Conner Weigman.
Loser: Washington State
Former head coach Jake Dickert’s departure for Wake Forest sent Wazzu into a tailspin.
Per On3, 31 Cougars players have entered the portal since Dickert’s departure. Without a head coach hired for 2025, the program hasn’t added a transfer yet this cycle.
Last year, Washington State was overlooked by the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC in conference realignment, leaving it in the reanimated Pac-12 corpse with Oregon State and 2026 incoming programs Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State.
The conference still must add one more member to be recognized by the NCAA as an FBS conference. Meanwhile, Washington State needs to put together an entire team to be identified as a Power 5 institution.
Winner: Indiana
Indiana quickly washed the bitter taste of its 27-17 College Football Playoff loss to Notre Dame by adding arguably the best quarterback in the portal, former Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
In 11 games, Mendoza was 265-of-386 (68.7 percent) for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions.
The Hoosiers also received notable commitments from Maryland running back Roman Hemby, who has 2,347 career rushing yards in 42 games, and wide receiver Makai Jackson, who had a monster end to the 2024 regular season at Appalachian State, notching 15 receptions for 390 yards (26 yards per reception) and two touchdowns in the Mountaineers’ last three games.
Loser: Alabama
Kalen DeBoer’s Crimson Tide have taken some massive hits in the portal, most notably losing defensive lineman Jehiem Oatis, cornerback DeVonta Smith and running back Justice Haynes.
Oatis was ESPN’s fifth-ranked player in the transfer portal when he committed to Colorado.
Per Pro Football Focus data, Smith allowed 123 receiving yards on 19 receptions (6.5 yards per reception) and no touchdowns.
Haynes gained 448 yards and scored seven touchdowns on 79 rushing attempts.
According to On3, Alabama ranks 65th out of 70 teams in its 2025 transfer portal team rankings. Only Oklahoma (No. 68) ranks lower among SEC programs.
Winner: Texas Tech
The Red Raiders are first in On3’s team transfer portal rankings, adding some significant pieces to head coach Joey McGuire’s fourth squad.
Texas Tech has bolstered its offense by receiving commitments from tight end Terrance Carter, wide receiver Reginald Virgil and running back Quinten Joyner.
This season at USC, Joyner had 63 carries, 478 yards (7.6 yards per attempt) and four total touchdowns (three rushing, one receiving).
Playing in the Sun Belt at Louisiana, Carter was arguably the conference’s top tight end. According to PFF, he was first among Sun Belt tight ends in receiving yards (691), with 404 yards coming after the catch.
Virgil also comes from a mid-major after playing at Miami (Ohio) from the MAC. He’s an explosive receiver, ending his 2024 season with 41 receptions, 816 receiving yards (19.9 yards per reception) and nine touchdowns.
Safety Cole Wisniewski is another intriguing prospect. The former North Dakota State star missed the entire 2024 season due to offseason foot surgery, but in 2023, he led FCS with eight interceptions.
Loser: USC
Head coach Lincoln Riley has watched 19 Trojans enter the portal, including quarterback Miller Moss, who started nine games before being benched for Jayden Maiava against Nebraska.
But the team’s biggest losses have come at wide receiver, where former five-star high school recruits Zachariah Branch and Duce Robinson entered the portal.
Branch had 1,164 all-purpose yards in 2023 as a freshman and is arguably the top playmaker available in the portal. In 23 career games, Robinson has 39 receptions, 747 yards (19.2 yards per reception) and seven touchdowns. He committed to Florida State earlier this month.
When hired, Riley was expected to return USC to the heights of the Pete Carroll era. Instead, USC’s transfer portal exodus reveals a program that’s still deep in the wilderness.
