The deadline for the 2026 transfer portal has concluded, with Indiana being granted an exemption as the Hoosiers will be playing for the national championship on January 19th. By and large, The Big Ten were big time movers and shakers in the transfer portal, with a whopping 321 players joining the conference as of this writing. Keep in mind that the deadline to enter the transfer portal is the only thing that has closed – I would anticipate the total number of new players joining a Big Ten to increase by the end of the month.
The Penn State Cyclones & The UCLA Dukes
With new coaching staffs in place at both Penn State and UCLA, it was understandable that these coaching staffs would seek to take advantage of preexisting relationships. Penn State brought in 21 players who played for Matt Campbell at Iowa State, while UCLA brought in 9 players who played for Bob Chesney at James Madison. There is an old saying that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery – considering the success that Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti has had with bringing in former players from James Madison, it appears that both Matt Campbell and Bob Chesney are borrowing a play from Cignetti’s successful playbook.
Penn State Progression
Speaking of Penn State, the Nittany Lions had the most turnover of their roster, with 47 players leaving. As written up above, Matt Campbell supplemented his new team with players from Iowa State, but the roster will have dramatically changed and shifted from the team that last took the field in Happy Valley in 2025. As of this writing, Penn State will have added 36 new players.
Ducks Not Deviating?
As of this writing, and I want to emphasize that players can still be added, Oregon has brought in a surprising low number of new commitments, with only 7 players. The Ducks did add some high profile names, with now former Minnesota defensive back Koi Perich and now former Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola heading to Eugene.
