Indiana goes up 24-0 on Mendoza’s TD pass to Sarratt (0:19)Fernando Mendoza throws it up to Elijah Sarratt, who comes down with the football to give Indiana a 24-0 lead. (0:19)
The fact that the College Football Playoff quarterfinal round kicks off just before the transfer portal officially opens epitomizes a sport where the present and future constantly clash.
Four unfortunate teams will see their future become the present, after losses in much-anticipated quarterfinal matchups. Alabama became the third team off the board following its loss at the Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential.
There isn’t much time to lament the defeat, as the Jan. 2 portal looms and upcoming NFL draft decisions will shuffle depth charts and rosters. Teams must assess key players returning and leaving, create wish lists for the portal and assess where incoming recruits fit into the plan.
As teams fully turn the page toward the 2026 season, here’s a look at the most pressing questions, recruiting and portal priorities and predictions for what will follow in the fall. — Adam Rittenberg
2026 prediction: Alabama is poised to remain a CFP contender in 2026. Barring a surprise, the Crimson Tide will have either Simpson or former five-star quarterback Keelon Russell under center. Meanwhile, back-to-back top 10 signing classes under DeBoer appear primed to support a budding, young core in Tuscaloosa. With a manageable schedule in front of it and stability on the sideline, Alabama should be right back in the mix in the fall. — Lederman
2026 prediction: The Red Raiders respond to a heartbreaking ending to their dream season with another headline-grabbing portal shopping spree and effectively reload to defend their Big 12 title. If they get the QB and D-line acquisitions right, they’ll be right back in the conversation as a preseason CFP contender. — Olson
Biggest question moving forward: The Crimson Tide’s first-round CFP win over Oklahoma cut out the possibility of coach Kalen DeBoer bolting for the Michigan job. After getting Alabama back to the playoff in 2025, can DeBoer elevate the Crimson Tide another notch or two and return the program to true national title contention? Some of that will hinge on who’s playing quarterback in Tuscaloosa come fall. It’s also contingent on whether DeBoer & Co. can increase the number of truly elite players on Alabama’s roster from the top down. After taking a conservative approach to the transfer portal during the 2025 offseason, the Crimson Tide could benefit from a more active portal window this year. Another strong class in the latest cycle should boost DeBoer’s roster, too. Alabama got better under DeBoer this fall. Whether or not the Crimson Tide take the next step in 2026 will be decided by how well it can retool before fall. — Eli Lederman
Recruiting outlook: For a second straight cycle, Alabama waited until the summer to heat up on the recruiting trail before surging to land the nation’s No. 7 overall class. The Crimson Tide loaded up on elite back-seven talent in 2026, landing signatures from top-ranked safety Jireh Edwards (No. 16 overall), four-star cornerbacks Jorden Edmonds (No. 33) and Zyan Gibson (No. 65) and No. 3 outside linebacker Xavier Griffin (No. 26). Gibson is one of six members of an impressive in-state recruiting group that includes No. 3 running back Ezavier Crowell (No. 34) and wide receiver Cederian Morgan (No. 36). Alabama padded its quarterback depth with quarterbacks Jett Thomalla and Tayden-Evan Kaawa, and the Crimson Tide could have a future starter in late-rising offensive tackle Jared Doughty. — Lederman
Biggest portal priority: Alabama was rather selective in portal recruiting last offseason with only three full-time starters added in a class that mostly provided depth. The Tide have a few positions that could use help when the portal opens this month, though the biggest needs might depend a bit on upcoming draft decisions. They’re losing three senior linebackers between Deontae Lawson, Justin Jefferson and Nikhai Hill-Green and could lose up to four starters along the offensive line if Kadyn Proctor and Parker Brailsford go pro. This staff already got a head start on their offseason portal class with the addition of Oklahoma State transfer tight end Josh Ford. They should benefit from how many premium SEC players become available amid the coaching changes at Auburn, Florida, Ole Miss and LSU. — Max Olson
Under-the-radar offseason priority: Alabama could be faced with replacing its starting quarterback in 2026 if Ty Simpson heads to the NFL. Regardless of who’s under center in the fall, the Crimson Tide have to prioritize improving a rushing attack that entered the postseason ranked 117th nationally, averaging just 116.2 yards per game. Without a clear successor for starter Jam Miller, Alabama could look to the portal for replacements. There’s also a belief that four-star signee Crowell will be ready to contribute from day one in the fall. With an infusion of talent in the backfield and reinforcements along the offensive line, the Crimson Tide run game could be poised for a rebound. — Lederman
Recruiting outlook: The Red Raiders’ emergence as a disruptor in the talent acquisition game extended on to the high school recruiting trail in 2026 as Texas Tech signed six ESPN 300 recruits in the latest cycle, sealing the program’s highest count of top 300 additions since 2006. Anchoring coach Joey McGuire’s incoming class are five-stars LaDamion Guyton and Felix Ojo, two of the highest-ranked signees in program history. Guyton, who reclassified from the 2027 cycle, is ESPN’s No. 1 outside linebacker in 2026; Ojo, a 6-foot-7 offensive tackle from Mansfield, Texas, picked the Red Raiders over Texas, Ohio State, Michigan and Florida and projects as a potential multiyear starter. Former Michigan tight end signee Matt Ludwig (No. 288 overall) marked an intriguing late addition for Texas Tech, which is already making moves in the 2027 class, too, with commitments from five-star defensive tackle Jalen Brewster (No. 6 overall) and four-star quarterback Kavian Bryant (No. 26) among four ESPN Junior 300 pledges in the upcoming cycle. — Eli Lederman
Biggest portal priority: The clear No. 1 priority for the Red Raiders is winning the battle for Cincinnati transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby. The 31-game starter is the top QB on their board and viewed as a potential first-round draft pick. He would bring invaluable Big 12 experience to the table in taking over for Behren Morton. If Sorsby ends up going to LSU or elsewhere, it’ll be fascinating to see which QB gets prioritized by GM James Blanchard and Tech’s coaching staff. After building one of the best defensive lines in college football via the portal last offseason, the Red Raiders are expected to once again spend millions on top D-line transfers to succeed their NFL-bound stars. — Olson
Under-the-radar offseason priority: One of the not-so-secret ingredients of Texas Tech’s rise in 2025 was exceptional player leadership. How will McGuire make up for what seniors such as Morton, Jacob Rodriguez and Bryce Ramirez brought to his locker room? Even several of its transfer additions, including Skyler Gill-Howard and Lee Hunter, became invaluable voices as leaders in their first year in the program. It’s time for a new crew of leaders to step up and take over this team as the Red Raiders work to rally back from a tough ending to their season. — Olson
Recruiting outlook: The Buckeyes held onto five-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. (No. 7 overall) during the early signing period, and the nation’s top-ranked pass catcher enters 2026 as the headliner of an Ohio State class that ranks ninth in ESPN’s rankings for the cycle. Henry is one of only three skill position talents among the Buckeyes’ 12 ESPN 300 signees. That’s because Ohio State went heavy on defensive talent in the 2026 class, inking No. 4 safety Blaine Bradford (No. 43), top 10 linebackers Cincere Johnson (No. 80) and Simeon Caldwell (No. 92) and defensive end Khary Wilder (No. 73) within a deep group of talented defenders that also includes cornerback Jay Timmons (No. 195), the son of former Super Bowl champion Lawrence Timmons. Five-stars Jamier Brown (No. 2 in the ESPN Junior 300) and D.J. Jacobs (No. 11) lead a group of eight prospects already committed to the Buckeyes in the 2027 recruiting class. — Lederman
Biggest portal priority: The Buckeyes have been selective in portal recruiting under Day, focusing on premium players at needed positions rather than stockpiling transfer talent. Their wish list will likely depend to some degree on NFL draft decisions. One obvious target when the portal opens Friday will be Penn State freshman pass rusher Chaz Coleman, a former ESPN 300 recruit from Warren, Ohio, who’s expected to be among the top edge players available. It’ll be interesting to see if Ohio State decides to pursue a proven wideout to pair with Jeremiah Smith and help replace the production of Carnell Tate. This program shouldn’t have any trouble landing an elite option at that position if it’s in the market for one. — Olson
Under-the-radar offseason priority: Ohio State needs to address the trenches to contend for the national title again in 2026. The Buckeyes had a talented and productive defensive line this season, but the bulk of that unit will be moving on to the NFL. The offensive line, meanwhile, was solid for most of the year but really struggled against Indiana in the Big Ten championship game and then again in the playoff setback to Miami. If the Buckeyes hammer the portal, the lines should be a priority. — Trotter
Biggest question moving forward: Can JMU make it three-for-three on coaching hires? Curt Cignetti reached the top of the mountain in the FCS and led JMU to a stellar start at the FBS level. When he left for Indiana, Bob Chesney arrived and delivered equally impressive results, getting the Dukes into the College Football Playoff. Now, Chesney is off to UCLA, and James Madison turns to Billy Napier, a coach with a history of success in the Sun Belt but who is coming off a disastrous turn at Florida. JMU’s goal has always been to measure itself against its peers rather than the upper echelon of college football, but 2025 offered a taste of the good life, and it’s now on Napier to continue to build toward that again in 2026 and beyond. The job of winning consistently at the Group of Five level has never been harder, and JMU’s aspirations have never been higher. — David Hale