There has been a tremendous amount of staff turnover around the SEC, but particularly between LSU and Ole Miss in recent weeks. That includes Frank Wilson, who has been the interim head coach for the Tigers since the firing of Brian Kelly and has since taken the running backs coach job at Ole Miss.

Wilson was hired by Ole Miss in the middle of December, during bowl prep. That was notable because LSU had hired Lane Kiffin to be its next head coach away from Ole Miss. Kiffin had publicly made it clear that he wanted to coach Ole Miss through the College Football Playoff, but wasn’t allowed to do so. It was a different situation for Wilson, though, who was allowed to coach LSU through the bowl game.

LSU would end up losing the Texas Bowl 38-35 to Houston. After the game, Wilson spoke passionately about why it mattered to him to be on the sidelines for this game.

“Very proud to get this team to the finish line,” Frank Wilson said. “And when we were in the midst of the transition, and I was asked about coaching in this game, I said to an administrator, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna finish with my boys. I’ll burn this building down if you don’t let me finish. I’m gonna finish with my boys.’”

Obviously, the Wilson and Kiffin situations are unique from one another. Wilson was an interim, and the Texas Bowl is not the College Football Playoff. Kiffin left for a rival, while Wilson may have needed to leave for a new job regardless. Still, in all of that, Wilson had that desire to finish what he started with players he loved.

“Because the love is unconditional,” Wilson said. “So, they go out and they compete today and we finished second against a quality opponent.”

Frank Wilson was in his second stint at LSU. This stint had been since 2022, with him taking on the duties of assistant head coach and running backs coach before his promotion to interim head coach. He finished that run with a record of 2-3.

Frank Wilson addresses decision to leave LSU for Ole Miss

Prior to the bowl, Frank Wilson opened up on his decision to leave LSU for Ole Miss. He also noted the role that Lane Kiffin played in that, helping for him to make it work.

“We talked about it. We talked about ways that it could work out. Coach Kiffin was absolutely awesome the entire time in wanting to try and find a way to work it out. We didn’t come to that resolution, and so there were other opportunities out there,” Wilson said.

“Pete Golding is a guy who I’ve known for many years, from the time he concluded playing college football and was a young coach at Delta State Southeastern and then Southern Miss of course. Then, I had an opportunity to hire him back at UTSA. We’ve forged an even closer bond and mutual respect professional for one another, so when the opportunity came, he extended himself to me and I thought it was a great fit for myself and my family.”

A major SEC football powerhouse is undergoing some notable unwelcome change on its roster as it brings on a new coaching regime in time for the 2026 season.

Jon Sumrall is poised to step onto the Florida Gators’ sideline starting next fall, but the transition from Billy Napier to his tenure has already resulted in key personnel losses on the field as players look for an exit via the college football transfer portal.

Exodus from the Swamp

Since the coaching change, the Gators have lost a reported total of 26 players from their roster through the portal, including a stunning six total defensive backs.

The latest was Aaron Gates, the redshirt sophomore secondary defender with plans to depart the Florida program and transfer to another school, according to On3 Sports.

That leaves Sumrall and the Gators without a half-dozen defensive backfield contributors, among the 22 total players who have exited the program already.

Included among that number are two starting safeties in Jordan Castell and Sharif Denson, alongside cornerbacks Teddy Foster, Josiah Davis, and Jameer Grimsley.

Defense is losing a lot

Ten of those outgoing Florida players are on the defensive side of the ball, including defensive linemen Tarvorise Brown and Michai Boireau, linebacker Grayson Howard, and edge rusher Jayden Woods.

High-profile players like quarterback DJ Lagway, a former five-star prospect, and one-time four-star wide receiver hopeful Eugene Wilson are also leaving Florida as transfers.

On the good side, the Gators are set to return corner Dijon Johnson and rising sophomore Lagonza Hayward, who took over Gates’ spot this past season after his injury.

Sumrall will dip into the portal

Sumrall is considered one of the most promising younger head coaches to emerge from the active 2025 coaching carousel, but he will have a tall task ahead of him replacing that outgoing talent.

It doesn’t sound like he’s averse to using the transfer portal to his own advantage.

“We will use the transfer portal. If you’ve studied my rosters the last couple years, I haven’t had the resources to keep very many of my good players. They all end up getting poached,” Sumrall said earlier this month.

“So I’ve had to embrace the transfer portal probably more than most, maybe even more than I’d like to at times, by necessity. But we will use the portal to enhance our team and to supplement where there may be holes or deficiencies.”

Where the Gators ranked defensively

Florida’s defense ranked 10th among the 16 SEC teams this past season against the pass, allowing almost 223 air yards per game on average.

And the Gators were just 12th in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing opponents to score 24 points per game each time out.

Nationally, Florida’s defense ranked 74th among the 136 FBS teams in passing defense, letting opposing quarterbacks complete nearly 64 percent of their pass attempts.

That figure included allowing 8.0 yards per pass attempt on average, although the Gators stiffened when in scoring position, ranking sixth nationally by surrendering just 13 passing touchdowns all year.

And they were top 20 in FBS when defending the red zone, allowing opponents to convert 75 percent of possessions into points.

How the college football transfer portal works

College football’s transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2, but that hasn’t stopped a flurry of players from entering their names for consideration at a new school right now.

The new 15-day transfer portal window from Jan. 2-16 and the elimination of the spring transfer period has condensed the timeline for players and programs to make their moves.

The NCAA Transfer Portal is a private database that includes the names of student-athletes in every sport at the Division I, II, and III levels. The full list of names is not available to the public.

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The college football transfer portal officially opens just one day after the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal on Jan. 2, and with just one window, is expected to be as wild as ever.

While the transfer portal isn’t officially open, the NCAA is not only drowning in lawsuits, but also has no way to prevent contact from occurring before the window opens. There have already been plenty of reports linking some of the top names in the portal to other programs despite the fact that they aren’t technically allowed to be in contact.

Regardless of the back-channeling, which is most certainly happening, teams across the sport need the portal for a variety of reasons. Some schools will be using it to completely revamp their roster after a down year, while others are looking for the perfect piece or two to help them make a title push.

Although just about every team in the country has portal needs, five programs stand out among the rest in terms of who is under the most pressure.

Colorado Buffaloes

We are three seasons into the Deion Sanders era at Colorado, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame corner has shown minimal interest in recruiting from the high school ranks. In fact, Sanders has made zero off-campus visits, brought in just 14 recruits in the 2026 class and said he’d be a “fool” to try and recruit 30 freshmen a year since “half” will “probably” leave.

That said, the portal method has drawn mixed reviews, as his first year saw him bring in 52 transfers and go 4-8, just one year after the program’s dreaded 1-11 season.

Year two saw Colorado bring in a 43-man class, go 9-4 and make its first bowl game since 2020, while Travis Hunter won the Heisman. However, this season saw Colorado bring in 33 transfers, but the Buffs took a huge step back, going 3-9.

With Colorado already losing 25 players to the portal in addition to a slew of other upperclassmen, they will need to bring in around 50 transfers. If they miss this group, it very well could mark the beginning of the end for Sanders in Boulder.

Texas Longhorns

As I mentioned earlier, no two programs use the transfer portal in the same manner. While Colorado needs a portal class that can revive the program again, Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns need a portal class that can be the difference between them being left out of the College Football Playoff by a couple of spots, and getting into the dance for the third time in four years.

The Longhorns have already let All-SEC running back Tre Wisner and former five-star running back CJ Baxter walk, while also seeing their linebacker room take a hit with Liona Lefau (transfer portal) and Anthony Hill (NFL Draft) both leaving as well.

Quarterback Arch Manning turned things around at the end of the year, but it was clear that, based on the fact that he was constantly running for his life, had receivers with drop problems and no run support, the team around him wasn’t necessarily helping his case.

Texas started this season ranked No. 1 and came up short of its goal. While the portal isn’t open yet, they are expected to take some massive swings that could be the difference between them not coming up short next year.

North Carolina Tar Heels

Oh, where to begin with Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels. It was already viewed as somewhat of a risk for Belichick to go from being one of the winningest coaches in NFL history to a college game he had never coached in, but this season didn’t instill any confidence in the 73-year-old.

Whether it be behind-the-scenes drama with his 24-year-old girlfriend, or the fact that his team had the No. 110 average scoring margin of -8.9, Belichick found himself on the hot seat after about four games.

It’s truly unclear how long of a leash he has in Chapel Hill, but he does have a guaranteed deal that sees him earn $10 million a year, so a hefty buyout could work out in his favor. However, the best way to ease the tensions and distract fans from his girlfriend’s attempts to trademark everything is to win games.

The Tar Heels have been linked to Bobby Petrino for the offensive coordinator role, and Belichick now knows what he struggled with this season. A good portal class can gain some faith, but another down year filled with shenanigans could mark the end of his legendary career.

LSU Tigers

Much of the pressure here stems solely from Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss for the LSU job. The new Tigers head coach led the Rebels to their best regular-season record in program history and their first College Football Playoff appearance, but still couldn’t turn down the opportunity to coach at a blueblood.

Since winning the title in 2019, the Tigers have gone 47-29 and haven’t really come close to making the College Football Playoff. Kiffin won’t be getting very much grace in Baton Rouge from LSU fans, but those around the country are simply waiting for the 50-year-old head coach to fail in order to scold him for leaving Ole Miss.

As we have seen with Kiffin at Ole Miss, the right portal class can get you in the playoff, and that appears to be the immediate expectation. So, anything short of that will already have fans turning on the controversial head coach.

Florida State Seminoles

Whether it was due to money or just how many other programs moved on from their head coach, the Florida State Seminoles opted not to fire Mike Norvell this season. After a 13-1 season in 2023, the Seminoles have gone a combined 7-17 over the past two seasons, and Norvell is on ice that is as thin as it gets.

The Seminoles have relied on the portal for two consecutive years to fill certain positions, but the program’s biggest flaw has been its quarterback evaluations. They whiffed on DJ Uiagalelei (Oregon State) and Tommy Castellanos (Boston College) in the portal, and really haven’t found a steady solution at the position since Jordan Travis’ departure.

To put it bluntly, if Florida State has another down year, or even a slow start because of an underwhelming portal class, Norvell will be in the unemployment line.

The college football transfer portal will officially open Jan. 2 and with it should come a flurry of activity, big-money deals and roster transformations. 

There is more pressure than ever this time around with the spring portal period disbanded in favor of a sole winter period that runs from Jan. 2 through Jan. 16. It’s why this year’s winter portal could resemble what we see with NFL free agency with many of the best options coming off the board quickly for big money deals. 

“People are going to spend out of the gate — like immediately — your top guys, your best guys, are going to go quick,” said a Big Ten general manager. “Then it’s the rest of them that are asking for money, but at some point they’re going to come down a little bit because the money has already been spent.” 

There was a belief a year ago that with the passing of the House settlement and introduction of the College Sports Commission as an enforcement arm that last year may have been the Golden Age for big paydays. With a $20.5 million revenue share cap and a promise for stricter enforcement of NIL deals, the idea was that prices would come down this cycle as teams could no longer double dip between unlimited collective money and the rev share. For a variety of reasons, however, that hasn’t proven to be the case. 

In some cases, even, prices have doubled. 

“I feel like the average starter this cycle, the sort of line you have to hit, is $600,000,” said one SEC general manager. “I feel like last year starters’ in our conference were $300,000. Now it feels like starters are more like $600,000.”

What does that look like for the entire market? CBS Sports talked to dozens of sources from agents to general managers to collective leaders to put together value ranges for each position ahead of this window’s official opening. 

Quarterback

High End: > $3.5 million
Average: $1.5 million to $2.5 million
Low End: $750,000 to $1 million

Just like in the NFL where the top quarterbacks account for around 20% of a team’s cap, the best portal quarterbacks this cycle are expected to command a hefty chunk of the pie. 

Top-ranked arms like Brendan Sorsby (from Cincinnati), Josh Hoover (from TCU) and Sam Leavitt (from Arizona State) are expected to reach — and possibly pass — the $3.5 million mark. 

It’s well-documented last cycle’s double dip (teams spending freely before rev-share caps were put into place over the summer) allowed teams to go gangbusters in transfer portal spending, including at QB where Duke made the little-known Darian Mensah famous for a $4 million annual salary. General managers thought there would be a downturn in spending at the position this cycle because of rev-share caps, but that sentiment has changed in recent weeks. 

Schools are figuring out creative ways to exceed the rev-share cap, usually through marketing deals the school can find for their high-profile QB1.  

“Six weeks I would have said no way,” an ACC GM said. “In the last six weeks people have figured out ways to construct a contract. You can put 15 deals together to get to $4 million.” 

What 20% of a team’s cap looks like depends on the school. Some Power Four programs will only be at the full revenue sharing max, around $14-18 million for each Power Four football programs. Other big spenders will be at $25 million-plus due to the outside name, image and likeness deals the program manages to generate. 

As for whether it makes sense to pay a quarterback that much, it’s a matter of debate for the general managers we spoke with. 

“Even if you’re at $25 million, are you really going to put 20 percent of your resources into one player?” a Big Ten GM said. “You better hope he’s good. You better hope he’s Fernando Mendoza or Diego Pavia – he has to be or that’s a bad investment.” 

Beyond the upper end of the market, the number required for a quality starter in the portal continues to creep up. Last year, quality-starting QBs could be found in the upper 600s and low million-dollar range. Now the same level of player costs $1.5 to $2.5 million. 

Even high-upside backups who haven’t started are making that sort of ask. 

“I don’t know in the portal if you’re going to get a guy experienced and proven (for) less than $2 million,” a SEC GM said. 

As for the low end of the market, there are some Power Four teams who could choose to go the discount route for a starter, be it a player jumping up from the FCS or Group of Five ranks — there are starters who’ve played a lot of snaps who can be found at that price — or betting on a player who’s shown flashes in short bursts on the Power Four level. 

Running back

High End: > $1 million
Average: $400,000 to $700,000
Low End: $250,000

Similar to the NFL, at the running back spot you’ll see some college teams really prioritize it and others shy away from spending big money. There are multiple running backs this cycle who could command seven figures if they enter the portal such as Louisville’s Isaac Brown and Florida’s Jaden Baugh. The idea of a $1-million plus running back prompted strong reactions.

“If you’re spending a million dollars on a running back, you need a new GM,” said one agent.

Said a Big Ten general manager: “The running back numbers have been absolutely stupid. They don’t make any sense.”

Still, there are those willing to invest major resources in a top running back just like the Philadelphia Eagles did in plucking Saquon Barkley away from the New York Giants or the Atlanta Falcons drafting Bijan Robinson 8th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. 

“I’m a bigger fan of running backs than the whole trend 10-15 years ago,” said an ACC general manager. “‘Oh don’t ever draft a running back in the first round’. Well, look at all the best ones that ever played. They were all drafted in the first round.” 

Once you get past the top-end running backs, most agree that you can get a good back in the $300,000-$500,000 range. 

Wide receiver

High End: $1 million to $2 million
Average: $500,000 to $800,000
Low End: $300,000 to $500,000

If you want a top receiver out of the transfer portal, be prepared to spend big. Auburn’s Cam Coleman could be in the $2 million range, predicted one Big Ten general manager. Coleman is ranked as the No. 1 overall transfer in Cooper Petagna’s 247Sports transfer portal rankings. 

Auburn star WR Cam Coleman to enter transfer portal: 7 potential destinations for No. 1 player in 2026 cycle

Cody Nagel

With receivers, it can depend on whether the player is viewed as a true No. 1 receiver or more of a No. 2. If you’re a true No. 1 with legitimate NFL talent, you’ll command $1 million and upward, especially the big-bodied outside plays. A Big Ten general manager, throwing out a hypothetical, said Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith could command up to $4 million for one year of his services should he transfer. Smith is a cut above the rest of the sport, though. The hypothetical gap between him and Coleman could be $2 million — though a bidding war could also push Coleman’s number above $2 million — while the gap between Coleman can be hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

As one Big 12 general manager explained: “$1 million for elite receivers, $1.5 million to $2 million for freak receivers and $400,000-$750,000 for everyone else.” 

A No. 2 starting receiver could be more in the $300,000-$600,000 range. What determines the price range for those? Some of it is based on production, some of it is based on traits and some of it is simply physical attributes. 

“Bigger, taller WRs, even without production, can be in that $600,000-$700,000 range,” said an agent. “Smaller guys/third guy is $200,000-$300,000. Decent guy is $400,000-$600,000 at No. 2. Tall guys get an extra $100,000.” 

In last year’s cycle, there were multiple receivers who were in the seven-figure range including Auburn’s Eric Singleton and Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion. Multiple receivers will hit that range again. 

Tight end

High End: $600,000 to $800,000
Average: $300,000 to $500,000
Low End: $200,000 to $300,000

Tight end is an eye-of-the-beholder position. Some schools don’t use them much in their offense. Others require two on the field at a time. The best ones can be game changers at receiver like Tanner Koziol was for Houston this year (727 yards, 6 TDs) for a 10-win team. Interestingly, Koziol transferred to Wisconsin first, didn’t mesh and reentered the portal in the spring to emerge as a difference maker for the Cougars. 

That’s why the range for tight ends is so varied. 

Value is there to be found on the lower range — with at least one all-conference player this year making $200,000 this year — but mostly it’s the block-first tight ends who fit in the lower range. Most starters will be between $300,000 to 500,000 while the elite players of the cycle, like Iowa State’s Benjamin Brahmer and Tulsa’s Brody Foley, will sit between $600,000-800,000.

Offensive Tackle 

High End: > $1 million
Average: $500,000 to $1 million
Low End: $300,000 to $500,000

Outside of quarterbacks, offensive tackle is the position that traditionally commanded the highest average premium. Even some non-proven tackles last cycle — think 300 or fewer snaps coming from a high-end Power Four program — commanded well into the seven-figure range last year. 

That seems to have shifted, or at least plateaued, this cycle. 

“That’s the one position that oddly feels like it’s the same market as last year,” the SEC GM said. 

As one agent with several high-level tackles — those located in the top 15 of the 247Sports rankings — put it: “Last year it seemed like if you were pretty good you could get a million. This year it seems like teams are shying away from a million. I’ve seen a lot of $700,000 to $900,000 offers for the tackles. The minute you ask for a million they clam up.” 

Regardless, elite tackles will still command a million-plus. There just aren’t that many of them with those like Auburn’s Xavier Chaplin and LSU’s Carius Curne fronting the market as currently constructed — and a few big names are floating out there still as hot rumors. 

Teams still have to pay up even for the solid starters. The average in the Power Four for that level of player will still sit between $500,000 and a million. Some teams will try to find value between $300,000 to $500,000 at tackle, but those players will either be FCS players jumping up or unproven Power Four players teams are taking a chance on. 

Interior Offensive Line

High End: $600,000 to $800,000
Average: $300,000 to $500,000
Low End: $200,000 to $300,000

Opinions on guard can vary depending on a team’s priorities. Seeing them as critical interior anchors and a huge piece of the run game, some high-profile programs are willing to shell out up to $800,000 for an elite guard. Other schools, even the  high-profile ones, consider them the most replaceable pieces on offense and allot around $400,000 on the high end. 

Thus, the salary range can be extreme. 

“A large-bodied guard could warrant $700-800K plus for a guy who could be drafted,” said one agent who represents a blue-chip guard. The agent noted there would only be a handful of those types this cycle.

Center is a more specialized position generally than guard, so the better ones tend to be a bit more expensive. A good center with experience will be in the $500,000 range, a little higher than the average on the inside. 

EDGE

High End: $1 million to $1.7 million
Average: $600,000 to $1 million
Low End: $300,000 to $500,000

After quarterback and offensive tackle, edge-rusher is the premium position where you’ll see considerable resources dedicated for many programs. If you have a game-wrecker at this position, it can open so much for you defensively and it’s why so many programs want a great one.

With high demand comes hefty prices. If a player like South Carolina’s Dylan Stewart, who recently re-upped with the Gamecocks, had instead hit the portal, he would have garnered in the $2 million range, according to a Big Ten personnel executive. If you want anyone even in the neighborhood of Stewart’s caliber, you’ll be spending seven figures this cycle. One general manager known for shopping in the expensive portal aisles said “the really good ones are between $1-$1.5 million.” 

Penn State edge-rusher Chazz Coleman is the top-rated edge transfer, according to 247Sports, and No. 2 overall transfer. 

Even just an average starting edge-rusher can command in the $700,000 range, according to a different Big Ten general manager.

“I don’t know if it’s desperation or scarcity,” the GM said, “but guys without a whole lot of production or proven impact are commanding eye-brow raising money.”

Defensive tackle

High End: $800,000 to > $1.5 million
Average: $500,000 to $700,000
Low End: $250,000 to $500,000

The scarcity of talented defensive tackles has made this a position of high value if you’re going shopping out of the transfer portal. The gem of this year’s class is Wake Forest’s Mateen Igirogba (No. 5 in 247Sports’ rankings) who could command in that range of $1.5 million or a little more. USC transfer Devin Thompkins, No. 11 in the rankings, is another expected to be in the seven-figure range. 

For a top interior defensive linemen, according to a Big Ten general manager, “to get you in the conversation it has to be at least $800,000.” An SEC GM summed it up well, “Decent DT for $400,000-$500,000, really good ones $700,000-plus. Great ones $1 million-plus.”

Linebacker

High end: > $700,000
Average: $250,000 to $500,000
Low end: $150,000 to $250,000

The general consensus is this is the cheapest starting position outside of the specialists. Multiple people we talked to believed you could get a good starter around $300,000. If you wanted an all-conference type, it’d be in the $600,000 range. While the linebacker position isn’t where programs like to spend up, Jacob Rodriguez, who finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting, proved this year at Texas Tech just how potent having a top linebacker can be. 

‘It’s like euphoria’: How Texas Tech All-American LB Jacob Rodriguez mastered the art of the punch-out fumble

Chris Hummer

Cornerback

High end: $800,000 to > $1 million
Average: $400,000 to $700,000
Low end: $150,000 to $350,000

In part because programs need so many cornerbacks, this position has one of the widest ranges in salary, according to one agent who represents multiple top options. Some programs really value the position while others prefer quantity over well-paid quality. 

Elite cornerbacks, especially in the Big Ten and SEC, can command $1 million and up. Another agent, who represents cornerbacks, says SEC and Big Ten schools will pay $700,000 to $800,000 for those 6-foot-1, 195-pound cornerback types that Nick Saban loved. Meanwhile ACC and Big 12 programs, excluding Texas Tech, might be more willing to accept a 5-foot-10 fast DB, and spend only $400,000. 

A viable starting cornerback is usually going to cost you $300,000 and up. If you want more of a higher end option, that number is more in the $400,000-$600,000 range. But a Power Four nickel back could be more in the $150,000 neighborhood. 

“That’s a position I feel you can get a good player for a reasonable number,” said the SEC GM. “It’s hard to get a proven player for a reasonable number. There are good players out there for less than $400,000.”

Safety 

High end: $700,000 to $1 million  
Average: $350,000 to $500,000
Low end: $200,000 to $350,000

Once again similar to how NFL teams see the position in the draft, there are a few programs that really value this position but the majority are going to see an opportunity to invest elsewhere. One GM even said it wasn’t an impact position. For those that really value it and want their version of a Caleb Downs-type, as if they grow on trees, that could cost up to $1 million. 

But, by and large, there is value to be found in the $350,000-$500,000 range. One agent even said that multiple schools told them that their budget was $350,000 for a starting safety. 

“It’s just a position where there’s a lot of them,” the agent said. “If you’re not elite they fall into a different bucket.” 

Specialists

General range: $50,000 to $200,000

Specialists make money, too! It’s not often discussed in portal season, but there’s a healthy market for specialists, especially the really good ones. Solid starters will be in the $50,000 to $100,000 range. But the best kickers and punters, especially in the Big Ten and SEC, can push between $100,000 and $200,000. 

One of the most talented wide receivers in the SEC has made his final decision when it comes to entering the transfer portal days before his team is set to appear in the second round of the College Football Playoff.

And it’s a decision that Alabama fans should welcome right before their team is set to take on the top seed team from the historic Rose Bowl.

Alabama star is staying put

Crimson Tide wide receiver Ryan Williams has stated that he will return to the school for the 2026 college football season.

“Of course. I’m Alabama through and through. I have no intentions of being anywhere else,” Williams told reporters before the Tide’s appearance in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal game.

So he’s not going into the portal? “Nah,” he said.

Coming off an impressive comeback victory against Oklahoma in the first round, Alabama is set to face off against undefeated No. 1 overall seed Indiana in the second-round fixture from Pasadena on New Year’s Day, and Williams should be a big part of its game plan.

Williams burst onto the scene last fall

Williams made a name for himself as a 17-year-old freshman last season, catching 48 passes for 865 yards and eight touchdowns in addition to two rushing scores.

The wideout’s gravity-defying and acrobatic plays in a statement win against Georgia, in particular, made him a household name among college football fans in the SEC and nationally.

And he was able to parlay that success into a solid NIL valuation, ranking among the top 50 players in the NCAA and in the top 35 in football with a reported $1.6 million estimation, according to the On3 Sports national rankings.

This was a down year, though

Expectations were through the roof coming off his debut campaign, but Williams’ production didn’t live as much up to the hype in his sophomore effort.

The wideout recorded 43 receptions for 636 yards and just four touchdowns in 2025, although he had a strong outing against Wisconsin early this fall, when he secured 5 grabs for 165 yards and two of his touchdown catches.

“This season has presented a lot of opportunities for me and my squad,” Williams said at the Rose Bowl media day from L.A.

He added: “Learning opportunities. On the field opportunities. Really just growing as an individual.”

How the college football transfer portal works

College football’s transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2, but that hasn’t stopped a flurry of players from entering their names for consideration at a new school right now.

The new 15-day transfer portal window from Jan. 2-16 and the elimination of the spring transfer period has condensed the timeline for players and programs to make their moves.

The NCAA Transfer Portal is a private database that includes the names of student-athletes in every sport at the Division I, II, and III levels. The full list of names is not available to the public.

But to hear the Alabama star speak for himself, it appears Ryan Williams will not be among those names.

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