Bevies of college football players have made the decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal in the 2026 offseason.

In the weeks leading up to the portal’s opening, quarterbacks have dominated the headlines surrounding the entrants in the 2026 offseason. DJ Lagway, Brendan Sorsby, Dylan Raiola and Josh Hoover are among the most recent entries into the portal at quarterback.

The first well-known entry into the portal at quarterback was Sam Leavitt of Arizona State. Leavitt is entering the portal with two seasons of eligibility left.

The next school Leavitt transfers to will be his third in his college football journey. The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder began his collegiate career at Michigan State for his redshirt freshman season in 2023.

He has passed for 4,652 yards, 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while rushing for 810 yards and 10 touchdowns in three seasons. He earned Second Team All-Big 12 distinction and Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2024.

While the portal has not officially opened, three schools have begun to separate themselves in the race for Sam Leavitt. Below is a look at the three schools that appear to be the final choices for Leavitt in the coming weeks.

LSU

Only two of the four quarterbacks to start for Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss were recruited by the Rebels out of high school. Both Jaxson Dart (USC) and Trinidad Chambliss (Ferris State) arrived in Oxford via the transfer portal.

LSU also has a strong track record with quarterbacks transferring in over the last decade, as both Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels won Heisman Trophies two years after transferring in. As it relates to Leavitt, Daniels came to Baton Rouge by way of Arizona State in the 2022 offseason.

Oregon

Oregon has established itself as a destination for quarterbacks out of the transfer portal. Anthony Brown (Boston College), Bo Nix (Auburn), Dillon Gabriel (Oklahoma), and Dante Moore (UCLA) have all transferred to the Ducks and have each won 10 or more games in each season.

Adding to Leavitt’s interest in Oregon is its proximity to his hometown. He is from West Linn, Oregon, a suburb located just south of Portland.

Indiana

Indiana is the final school Leavitt is eyeing. The transfer portal has been crucial to Indiana fielding successful quarterbacks under Curt Cignetti.

The Hoosiers grabbed Kurtis Rourke from Ohio in the 2024 offseason and immediately went to a College Football Playoff the following season. California transfer Fernando Mendoza immediately won a Big Ten Championship and a Heisman Trophy and clinched the No. 1 seed in the 2025 College Football Playoff.

A messy player-school NIL dispute just got messier.

Less than a month after Georgia sued Damon Wilson II for transfer damages, Missouri’s star pass rusher filed a countersuit against Georgia, setting up a potentially precedent-setting NIL legal battle between an athlete and school.

“Recent court decisions have changed the landscape of college football and paved the way for NIL payments,” Bogdan Susan, one of Wilson’s attorneys, told PowerMizzou.com. “What has not changed is that college football players still have only four years of competition to realize their potential and try to achieve their dreams of playing in the NFL. A lot of trust is put into the colleges and coaching staffs. Coaches are not limited to four years of competition. The University of Georgia has been playing football for over 133 years. Damon has four years to play and he spent half of that time at Georgia. Decisions to transfer are not always about money. Stopping a young man from pursuing his dreams by forcing him to pay money that he has not received is just wrong.”

Wilson filed a 42-page complaint in Boone County, Mo. on Tuesday morning, an action first reported by The Athletic, alleging a civil conspiracy involving Georgia and its collective  for trying to “penalize Wilson for his decision to transfer.” The defendants named in the suit are the University of Georgia Athletic Association, the Classic City Collective and former Classic City CEO’s Matt Hibbs and Taylor Potts.

The suit alleges Georgia didn’t immediately put Wilson’s name in the transfer portal last January and also lied about his buyout, telling multiple unnamed Power 4 programs that they’d owe Georgia $1.2 million if Wilson transferred to their school. 

“UGAA’s actions signal that it is stuck in its old ways. The era of universities exerting total control over the career trajectories and rights of their student-athletes has been dead for nearly half a decade. Nonetheless, UGAA has demonstrated that, left to its own devices, it will attempt to exploit every loophole to deprive student-athletes like Wilson of the ability to reap the benefits of full and fair competition for their NIL rights. 23. No longer willing to endure UGAA’s harassment campaign and ready to hold UGAA and CCC accountable for their tortious interference with his business expectations when he entered the portal and chose to transfer, their breach of the Term Sheet’s Confidentiality Agreement, and UGAA’s efforts to tarnish his reputation as he pursues his lifelong dream of playing in the NFL, Wilson brings this action.”

Wilson’s claim hinges largely on the document signed by the player, the Classic City Collective and Hibbs and Potts. The involved parties signed a term sheet. Wilson’s suit claims the term sheet is not binding.

“The Term Sheet stated that it ‘preced[es]’ a ‘full License and Option Agreement,’ and specifically provided: ‘In the event the parties agree to this Term Sheet, then they shall work cooperatively to set forth these terms in a full legal contract including all the standard provisions of NIL licensing agreements.’ The Term Sheet further stated that Wilson ‘should seek legal counsel before finalizing the full License and Option Agreement.'”

The suit claims that Wilson, as part of a group of Georgia players, “without counsel present and with UGAA employees telling him that time was of the essence.” The suit alleges not only that Wilson signed the term sheet under pressure, but that the full binding contract was never presented, much less signed.

“The parties thus never executed a legally binding agreement containing any of the provisions in the Term Sheet,” the suit states.

The suit further claims that UGAA and the Classic City Collective violated the term sheet’s confidentiality agreement “by disclosing one or more of the Term Sheet’s provisions to sympathetic news outlets and affiliates to tarnish Wilson’s reputation.” 

This is believed to be the first time a school and an athlete have taken each other to court over an NIL issue. The resolution could depend on whether or not Wilson’s NIL agreement with Georgia’s collective was a binding contract.

The UGAA lawsuit against Wilson recently filed seeks liquidated damages of $390,000. Wilson’s countersuit claims those funds are not liquidated damages, but instead penalties for transferring from Georgia. 

“A penalty provision masquerading as a “liquidated damages” provision is unenforceable,” the filing reads. “It makes no effort to reasonably quantify damages that are difficult to ascertain, and it serves only to penalize Wilson for his decision to enter the transfer portal.”

Wilson’s suit also alleges defamation against UGAA, referencing a statement from Chief Marketing Officer Steven Drummond made to ESPN: “When the University of Georgia Athletic Association enters binding agreements with student-athletes, we honor our commitments and expect student-athletes to do the same.”

The suit clams “UGAA’s statement implies that Wilson is dishonest in his business dealings and his profession, impairing his ability to enter into future NIL agreements, and harms his reputation.”

Wilson was one of the top edge defenders in the SEC in 2025, recording 9 sacks, tied for third-most in the SEC, and 49 total pressures, second-most in the SEC. He is currently expected to play for Missouri in the Taxslayer Gator Bowl on Saturday. He has not declared his intent for next season. He has until January 14 to enter his name into the NFL Draft as an underclassman. 

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Cody Goodwin covers the Missouri Tigers for PowerMizzou and 247Sports. Follow him on Twitter/X at @codygoodwin.

PowerMizzou.com publisher Gabe DeArmond contributed to this report.

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Missouri linebacker Damon Wilson II is suing the University of Georgia’s athletic association and its Classic City Collective, which he says is attempting to “punish” him through a “coordinated campaign” for his decision to transfer. Earlier this month, Georgia sought $390,000 in damages citing a clause in Wilson’s NIL contract after his departure to another SEC program.

The lawsuit initiated what appears to be a landmark case in college football, which now includes the plaintiff fighting back with his own legal documents. Highlighting a 42-page complaint filed Dec. 23 in Boone County, Missouri, Wilson’s attorneys claim Georgia tried to sabotage their client’s potential destinations after employees “falsely” told “at least three programs that — if Wilson left Georgia and joined their programs — Wilson would be subject to a $1.2 million buyout.”

The complaint claims Georgia “continued to assert similar demands in an effort to harass Wilson and impair his on-field performance for a conference rival” throughout the 2025 regular season.

Wilson signed a new deal with Georgia’s NIL collective in December 2024 during the College Football Playoff, but entered the transfer portal and moved to Missouri weeks later. While documents show Georgia paid Wilson $30,000 under the terms of the new deal before his departure, the athletic department states Wilson owed a $390,000 lump sum within 30 days of his exit.

The contract was a 14-month agreement worth $500,000, which was set to be paid in monthly $30,000 increments. Georgia would have also paid Wilson two $40,000 retention bonuses at the end of the NCAA transfer portal windows. The exit clause states that Wilson would owe a lump-sum payment worth the total he would have received if he remained with the program through the duration of the contract.

“The era of universities exerting total control over the career trajectories and rights of their student-athletes has been dead for nearly half a decade,” Wilson’s complaint said. “Nonetheless, UGAA has demonstrated that, left to its own devices, it will attempt to exploit every loophole to deprive student-athletes like Wilson of the ability to reap the benefits of full and fair competition for their NIL rights.”

The previous term sheet signed by Wilson, his representation argues, was not a “legally binding document” as Georgia states. 

“CCC failed even to present Wilson what it promised in the Term Sheet — a “full License and Option Agreement,” the lawsuit said. “The parties thus never executed a legally binding agreement containing any of the provisions in the Term Sheet.”

Wilson appeared in 26 games at Georgia from during the 2023 and 2024 seasons and projected to be an impact starter prior to his decision to leave the program.

Georgia’s NIL collective’s two now-former CEOs — Matt Hibbs and Tanner Potts — were named in the lawsuit. Wilson seeks a “fair and reasonable amount of damages” for “financial and reputational harm he has suffered” in the aftermath of playing at Missouri this season. 

A University of Missouri athlete countersued his former university on Tuesday.

Mizzou Football’s defensive end, Damon Wilson II, is countersuing the University of Georgia for damages regarding Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) money.

The lawsuit comes after the University of Georgia Athletic Association (UGAA) sued Wilson for allegedly violating a Term Sheet that he had signed in December 2024 during the College Football Playoffs.

The paperwork was presented to him by the Classic City Collective, Inc. (CCC), a supporter-funded platform used by UGAA to license student-athletes’ NIL rights, according to court records.

Wilson’s legal counsel argued that the signed Term Sheet was never a legally binding contract, as the documentation included the line, “In the event the parties agree to this Term Sheet, then they shall work cooperatively to set forth these terms in a full legal contract, including all the standard provisions of NIL licensing agreements.”

His attorney further noted that the CCC never presented him with what was promised in the Term Sheet or used it as a base to create a full legal License and Option Agreement contract.

Court documents reported that four days after Wilson signed the Term Sheet, and no legally binding contract was created, finalized or signed, CCC sent him $30,000 on Christmas Day.

Approximately one week later, Georgia’s season ended in a loss and the defensive end entered the transfer portal, eventually deciding to transfer to the University of Missouri to expand his opportunities of getting exposed to the NFL.

Less than three weeks later, CCC issued a termination notice to Wilson following his transfer announcement, which included a claim that would have required him to pay “all remaining License Fees that would have otherwise been payable under” the Term Sheet, which was a total of $390,000.

The lawsuit accused UGAA of violating the confidentiality agreement by publicly disclosing the full, signed Term Sheet to news outlets, on the public docket and by contacting at least three major college football programs to falsely claim that if Wilson left Georgia, then he would be subject to a 1.2 million buyout.

“UGAA’s actions signal that it is stuck in its old ways. The era of universities exerting total control over the career trajectories and rights of their student-athletes has been dead for nearly half a decade,” read the lawsuit. “Nonetheless, UGAA has demonstrated that, left to its own devices, it will attempt to exploit every loophole to deprive student-athletes like Wilson of the ability to reap the benefits of full and fair competition for their NIL rights.”

The petition stated that Wilson will not endure harassment from the UGAA and hold them accountable for interfering with his “business expectations when he entered the portal and chose to transfer, their breach of the Term Sheet’s Confidentiality Agreement and UGAA’s efforts to tarnish his reputation as he pursues his lifelong dream of playing in the NFL.”

Turns out, the rivalry between Notre Dame and USC was close to being saved earlier this season. According to Ryan Kartje of The Los Angeles Times, the two programs almost announced a 2026 game had been scheduled. However, the agreement Notre Dame put together with the College Football Playoff changed things for the Trojans.

“USC and Notre Dame were close to announcing a continuation of their rivalry earlier this season, a source told @latimes,” Kartje said via X. “USC was ready to compromise and play the ’26 game in November But then USC learned of ND’s agreement w/ the CFP to have a guaranteed spot if in the top 12.

“In light of Notre Dame’s agreement re: CFP, which USC hadn’t been aware of, USC reversed course on its plan to compromise and insisted that the ND game be played in Week Zero in 2026. A source said they felt ND’s agreement was ‘a material advantage’ that could disadvantage USC.”

Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua revealed this agreement, also called an MOU, with the CFP after this past Selection Sunday. If the Irish are placed inside the top-12 moving forward, they are guaranteed a spot in the field. The same is true if the CFP expands to 14 teams, as Notre Dame would need to be ranked inside the top 13.

If the MOU were in effect this season, Notre Dame would have gotten into the field over Miami despite being ranked lower. Miami also held the head-to-head matchup, jumping Notre Dame at the last possible moment. This scenario playing out against USC was apparently a concern for administration in Los Angeles.

“Had Notre Dame had its new agreement with the CFP committee in place in 2025, the Irish would’ve gotten in over Miami, who beat them earlier in the season,” Kartje said via X. “That scenario was a concern to USC.”

Now, for just the second time since World War II, there will not be a game between Notre Dame and USC. It’s one of the more storied rivalries in college football despite the two never sharing a conference. We are not too far away from 100 games between them, sitting at 93 after the 2025 edition took place in South Bend.

Notre Dame already has a game on the ’26 and ’27 schedule to replace USC. A home-and-home series will take place with BYU, a team they could have played in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in a few days.