The college football transfer portal officially opened on Friday, Jan. 2, and it's changing the chemistry of college football teams across the U.S. Now, Michigan State is going through a complete change of guard after losing 40 players to the portal.
The NCAA transfer portal, according to the NCAA, is an online database for college athletes to declare their desire to transfer and play for a different college. After a student declares, coaches are able to contact the players for recruitment.
As of Jan. 2, 40 players have already declared for the transfer portal, and even though some may decide to stay, it wouldn't be a shock to see nearly all of them leave.
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Recruitments in the transfer portal happen fast. Michigan State is back in session on Tuesday, Jan. 13, so there's just a small window of time to get these players enrolled in classes and on the roster for 2026.
Even though losing 40 players to the transfer portal sounds bad, the upside is that MSU is able to look at players from other schools in the portal and craft its lineup. The Spartans absolutely need a good group of players from the portal for any chance at a winning 2026-27 season, since so many students are in the portal or will be graduating.
Michigan State needs a successful run in the transfer portal if it hopes to have any success in 2026. The Spartans are thin at nearly every spot on the field, with so many players either running out of eligibility or leaving voluntarily
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Michigan State's new head coach, Pat Fitzgerald, has to be laser-focused on the portal, and it's not hyperbole that which players the team signs during this time will determine the outcome of his inaugural season.
The transfer portal window closes Jan. 16, but players in the national championship game get an extra five-day window. Of course, MSU didn't go to a bowl, so their portal window closes on Jan. 16.
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Currently, there are no official additions to Michigan State's roster via the transfer portal. So, Fitzgerald has to work hard and fast before Jan. 16 to lock in talent, although he's already locking in key coaching staff.