The transfer portal has radically challenged the college football landscape.

What was once a way for a few players to plead their case for a chance to switch schools has now become one of the most active free agency periods in all of sports.

Instead of needing to recruit high school students and hope the development turns them into future stars, programs can now change their entire outlook in one offseason by signing already-developed talent in the transfer portal.

For many teams like the Indianas and Vanderbilts of the world, backed by strong NIL foundations and donors, it’s been a godsend.

For the James Madison Dukes, the loveable, scrappy underdog story of the 2025 season, making it all the way to the College Football Playoff, the transfer portal is a monster that they can’t fight off.

A week after their loss to the Oregon Ducks on the road in the first round of the CFP, their fearless leader, Bob Chesney, is already drinking mimosas in Los Angeles in his new job at UCLA.

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Beyond that, their quarterback and on-field captain, Alonza Barnett III, is transferring to join a bigger, more well-funded program in the new year.

He isn’t the only offensive player to leave the Dukes. In fact, all 11 of their starters from the College Football Playoff are either graduating or have entered the transfer portal, leaving James Madison barren.

Overall, it’s expected that over 80% of the players they would have hoped to make some sort of impact with the team in 2026 will be gone in a few short weeks as they try to get a deal to move up the college football hierarchy.

There are rumors that James Madison has built an NIL backend that would put them in good standing alongside other schools of their stature, but what can they do when Barnett III might receive an offer greater than their entire team fund?

The Dukes will do the best they can to rebuild as the new era continues roaring on in college football, and we’ll see where these former underdogs call home amongst the Power Four schools.

The transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2, 2026.