Unfortunately for the Group of Six, many of those schools lose a lot of their best players to the transfer portal. And some of those athletes become stars at Power Four schools and go on to be highly-rated NFL prospects.
But that also provides opportunities for G6 schools, as they can offer playing time for backups at P4 schools and give them chances to shine on the field rather than sit on the sideline.
The transfer portal is open just once this year, which is a change from years past and makes the upcoming days a bit more urgent for all college football programs.
Here’s a look at some of the most significant recent moves in the transfer portal:
Drew Mestemaker To Oklahoma State
Drew Mestemaker is the best quarterback in the transfer portal this season and surely garnered plenty of interest from Power Four schools. But the former North Texas quarterback is following head coach Eric Morris from UNT to Oklahoma State.
Mestemaker was the HERO Sports Group of Five Player of the Year and the American Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2025.
Mestemaker, who was a redshirt freshman this season, led the country with 4,379 yards and 34 touchdowns through the air while throwing just nine interceptions and completing 69% of his passes. His 34 TD passes was a single-season program record and his 4,379 yards was a school record, was an American Conference freshman record, and was the second-most by a freshman in FBS history.
Mestemaker was one of the best stories in college football. The Austin, Texas, native is a former walk-on who was a backup in high school before he got his chance at UNT.
This year, he led UNT (12-2) to its first 12-win season and its first American Conference Championship berth as the Mean Green were first in the country in total offense (512.4 yards per game) and scoring offense (45.1 points per game). He won the Burlsworth Award, which goes to the country’s best player who began as a walk-on.
At 6-foot-4, 211 pounds, Mestemaker has a good arm, is poised in the pocket, is accurate, makes good decisions, and is young.
Byrum Brown To Auburn
It doesn’t surprise me at all that former USF QB Byrum Brown ended up at a big-name school. He’s transferring to Auburn, where former USF head coach Alex Golesh is leading the program.
Brown led the FBS with 347.2 yards of total offense per game. He was responsible for 256 points, which also ranked first in the country. He was seventh in passing efficiency, eighth with 28 passing touchdowns, 21st with 3,158 passing yards, and 33rd with a 66.3% completion percentage.
Brown has been one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in college football statistically in the past few decades.
Anthony Colandrea To Nebraska
After one season at UNLV, Anthony Colandrea is going to Nebraska.
After transferring from Virginia, Colandrea was instantly successful in his one year at UNLV.
The Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year was sixth in the country with 3,459 passing yards. He was also 11th in the nation with 198 points responsible for and 12th with 293.4 yards of total offense per game. He was tied for 28th with 23 passing TDs, 29th in passing efficiency, and 36th with a 65.9% completion rate.
Colandrea is an excellent dual-threat QB who can impact a game on the ground as well. Considering what he’s done in his career, he could be regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in all of college football by the end of 2026.
Alonza Barnett III To UCF
Alonza Barnett III, the Sun Belt Player of the Year and a G5 All-American while at James Madison, is going to UCF.
Barnett’s career hasn’t been smooth, as he was benched as a redshirt freshman and suffered a season-ending injury in 2024. But he’s battled to get where he’s at, including a College Football Playoff appearance in 2025.
Barnett was fourth in the nation with 232 points responsible for. He’s tied for 28th with 23 passing TDs and is 43rd with 2,806 passing yards.
To me, Barnett is also one of the most impressive deep passers in the FBS.
Colton Joseph To Wisconsin
Colton Joseph has been a solid quarterback in the Sun Belt the past few years. The former Old Dominion quarterback certainly made another step in his development in 2025, and now he’s transferring to Wisconsin.
Joseph was eighth in the country with 302.6 yards of total offense per game and was tied for ninth with 204 points responsible for. He was also 24th in passing efficiency and tied for 35th with 21 passing TDs.
Joseph will be a junior in 2026, so I could see him being even better in the Big Ten as he continues to get older and improve.
Amari Odom To Syracuse
Amari Odom, a first-team All-Conference USA quarterback at Kennesaw State, is transferring to Syracuse.
Odom, a 6-4, 205-pound redshirt sophomore last year, threw for 2,594 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions on a 65% completion rate. He also rushed for 347 yards and seven touchdowns.
Odom spent one year at KSU after transferring from Wofford. In 2024, he played in eight games and threw for 1,565 yards and seven touchdowns on 117-of-211 passing.
Katin Houser To Illinois
Former East Carolina quarterback Katin Houser is returning to the Big Ten.
After beginning his collegiate career at Michigan State and playing two seasons at ECU, Houser is going to Illinois. He was a standout quarterback in the American Conference since he became the starter in 2024.
In 21 career games at ECU, he threw for 5,306 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions with a 64% completion rate. He also rushed for 363 yards and 13 touchdowns. In 2025 alone, he threw for 3,300 yards, 19 TDs, and six picks on a 66% completion percentage to go with 193 yards and nine TDs rushing.
Jaylen Raynor To Iowa State
Jaylen Raynor has been one of the top quarterbacks in the Sun Belt the past few years. The former Arkansas State QB is going to Iowa State, joining Keith Heckendorf, Arkansas State’s former offensive coordinator who will be Iowa State’s QBs coach.
Raynor, the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year in 2023, threw for 8,687 yards, 52 touchdowns, and 28 interceptions on a 63% completion rate. He also rushed for 1,190 yards and 15 TDs. In 2025 alone, he recorded career highs for passing yards (3,361), passing touchdowns (19), completion rate (66%), rushing yards (423), and rushing TDs (seven).
Raynor led the Red Wolves during three consecutive bowl-eligible seasons. Now we’ll see what he can do in the Big 12.
