The Division I football transfer portal window will likely continue getting adjusted.
Most coaches and fans like the one transfer portal window instead of two. But is it better for that one window to be in January or in the spring? And will it take just one lawsuit for a court to rule that the NCAA can’t enforce a single transfer portal window?
If the one transfer portal window continues, there are pros and cons to having it in the winter or the spring. From a media perspective, though, having the one window in January is awesome. While it does make for a hectic December and January of players rushing to get into the portal (or announcing they plan to enter), what’s great is that we know who is returning for each team by late January.
It’s early February now, and we know which quarterbacks are coming back, how many starting offensive linemen a team has back, how many key defensive players are returning, etc. That allows us to talk more clearly about the upcoming year throughout the long offseason, rather than saying, “Well, we’ll see what the roster looks like in April.”
With that said, let’s take an early look at who the 2025 FCS semifinalists have back in 2026.
We examine the rosters and count how many offensive and defensive key contributors are returning.
Key contributors = offensive/defensive players who played 250+ snaps last season
Montana State
26 key contributors returning (250+ snaps)
MSU’s national championship roster remains largely intact. The Bobcats return 11 of 17 offensive players who logged 250+ snaps last season and 15 of 22 defensive players.
The offense is highlighted by an All-American-level QB-RB-WR trio. Justin Lamson threw for 3,172 yards, 26 touchdowns, and three interceptions while rushing for 734 yards and 16 TDs in his debut season. Adam Jones is a back-to-back 1,000-yard rusher. Taco Dowler went over 1,000 yards receiving last season, and the Cats also return their No. 2 and 3 receivers (Dane Steel, Jabez Woods) and top tight end (Rocky Lencioni).
Three full-time starting offensive linemen return in Braden Zimmer, Titan Fleischmann, and Burke Mastel. Everett Carr adds valuable experience with 270 snaps played last year.
The defense returns an impressive 15 players with 250+ snaps. Cornerback and defensive line depth will be question marks, though, as the Cats lost three corners to the FBS and graduated their entire starting d-line. MSU returns all of its top linebackers and safeties.
MSU’s top three tacklers are all back — linebacker Cole Taylor (107 tackles), safety Caden Dowler (91 tackles, 6 INT), and LB Bryce Grebe (72 tackles). Safety/nickel Tayden Gray also returns after playing the second-most snaps with 787 (trailing Taylor’s 836). Safety Bryant Meredith (732 snaps) and CB Takhari Carr (411) add strong experience to the secondary.
New starters need to emerge across the defensive line, but a deep rotation results in decent experience returning. Defensive ends Zac Crews and Dominic Solano logged between 488 and 550 snaps in 2025. Crews finished No. 2 on the team with six sacks. Tackles Talon Marsh and Zack Black played between 258 and 288 snaps last season, and expect to see their workloads increase in 2026.
RELATED: How Many FCS Teams Have Won Consecutive National Championships?
Illinois State
15 key contributors returning (250+ snaps)
After falling just short of its first FCS national championship, Illinois State returns 7 of 17 offensive players who played 250+ snaps and 8 of 17 defensive players.
Replacing starting quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse is the top question for the offense. But an experienced offensive line, a standout running back, and two good receivers make that job easier.
Landon Woodard and Logan Brasfield are back after logging more than 950 snaps on the o-line last season. Brayden Jellison returns as well with 700+ snaps played in 2025, while Ben Wallace, another returner, added nearly 400 reps. Leading rusher and standout RB Victor Dawson is back, coming off a 1,300-yard season. Stud receiver Daniel Sobkowicz is off to the NFL, but the next two WRs are back in Dylan Lord and Luke Mailander, both of whom tallied more than 670 receiving yards. Lord had an elite performance in the natty.
Defensively, the Redbirds bring back eight players who recorded at least 250 snaps.
The top three tacklers all return — Tye Niekamp (160 tackles, 16 TFLs), safety La’Shavion Brown (93 tackles), and LB Mason Kaplan (81 tackles). Niekamp is an early favorite for the Buck Buchanan Award, and his brother, Dexter, is also back after tallying 50 tackles last year. Cornerback Doreon Dubose (567 snaps) and defensive tackle Travis Jones (409) bring back solid experience, but the Redbirds do lose a lot of production at those spots.
Villanova
16 key contributors returning (250+ snaps)
Coming off a semifinal appearance, Villanova returns 9 of 15 offensive players who played at least 250 snaps and 7 of 15 defensive players.
The Wildcats have to replace starting quarterback Pat McQuaide. But they will boast an experienced offensive line and a strong running back room. Three offensive linemen who logged between 650 and 885 snaps are back — Kyle Fay, Chris McCuller, and Quin Whalen. Ryan Cregan is also back after playing a little more than 300 snaps. The top two rushers are set to return — Ja’briel Mace (946 yards, 11 TDs) and Isaiah Ragland (755 yards, 2 TDs). No. 3 WR Braden Reed and No. 4 WR Chris Colby are back after combining for more than 800 receiving yards.
The defense has to replace its top three tacklers. Linebacker Turner Inge will be looked at as a leader after finishing No. 4 in tackles, totaling 56. LB Omari Bursey added 500+ snaps last year with 50 tackles and 8.5 TFLs, while safety Garrett Rogan played more than 430 snaps. Capri Martin added 7.5 TFLs and is the top returner in snaps played last season, logging 655 reps.
Montana
9 key contributors returning (250+ snaps)
After a run to the semifinals, Montana returns 4 of 17 offensive players who logged 250 or more snaps and 5 of 18 defensive players.
Similar to their rivals, the Grizzlies return a star-studded offensive trio. Keali’i Ah Yat led the FCS in passing yards (4,070) as just a redshirt sophomore. He’ll have Freshman All-American receiver Brooks Davis to work with, who finished No. 2 on the team with 54 catches for 698 yards and five touchdowns. And in the backfield, Eli Gillman was a massive retention. Heading into his senior season, the multi-time All-American has 3,677 career rushing yards and 49 touchdowns. He went over 1,500 yards on the ground last year with 21 scores. While the skilled talent will be elite, the big question mark will be replacing all five starters on the o-line.
On defense, the Griz bring back just one of their top 12 players in snaps played. Linebacker Peyton Wing returns after a standout season, tallying 710+ snaps, 78 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, and four interceptions. Four players are back who logged between 330 and 385 snaps. Defensive ends Jake Mason and Hayden Schwartz combined for 10 TFLs. Safety Kade Boyd recorded 33 tackles and two interceptions. Linebacker Clay Oven registered 49 stops and two sacks.
