Lane Kiffin is many things, but he’s certainly no victim in move to LSU

He could have stayed at Ole Miss, made over $10 million a year, led his 11-1 team into a home playoff game and become an icon at a place where he supposedly found personal tranquility. Or he could’ve left for LSU to make over $10 million a year leading a program that has won three national titles this century.

Fortunate would be one description of such a fork in life’s road. The result of endless work and talent would be another.

But apparently no one knows a man’s burdens until they’ve walked a mile in his hot yoga pants.

Per his resignation statement on social media, it was spiritual, familial and mentor guidance that led Kiffin to go to LSU, not all those five-star recruits in New Orleans.

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“After a lot of prayer and time spent with family, I made the difficult decision to accept the head coaching position at LSU,” he wrote.

In an interview with ESPN’s Marty Smith, Kiffin noted “my heart was [at Ole Miss], but I talked to some mentors, Coach [Pete] Carroll, Coach [Nick] Saban. Especially when Coach Carroll said, ‘Your dad would tell you to go. Take the shot.'” Kiffin later added: “I talked to God, and he told me it’s time to take a new step.”

After following everyone else’s advice, Kiffin discovered those mean folks at Ole Miss wouldn’t let him keep coaching the Rebels through the College Football Playoff on account of the fact Kiffin was now, you know, the coach of rival LSU.

Apparently quitting means different things to different people. Shame on Ole Miss for having some self-esteem.

“I was hoping to complete a historic six-season run … ,” Kiffin said. “My request to do so was denied by [Rebels athletic director] Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance.”

Well, if he hoped enough, Kiffin could have just stayed and done it. He didn’t. Trying to paint this as an Ole Miss decision, not a Lane Kiffin decision, is absurd. You are either in or you are out.

Leaving was Kiffin’s right, of course. He chose what he believes are greener pastures. It might work out; LSU, despite its political dysfunction, is a great place to coach ball.

Kiffin should have just put out a statement saying his dream is to win a national title, and as good as Ole Miss has become, he thinks his chance to do it is so much better at LSU that it was worth giving up on his current players, who formed his best and, really, first nationally relevant team.

At least it would be his honest opinion.

Lately, 50-year-old Kiffin has done all he can to paint himself as a more mature version of a once immature person. In the end, though, he is who he is. That includes traits that make him a very talented football coach. He is unique.

He might never live down being known as the coach who bailed on a title contender. It’s his life, though. It’s his reputation.

One of college sports’ original sins was turning playcallers into life-changers. Yeah, that can happen, boys can become men. A coach’s job is to win, though.

A great coach doesn’t have to be loyal or thoughtful or an example of how life should be lived.

This is the dichotomy of what you get when you hire Kiffin. He was on a heater in Oxford, winning in a way he never did with USC or Tennessee or the Oakland Raiders.

That seemingly should continue at resource-rich LSU. Along the way, you get a colorful circus, a wrestling character with a whistle, a high-wire act that could always break bad. It rarely ends well — from airport firings to near-riot-inducing resignations to an exasperated Nick Saban.

LSU should just embrace it — the good and the not so good. What’s more fun than being the villain? Kiffin might be a problem child, but he’s your problem child. It will probably get you a few more victories on Saturdays. He will certainly get you a few more laughs on social media.

It worked for Ole Miss, at least until it didn’t. Then the Rebels had to finally push him aside. This is Lane Kiffin. You can hardly trust him in the good times.

If anything, Carter had been too nice. He probably should have demanded Kiffin pledge his allegiance weeks back, after Kiffin’s family visited Gainesville, Florida, as well as Baton Rouge.

Instead, Kiffin hemmed and hawed and extended the soap opera, gaining leverage along the way.

Blame was thrown on the “calendar,” even though it was coaches such as Kiffin who created it. And leaving a championship contender is an individual choice that no one else is making.

Blame was put on Ole Miss, as if it should just accept desperate second-class hostage status. Better to promote defensive coordinator Pete Golding and try to win with the people who want to be there.

To Kiffin, the idea of winning is seemingly all that matters. Not necessarily winning, but the idea of winning. Potential playoff teams count for more than current ones. Tomorrow means more than today. Next is better than now.

Maybe that mindset is what got him here, got him all these incredible opportunities, including his new one at LSU, where he must believe he is going to win national title after national title.

So go do that, unapologetically. Own it. Own the decision. Own the quitting. Own the fallout. Everything is possible in Baton Rouge, just not the Victim Lane act.

College football’s top 25 portal classes from the 2026 cycle

Craig HaubertJan 23, 2026, 07:30 AM ET

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College football’s lone transfer portal window for the 2026 season has, for all intents and purposes, closed. Thousands of players entered and programs across the country vigorously filled needs — and in some cases radically overhauled their roster. Even in a condensed two-week window, the movement left behind a wake of change.

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Some programs prioritized retention and leaned more heavily on traditional recruiting, a path that can still produce winning results. Regardless of approach, the portal touches every program.

While roster movement isn’t over — players who entered the portal prior to last week’s deadline are still free to sign in the coming days and weeks — the fervor has died down, allowing us to examine which programs best utilized the portal to strengthen their roster for the upcoming season.

Here are our top portal classes for the 2026 cycle:

1. LSU Tigers

LSU knew hiring Lane Kiffin would invite plenty of scrutiny, but also plenty of big fish in the transfer portal. Kiffin lived up to his reputation as a dealmaker by securing multiple top players in the portal.

Landing quarterback Sam Leavitt from Arizona State was a high-wire act, but the Tigers emerged from the transfer cycle with one of the most dynamic players available and, if all goes according to plan, Leavitt’s heir apparent in Husan Longstreet of USC. A cavalcade of new receivers, including Eugene Wilson III (Florida), Jayce Brown (Kansas State), Tre’ Brown III (Old Dominion) and Winston Watkins (Ole Miss) should help revamp LSU’s passing attack.

Add in Boise State defensive back Ty Benefield, who had the seventh-most tackles (105) among defensive backs nationally in 2025, and some reinforcements along the defensive line, including top-ranked edge Princewill Umanmielen, and the Tigers reloaded about as well as they could have hoped, though their offensive line depth remains a bit murky.

2. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Nailing a transfer portal class can alter the trajectory of a program. Just ask Texas Tech, which dominated the portal in 2025, then reached the College Football Playoff. The Red Raiders were once again among the most prolific teams — and spenders — in 2026. They landed Brendan Sorsby, the top-ranked quarterback on the market. A three-year starter, Sorsby’s track record, improvisational skills and dual-threat athleticism give Texas Tech a higher ceiling than it had with Behren Morton.

The Red Raiders have some work to do to simply maintain their momentum. They need to replace 24.5 combined sacks between pass rushers David Bailey and Romello Height, their leading tackler at linebacker (Jacob Rodriguez) and their leading tackler in the secondary in Cole Wisniewski.

To do so, coach Joey McGuire leaned on a familiar blueprint. The headliner is top-10 transfer Mateen Ibirogba (No. 8), a versatile defensive lineman from Wake Forest, and he’s joined by a pair of ultra-productive Group of 5 defensive ends in Trey White (San Diego State) and Adam Trick (Miami-Ohio). Inside linebacker Austin Romaine comes over from Kansas State, where he had one of his best outings of the year against Texas Tech when he had eight tackles and a sack in Week 10.

3. Indiana Hoosiers

Few programs have taken advantage of the portal like Indiana, and coach Curt Cignetti stuck to his blueprint again for 2026 by prioritizing starting experience at positions of need to coalesce around a new quarterback.

Josh Hoover doesn’t have the physical upside of other top-ranked transfer quarterbacks, but he has enough arm strength and accuracy to push the ball vertically in Indiana’s system if he can keep his turnovers in check. He has a ready-made No. 1 wide receiver in Nick Marsh. The Michigan State transfer is Indiana’s highest-ranked portal addition because of his 6-foot-3 frame, speed and big-play ability. Expect him to step into Elijah Sarratt‘s role seamlessly.

Elsewhere, Joe Brunner comes over from Wisconsin and is a coveted experienced plug-and-play OL. Boston College running back Turbo Richard is a great scheme fit at a position that will lose two trusted seniors. Defensively, Indiana restocked with Tobi Osunsanmi (Kansas State), AJ Harris (Penn State) Joshua Burnham (Notre Dame), Chiddi Obiazor (Kansas State) and Joe Hjelle (Tulsa) — a group that arrives with 162 combined games of college experience.

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4. Texas Longhorns

Texas’ transfer portal class checks every box. The Longhorns landed one of the top prospects in wide receiver Cam Coleman to create one of the sport’s more exciting receiver pairings alongside Ryan Wingo. Coleman’s ceiling rivals any receiver in the country.

They also overhauled their running backs room, landing Hollywood Smothers (NC State) and Raleek Brown (Arizona State). Their overlapping skill sets and three-down ability should allow them to function seamlessly as a tandem.

Coach Steve Sarkisian didn’t stop there. Defensive tackle Ian Geffrard (Arkansas) is a massive, overpowering presence up the middle, especially against the run, and Pittsburgh transfer Rasheem Biles is a tackling machine who should help offset the loss of Liona Lefau. Texas’ new additions can make immediate impacts and take some of the short-term pressure off incoming five-stars, such as running back Derrek Cooper, and their portal crop left little doubt about the Longhorns’ intention to reload at skill positions to support Arch Manning in 2026.

5. Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State fielded college football’s most feared defense during the regular season, and its most prominent portal additions focused on reloading defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s group.

The Buckeyes hope they can coax a bit more production out of a pair of Alabama transfers: defensive lineman James Smith and outside linebacker Qua Russaw. At 6-foot-3, 310 pounds, Smith has great size, active hands and the versatility to move around the defensive line, though his play didn’t grade out as favorably in 2025 compared to 2024. Russaw is a one-time five-star prospect with some physical markers that jump on tape, but staying healthy and productive has been a struggle.

They’ll also need to replace a major hole left by the departure of Caleb Downs. Florida State transfer Earl Little Jr. has some of the same rover-style tendencies that made Downs so impactful around the line of scrimmage, and don’t be surprised if Duke transfer Terry Moore outperforms his portal pedigree if he can get healthy in 2026. He has tremendous closing speed and great instincts on the back end.

6. Penn State Nittany Lions

Matt Campbell needed to attack the portal with roster defections and having inherited an almost nonexistent 2026 recruiting class. He won’t have trouble establishing culture and identity in State College. Penn State’s new coach brought nearly two dozen transfers with him from Iowa State as he assembled a portal class approaching 40 players during a dizzying stretch of roster movement.

Quarterback Rocco Becht is the nucleus of the group. He started 39 games for Campbell at Iowa State and Penn State will entrust the offense to him, including checks at the line, because he’s a quick processor who is also comfortable using his mobility to extend plays when protection breaks down.

While Becht is the headliner, Marcus Neal was a disruptive hybrid safety-linebacker in Campbell’s defensive scheme. Penn State’s top nine transfers all arrive via Iowa State, but Campbell also went outside his program, including landing running back James Peoples from Ohio State, where he averaged 5.6 yards per carry in a part-time role behind breakout freshman Bo Jackson.

7. Ole Miss Rebels

Fair or not, one of the major subplots to Pete Golding’s first offseason in Oxford was how he would respond to the roster movement that followed Lane Kiffin’s departure for LSU. Ole Miss’ class lacks the same star power, but it’s plenty deep.

Golding landed multiple top-100 caliber portal prospects and reshaped his secondary, headlined by Florida State transfer Edwin Joseph, a long, rangy safety with impressive ball skills who is strong in run support, plus hard-hitting Georgia safety Joenel Aguero.

Young, projectable offensive tackles are a premium in the portal, and Golding landed freshman Carius Curne from LSU no less. The Rebels also brought in untested yet ultra-talented dual-threat quarterback Deuce Knight, who was out of Mississippi and could be thrust into a starting role if Trinidad Chambliss’ lawsuit against the NCAA seeking another year of eligibility fails.

8. Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky hasn’t finished in the top half of the SEC since 2022, so one strong portal class alone likely won’t flip the script in Lexington. Still, new coach Will Stein clearly received the institutional support to make an instant splash and outperform several SEC peers the Wildcats are chasing in the standings.

Stein has a great track record with quarterbacks and prioritized Notre Dame transfer Kenny Minchey. Minchey hasn’t played much, but the former four-star has polish, mobility and some creativity even when off script.

Kentucky also prioritized offensive line reinforcements to address one of the SEC’s least imposing passing offenses. Lance Heard earned All-SEC honors at left tackle with Tennessee, Coleton Price started 31 consecutive games on Baylor’s interior line and Tegra Tshabola was a two-year starter at Ohio State. That collective experience should help stabilize the offense and give Minchey a much-needed runway during his first extended stretch of college playing time.

9. Michigan Wolverines

Kyle Whittingham’s first plunge into the portal at Michigan was largely successful. He retained enough talent to avoid a mass exodus and landed three top-50 transfers. Defensive end John Henry Daley, one of several transfers to follow Whittingham to Ann Arbor, is by far the most impactful. He’s a plug-and-play contributor who has a mean streak against the run. Daley’s arrival could take some pressure off incoming five-star defensive end Carter Meadows to make an immediate impact.

Smith Snowden was a two-year starter at cornerback for Whittingham at Utah. Michigan’s class also has some younger transfers with upside and plenty of runway, including tight end JJ Buchanan (Utah), wide receiver Jaime Ffrench Jr. (Texas) and offensive guard Houston Ka’aha’aina-Torres (Nebraska). Michigan also landed SC Next 300 prospect Salesi Moa, who originally signed with Utah last month but has jumped to the Wolverines and can develop at WR or in the secondary.

Michigan even revamped its quarterback depth behind Bryce Underwood, bringing in both Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi (Colorado State) and Colin Hurley (LSU).

10. Texas A&M Aggies

Identifying KC Concepcion and Mario Craver in the portal transformed Texas A&M’s passing attack in 2025 and netted the Aggies their top two receivers. Craver will return in 2026, but Texas A&M jumped back into the portal in search of a complementary target and landed 6-foot-4 Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton. Horton is a jump-ball specialist who knows how to use his size working in the deep middle of the field, and his three-touchdown performance in the Iron Bowl showed his upside.

Horton was one of four, four-star caliber transfers Mike Elko added this cycle. Fellow Alabama transfer Wilkin Formby has a massive 6-foot-7, 324-pound frame and positional versatility after splitting time between right guard and right tackle in 2025. Tennessee defensive back Rickey Gibson III is comfortable in man coverage and as a one-on-one tackler, and he’s a bounce-back candidate after missing most of last season with a left arm injury. Anto Saka (Northwestern) adds depth to the defensive line and could take a step forward if he can find a bit more bend off the edge.

11. Auburn Tigers

Auburn hasn’t had a quarterback finish among the SEC’s top five in passing yards since Bo Nix. It’s no coincidence that Nix is also the last Tigers starter with a winning record. The Tigers are hoping new coach Alex Golesh, who arrived with quarterback Byrum Brown in tow, has the track record to reverse recent history.

Brown, one of the top players available in the portal, accounted for 4,166 yards and 42 total touchdowns in 2025 for South Florida. He has great size, mobility and arm strength and has always been productive despite an unusual release. If Auburn takes off under Golesh, it very well could be because Brown helped lay the foundation.

Golesh brought several South Florida players with him, but he also landed Baylor running back Bryson Washington, who has logged at least 154 carries in each of the past two seasons and is steady between the tackles. Ole Miss transfer edge Da’Shawn Womack, the No. 49 player in the class of 2023, began his career at LSU.

12. Arizona State Sun Devils

The college football landscape shifts at a mind-melting pace. Just ask Arizona State. Two years ago, Kenny Dillingham guided the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff. Fast-forward to this offseason, and he was forced to rebuild Arizona State on the fly after his top quarterback (Sam Leavitt, LSU), running back (Raleek Brown, Texas) and receiver (Jordyn Tyson, NFL) all moved on.

To Dillingham’s credit, Arizona State took some big swings in its attempt to replace Tyson’s production. Omarion Miller (Colorado) and Reed Harris (Boston College) were two of the better receivers available. Miller is a deep-ball threat, and Harris, who has a big 6-foot-5 frame, can beat man coverage on the boundary. Both averaged more than 17 yards per catch in 2025.

The Sun Devils’ class hinges on the development of transfer quarterback Cutter Boley, who they hope will fare better with an improved supporting cast and a more level playing field after Kentucky’s offense was outmatched in 2025. If he struggles, Dillingham could also consider turning to his top incoming high schooler, SC Next 300 four-star quarterback Jake Fette.

13. Oklahoma State Cowboys

There are so many new faces in Stillwater that incoming coach Eric Morris may need name tags once everyone reports. But turnover was necessary after Oklahoma State bottomed out in 2025, and the Cowboys will benefit from continuity after their top three additions all arrive via Morris’ North Texas pipeline, which brought more than a dozen Mean Green transfers overall.

Quarterback Drew Mestemaker commands the biggest spotlight after emerging from walk-on obscurity to lead the FBS in passing yards and touchdowns in 2025. His mechanics are unorthodox, but the production speaks volumes and his familiarity with Morris’ offense will help speed up the installation process. Morris also unearthed running back Caleb Hawkins, an explosive runner who led the FBS in rushing touchdowns in 2025 with North Texas, and wide receiver Wyatt Young completes the triumvirate of newcomers at key skill positions.

The best part for Oklahoma State fans? They all arrive with multiple years of eligibility remaining.

14. Virginia Tech Hokies

James Franklin’s arrival supercharged Virginia Tech’s recruiting efforts and established a well-traveled pipeline of former Penn State players or commits headed to Blacksburg. While most of his splashy additions came from the high school ranks, Franklin also dipped into the portal.

Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer unexpectedly replaced Drew Allar last year as Penn State’s starter and grew more comfortable by the week. He’s a rhythm passer with a competitive spirit that teammates gravitate toward. Expect him to lean on Luke Reynolds, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound target with some wiggle and solid blocking skills who could take a leap if his hands become a bit more reliable.

Grunkemeyer’s addition could allow Franklin to slow-play the development of incoming four-star quarterback Troy Huhn or untested North Carolina transfer Bryce Baker. He’ll also benefit from throwing to Duke transfer Que’Sean Brown, a slot receiver who is dynamic in space.

Ethan Grunkemeyer airs it out for 53-yard touchdown pass

Ethan Grunkemeyer connects for 53-yard TD pass

15. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Marcus Freeman prioritized quality over quantity in the portal, with a clear emphasis on restocking Notre Dame’s defensive line. Tionne Gray is a true space eater in the middle at nearly 340 pounds, though carving out a significant role in Oregon’s defensive line rotation was a challenge. Pittsburgh transfer Francis Brewu stepped into a larger role in 2025 and graded out favorably, especially against the run, despite lacking high-end size. Keon Keeley might have the highest ceiling of the three but has the most work remaining to reach it. The 2023 five-star has immense physical measurables but fell short of expectations over two choppy years at Alabama.

Notre Dame’s highest-profile addition, however, is Ohio State receiver Quincy Porter. The No. 9 receiver in the 2025 high school class, Porter is a tall, physical target who consistently outperforms his testing times. He should help replace production left behind by Malachi Fields and Will Pauling and could blossom with a much clearer path to playing time in South Bend — an opportunity that wasn’t available with the Buckeyes.

16. Louisville Cardinals

Jeff Brohm has built one of the ACC’s most consistent scoring offenses since his arrival at Louisville. This year’s portal class is built with the intention of keeping that rolling.

Louisville’s top five highest-graded additions currently are on offense, headlined by Vanderbilt transfer receiver Tre Richardson. He’s an explosive route runner with great initial burst out of the slot and a play style similar to Georgia’s Zachariah Branch. He’s joined by Tulsa tight end Brody Foley, Florida State wide receiver Lawayne McCoy and Missouri running back Marquise Davis.

They will all need to gel around quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, who arrives from Ohio State with limited in-game experience. Brohm has shown great feel for adding transfer quarterbacks like Jack Plummer and Miller Moss. Kienholz has impressive mobility, but there’s more risk given he has thrown just 36 career passes and arrives with far less experience than Brohm’s previous additions.

17. Colorado Buffaloes

Deion Sanders went back to the portal to fix a Buffaloes roster that went 3-9 in 2025, including just one Big 12 win. Former Texas wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. is the biggest coup, and he reunites with new Colorado offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, who recruited him to Texas. Moore is explosive in the open field with a solid track record of production for the Longhorns and should command a significant target share after Omarion Miller departed for Arizona State.

Defensive back Boo Carter made the 2024 SEC All-Freshman team at Tennessee but is in need of a fresh start after being dismissed from the team in Knoxville. He’s an ideal nickel corner with a penchant for forcing turnovers who can also flip the field as a punt returner. Colorado also went back to the Texas transfer pipeline on defense to land Liona Lefau. He was a two-year starter in Austin and a well-rounded linebacker who can be left on the field for all three downs.

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