2026 wasn’t supposed to start like this for Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Entering the College Football Playoff, even though they lost to Indiana in the Big 10 Championship Game, they were still considered a heavy favorite to return to the College Football Playoff title game.

Instead of going for a repeat, though, the Buckeyes will have to reload over the next two weeks, as the transfer portal has officially opened.

And unlike before, when powerhouse recruiting schools like Ohio State, Alabama, and Georgia could breathe easy knowing their ridiculous depth would save them, the college football landscape has radically changed.

Ohio State has felt that firsthand following their upset defeat to Miami in the Cotton Bowl, with a dozen players expressing their intent or officially entering the transfer portal to find a new program for 2026 and beyond.

Players the Buckeyes would usually hold onto and help prepare to play as fully developed juniors or seniors are now looking for money and playing time sooner, leaving Columbus with ideas of grandeur.

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Among the 12 players who are entering the portal are quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, linebacker C.J. Hicks, offensive lineman Isaiah Kema, wide receiver Damarion Witten, and EDGE Logan George.

While none of these names might jump out for you as star-level players, these are the type of student-athletes that have helped Ohio State stay a perennial contender for years. Now, instead of sitting on the bench, these four-star and higher recruits are going to schools like Indiana, Miami, and more to not only get good money but also have a chance to start immediately.

The current Indiana team that usurped Ohio State in the Big 10 was built through the transfer portal, with a veteran squad developed by other schools but lacking superstar talent, so it never got the chance to shine. Their Heisman quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, was at Cal Berkeley last season before transferring in the portal and is now seen as the clear No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Ryan Day will need to be aggressive in the portal and learn the new rules of the college football ecosystem, or a quarterfinal loss might be the ceiling for some storied programs going forward.

The transfer portal officially closes on Jan. 16, 2026.