The Wild, Wild West just got … milder?

The NCAA Administrative Committee voted to eliminate the spring football transfer portal window on Wednesday, Sept. 17. The vote now gives players just one opportunity, presumably in January, to enter their name into the portal.

While the spring window has been eliminated, the Administrative Committee did not vote on a set timing of the single winter window. The Administrative Committee will meet next in October, where it is expected to make a final decision on the duration.

Last season, the NCAA had a record-setting number of over 4,000 FBS players enter the portal. 

The move to unifying the transfer portal window into one could relieve some of the problems that teams like Fresno State faced late in the season last year.

The 2024 full 47-bowl game schedule, which included the extended College Football Playoff (CFP), was announced on Dec. 9, 2024. Just a day later, the winter portal window opened and ran until Dec. 28, 2024.

Following the Bulldogs’ loss to the University of California, Los Angeles in the final regular season game of the season, the ‘Dogs had multiple players enter their names into the portal.

Fresno State later played in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl against Northern Illinois University without several key players, including quarterback Mikey Keene, two of their starting wide receivers and linebacker Phoenix Jackson.

The single portal window would eliminate transfer issues for teams in earlier bowl games.

While this could work for teams with bowl games prior to January, the bulk of the issue is now placed on CFP contenders.

The proposed transfer window would be Jan. 2-11, right in the middle of the CFP semifinals.

Penn State lost its backup quarterback to the portal before its run to the CFP semifinal last season.

Despite only having one window of opportunity to enter the portal, college football players still have some leverage. Once a player enters their name into the portal, they can take as much time as they need to make a decision. 

The move to one window can alleviate some pressure for all types of teams, but the transfer portal continues to bring new stresses. The late-season portal window, national signing day and postseason preparation still combine to make it hard for teams across the country.

The elimination of the spring window also takes away an opportunity for teams to strengthen their roster before the start of the next season. It also eliminates a player’s ability to find a new home after slipping on the depth chart in spring ball.

Backup quarterback Carson Conklin transferred to Fresno State from Sacramento State in the spring. Without that spring window, the ‘Dogs wouldn’t have Conklin.

The decision to eliminate the second window will be in effect starting this season, but the length of this new single window should be announced next month.