The college football world isn’t just evolving - it’s undergoing a full-blown transformation. Monday night’s national championship, where Indiana reached the mountaintop, wasn’t just a moment for Hoosier fans to celebrate. It was a statement about where the sport is headed, and how the game is being reshaped by a new set of rules, opportunities, and challenges.
Let’s break it down: The four-team College Football Playoff was once the bold new frontier. Now, it’s already been replaced by a 12-team format that opens the door for more programs to dream big. Add in the transfer portal, NIL deals, and the recently announced revenue-sharing model that allows schools to directly compensate athletes - and you’ve got a sport that looks dramatically different from the one we knew even five years ago.
For some programs, this is the great equalizer - a chance to compete with the blue bloods. For others, it’s a cultural shift that’s forcing them to redefine what loyalty, tradition, and team identity really mean.
The Transfer Portal: Changing the Game, One Move at a Time
Since its launch in 2018, the transfer portal has become one of the most powerful tools in college football. What started as a way to streamline the transfer process has turned into a fast-moving carousel of talent, with players jumping from one program to another in search of more playing time, a better fit, or, yes - a bigger payday.
It’s not hard to see why it’s sparked debate. Some fans love the freedom and flexibility it gives players. Others worry it’s turning the sport into free agency, where roster continuity is the exception, not the rule.
Programs with a strong sense of identity - like Michigan - are feeling that tension. Michigan prides itself on being more than just a football school.
“Leaders and best” isn’t just a fight song lyric; it’s a mindset. It’s a big reason why the 2023 national championship team resonated so deeply with fans.
That group had its share of transfers, sure, but it was largely built around homegrown talent.
J.J. McCarthy stuck with the Wolverines through his career.
Blake Corum came back for his senior year when he could’ve left. Mike Sainristil switched positions and made game-changing plays as a cornerback.
And Michael Barrett, the winningest player in program history, was the heart and soul of that defense. That roster felt like Michigan - tough, loyal, and built from within.
Contrast that with what we just saw from Indiana. Head coach Curt Cignetti brought over several players from James Madison and added Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who not only won the Heisman but led the Hoosiers to their first national title. That’s the new playbook: build fast, build smart, and don’t be afraid to bring in a wave of transfers if it means winning now.
It’s a shift that’s not always easy for fans to embrace. We saw that sentiment play out in a Dr.
Pepper commercial, of all places - the fictional “Rico” jumping into the portal as a sophomore, with fans begging him to stay. It was a funny bit, but it hit close to home.
That’s the emotional tug-of-war fans are living through in real time.
And here’s the thing: Michigan fans aren’t going to turn away talented transfers. But there’s a growing disconnect between the loyalty fans feel toward their school and the reality that players now have more control - and more incentive - to move around.
NIL and Revenue Sharing: The New Economics of College Football
The transfer portal doesn’t operate in a vacuum. It’s deeply tied to NIL deals and, more recently, the emerging revenue-sharing model that’s starting to take shape across college athletics.
In today’s game, NIL money isn’t just a perk - it’s a recruiting tool. Coaches and programs are offering serious financial packages to attract top-tier talent.
And when a player leaves, fans often assume it’s about chasing a bigger paycheck. That raises some tough questions: Where’s the loyalty?
Where’s the commitment? What happened to playing for the name on the front of the jersey?
The truth is, for many fans - especially at a place like Michigan - the connection runs deep. It’s about family traditions, Saturday afternoons in the Big House, and a sense of pride that spans generations.
But for some players, that connection might not be there. It might just be about opportunity - and in this era, opportunity often comes with a dollar sign attached.
Still, it’s worth remembering how different things used to be. Not long ago, a player who wanted to transfer had to sit out a season.
That created a kind of forced loyalty. But was it real loyalty?
Or was it just a lack of options?
Now, players have choices. And while that can be frustrating for fans, it’s also a step toward fairness. Athletes are finally getting a piece of the pie they help bake every Saturday.
Finding Stability in the Storm
Even as the sport changes, there are still players who choose to stay. At Michigan, names like Bryce Underwood, Andrew Marsh, Jake Guarnera, Jordan Marshall, and Rod Moore are reminders that not every athlete is chasing the next big thing. Some are choosing to build something in Ann Arbor - and fans will be right there with them, hoping they finish their careers as champions.
The game is different now. It’s faster, more fluid, and yes, more complicated.
But that doesn’t mean the heart of college football is gone. It just means we have to look a little harder - beyond the portal, beyond the NIL deals - to find the stories that still connect us to the teams we love.
Because at the end of the day, no matter how the rules change, we’re still here for the same reason: to see our team win, to watch our players grow, and to believe that loyalty, even in a shifting landscape, still matters.