How QB Karson Gordon found two-sport loophole to enter transfer portal after college football deadline

With the elimination of the spring transfer portal, college football rosters have been just about set since the end of the winter — or are they?

UCLA QB/WR Karson Gordon found a creative way to still enter the transfer portal, using his track prowess to enter as a two-sport athlete despite the college football portal having been closed for months.

After two seasons with the Bruins but no playing time, Gordon is now set to move on in unusual fashion.

Here's a look at how Gordon skirted the typical transfer portal window and whether he can still play football at his next destination.

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Karson Gordon transfer

Gordon is entering the track and field transfer portal as a two-sport athlete and intends to continue playing football at his next school, according to On3's Pete Nakos.

Gordon is a legitimate track and field athlete. He won the triple jump national championship in high school at the Nike Outdoor Nationals and last competed as a triple jumper during the 2025 indoor season at UCLA.

Still, Gordon is looking to resume his football career at his next stop after spending two seasons on the bench at UCLA. Gordon redshirted his freshman season but didn't play in 2025, either.

When is college track transfer portal?

The track and field transfer portal opened on Thursday, May 28, and will remain open until Friday, June 26. 

When did college football transfer portal close?

The college football portal was open from Jan. 2 to Jan. 16.

The absence of a spring portal prevented situations like Nico Iamaleava's from arising this year; the UCLA QB tried to renegotiate a bigger NIL deal with Tennessee just before the spring portal opened and was told to transfer before ultimately landing with the Bruins.

A year later, Iamaleava's teammate has found a much more creative way to enter the portal in the spring.

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Karson Gordon stats

Gordon has yet to appear in a game in his college football career. Originally recruited by Chip Kelly as a three-star QB out of Texas, the speedy Gordon was asked to switch to wide receiver by coach DeShaun Foster.

With a brand new staff led by Bob Chesney taking over in Westwood, Gordon remained on the team through the winter portal but is taking advantage of this unusual opportunity to move on as a two-sport athlete.

Gordon could be a dual-threat quarterback at his next stop, though wide receiver is evidently an option if quarterback doesn't pan out. 

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Karson Gordon track career

Gordon is a triple jumper and last competed for UCLA during the 2025 indoor season.

After committing to UCLA in 2023, Gordon told On3 that the school's track and field program was a major factor in his decision. "UCLA just has everything, honestly. Big-time football, moving to the Big Ten next year, with top-tier competition. Their track team is always very competitive in the national scene," he said. 

Chip Kelly also said Gordon's track and field background was something the football program had its eye on.

"Karson’s the state of Texas triple jump champion, I think he’s gone over 52-plus feet in the triple jump which I think is the state record," Kelly said. "So he’s a tremendous athlete but a really sharp kid at a high school where they really do a lot of really neat things and do a lot that’s put on the quarterback’s plate."

Kelly would bolt UCLA to become Ohio State's offensive coordinator after the 2023 season and never got the opportunity to coach Gordon.