Joe Theismann warns college football world about transfer portal windows, cites Penn State, FSU as cautionary tales

NFL legend and Washington Commanders on-screen analyst Joe Theismann doesn’t like what he sees in the college football world right now, particularly as it pertains to the number of transfer portal windows.

Theismann vehemently opposes the portal opening during December as the College Football Playoff is actively going on.

To the 75-year-old, having that affect the postseason is a knock to the game’s competitive integrity.

Theismann referenced Beau Pribula’s transfer from Penn State this past December and Florida State’s mass Orange Bowl opt-outs in 2023 before being dismantled by Georgia.

“ Maybe this isn't the best idea to have guys leaving teams in the middle of a season or the middle of a championship run,” Theismann told me when we spoke last week. “Penn State's backup quarterback. Opted out. Yeah. Because the portal date was available. And so basically when Notre Dame played Penn State, it was like, Hey, you know, if somebody got hurt, where are you gonna go?

“ To me, that's not the kind of drama you wanna see at the college level. It's like watching Florida State a couple of years ago. I mean, just devastating because guys didn't play. I understand guys making the decision. They don't wanna play because there's a possibility of injury, and they're looking at a professional career. But when you have wholesale massive exoduses, it's not good for college football. It's not something fans want to see. Whether you're watching it on television or whether you're a fan of that particular school.”

When some of the game’s all-time greats see a problem, you probably have a problem worth addressing.

We’ll see if the complaints Theismann shared, which are shared by old-school fans across the country, will be addressed by the NCAA in this brave new NIL world.

Theismann provided media availability in advance of the 2025 American Century Championship at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort from July 9-13. Bilas will be one of the 91 competitors in Stateline, Nevada, for the annual celebrity golf tournament, which will be broadcast on NBC, Peacock, and the GOLF Channel.