American Conference hit hard by transfer portal after 2025 college football season; How did Mountain West compare?

78 percent of top American players transferred to Power Four programs

Former Boise State safety Ty Benefield transferred to LSU during the offseason. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The American Conference had a historic 2025 football season with North Texas (12-2, 7-1), Tulane (11-3, 7-1) and Navy (11-2, 7-1) all notching 11 or more victories. 

South Florida (9-4, 6-2) and Memphis (8-5, 4-4) were also in the College Football Playoff mix before taking losses down the stretch. 

Tulane went on to defeat North Texas in the American championship game and earn the No. 11 seed for the CFP. Sixth-seeded Ole Miss hammered the Green Wave in the opening round, 41-10. 

A large chunk of the American’s premier talent—players and coaches—bailed on the conference for Power Four opportunities. 

Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall (Florida) and North Texas’ Eric Morris (Oklahoma State) were introduced at their new schools before the American championship game. Both coached in the title game and Sumrall stuck around for the CFP. 

Memphis’ Ryan Silverfield (Arkansas) and South Florida’s Alex Golesh (Auburn) were also SEC-bound after the regular season. 

The American’s losses were even bigger on the field.  

Earlier this month at American Conference media days, commissioner Tim Pernetti said that 78 percent of last year’s first and second team all-league players transferred to a Power Four school. Pernetti said the American has lost nearly 300 football transfers “over the last few years.” 

“The top of the mountain for us on issues in the American is the transfer portal,” Pernetti said. “Our coaches are doing an incredible job of developing talent. I want to keep them in the league longer.”

The Mountain West also experienced a talent drain following the 2025 season with several notable transfers and the departure of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State to the Pac-12. 

Fourteen underclassmen were first-team all-MWC selections on offense, defense and special teams last season. Nine of the 14 (64 percent) transferred to a Power Four school. 

Here are the nine first-team all-MWC players who transferred: 

• Quarterback Anthony Colandrea (transferred from UNLV to Nebraska) 

• Wide receiver Jackson Harris (Hawaii to LSU)

• Wide receiver Danny Scudero (San Jose State to Colorado)

• Wide receiver Braden Pegan (Utah State to Utah)

• Tight end Dorian Thomas (New Mexico to California)

• Linebacker Owen Long (Colorado State to Arizona State)

• Linebacker Owen Chambliss (San Diego State to Nebraska) 

• Safety Ty Benefield (Boise State to LSU)

• Punter Bryan Hansen (Colorado State to West Virginia)

Here are the five first-team all-conference picks who remained with their schools: 

• Running back Lucky Sutton (San Diego State)

• Running back Jai’Den Thomas (UNLV)

• Defensive lineman Dylan LaBarbera (Nevada)

• Linebacker Jaxton Eck (New Mexico)

• Punter returner Jordan Napier (San Diego State)

No Mountain West coaches were poached by the Power Four after last season. 

Just like the American, the new Pac-12 will likely lose large portions of its top-end talent to the Power Four on an annual basis. 

Pernetti believes the current Wild West transfer portal system is not good for the Group of Six, the Power Four or athletes. 

“Anything that promotes more stability, still gives student-athletes the opportunity to transfer once without restrictions, but then beyond that, guardrails are important, because you know what happens? You lose on development and you don’t graduate,” Pernetti said. “And that’s really our job, to make sure they deliver the education.”

“A healthy American Conference is good for college football, notably your autonomy conferences. They compete with us on the field. They build their rosters with our student-athletes. They hire our coaches as their future leaders. This is why it’s so important that we all work together in the future.”