No. 1 College Football Team Believed to Acquire 'Megastar Talent' in Transfer Portal

The reigning college football national champions are believed to have acquired a "megastar talent" from the 2026 NCAA transfer portal cycle.

Michigan State's Nick Marsh, right, catches a pass as Penn State's Audavion Collins closes in during the third quarter on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The chaos from the 2026 NCAA transfer portal cycle reached a halt near the end of January.

From the end of the 2025 regular season all the way into the middle of January, thousands of players from every level of the college football landscape poured into the portal in search of a new home. Despite the fact that virtually every program lost sizable portions of its rosters to the portal, it presented an opportunity for them to better their rosters.

Indiana utilized the portal as a means to better its roster in the midst of its run to the College Football Playoff National Championship game. Former TCU starting quarterback Josh Hoover headlined the Hoosiers' class, but the true star power in the class may have arrived in the form of former Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh.

The 6-foot-3, 203-pounder committed to Michigan State as a four-star prospect in the class of 2024. Marsh immediately emerged as the Spartans' most productive receiver in 2024; he caught 41 passes for 649 yards and three touchdowns, logging a season-high 194 yards against Maryland.

Michigan State's Nick Marsh, center, runs for a gain against Purdue during the first quarter on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Marsh's production improved in the 2025 season. He grabbed 59 receptions for 662 yards and six touchdowns for the Spartans, a performance that earned him All-Big Ten Honorable Mention by the league's coaches and media.

What Marsh could accomplish in an offense that has remained potent despite the revolving door of personnel over the last two seasons is an intriguing prospect. Brad Shepard of Bleacher Report compiled a list of the 13 best college football transfers to watch in spring games on Wednesday. Marsh was the ninth transfer Shepard included on his list.

"Breakout star Charlie Becker is back, but Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh has the potential to be a megastar talent next year for Hoover," Shepard wrote.

"Now, he'll join the champions with a shot to be one of the top playmakers in the Big Ten with Hoover throwing him the ball. This just feels like a match made in football heaven, but the rhythm needs to be developed this spring. Everything needs to mesh quickly for this to flourish."

The Hoosiers will not play a Power Four team out of conference in their national title defense, something head coach Curt Cignetti jokingly referred to as an "SEC scheduling model" in the summer of 2025.

Indiana hosts Ohio State on Oct. 17, a rematch of their Big Ten Championship bout from 2025. Rutgers and Purdue are the only Big Ten teams Indiana plays in 2026 that did not participate in the 2026 postseason.

Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Koi Perich (3) breaks up a pass intended for Michigan State Spartans wide receiver Nick Marsh (6) | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images