All-conference QB announces transfer portal decision after two official visits

A quarterback that received All-conference distinction has decided which school he will transfer to for the 2026 season.

Kennesaw State quarterback Amari Odom tries to avoid a sack by Jax State's Talan Carter during the C-USA Championship | Dave Hyatt / Hyatt Media LLC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

College football players have 6 more days to enter the NCAA transfer portal if they want to play at a new school in 2026. The portal's two-week window opened on Jan. 2 and will officially close on Jan. 16.

More than 4,000 players have decided to transfer in the month between the end of the 2025 regular season and the first week of the portal window. While the most notable discussions about the portal involve players moving from one Power Four program to another, some college football players are transferring to schools where they can increase their national exposure.

One of these players who will play on a bigger stage next season is former Kennesaw State quarterback Amari Odom. He will transfer to Syracuse for the 2026 college football season and will have two seasons of eligibility with the Orange.

Syracuse was one of just two visits Odom made as a transfer. He also visited Missouri, but the Tigers received a commitment from former Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons.

Kennesaw State QB Amari Odom has signed with Syracuse, @SWiltfong_ and @PeteNakos reports🍊

The first-team All-CUSA QB put up 2,594 passing yards, 347 rushing yards and 26 total TDs in 2025.https://t.co/kSYG7dZ8sR pic.twitter.com/8J8WWgbbMd

— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) January 10, 2026

The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder began his college football career under Shawn Watson at Wofford in 2023. He redshirted that season, completing nine of 18 pass attempts for 92 yards and an interception in the Terriers' win over Furman.

The Terriers utilized Odom in eight of their 12 games in their 2024 season. He passed for 1,565 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions. He threw for more than 200 yards in all but two of the eight games he played in 2024.

Wofford Terriers quarterback Amari Odom (2) throws under pressure from South Carolina Gamecocks linebacker Bam Martin-Scott (22) | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Odom transferred to Kennesaw State in the 2025 offseason. Injury kept Odom out for much of October, but still produced 2,594 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions while rushing for 347 yards and seven touchdowns. He was named to the All-Conference USA First Team offense for his output in 2025.

The Owls finished 2-2 in non-conference play, the losses to Big Ten champion Indiana (56-9) and Wake Forest (10-9). The non-conference wins were against Merrimack (27-13) and Arkansas State (28-21).

Kennesaw State did not lose a Conference USA game in Fifth Third Stadium. The Owls defeated Middle Tennessee (24-16), Louisiana Tech (35-7), UTEP (33-20) and Missouri State (41-34) at home.

The Owls won conference road games at Florida International (45-26), New Mexico State (24-21) and Liberty (48-42). The lone loss was at Jacksonville State (35-26) on Nov. 15, 2025.

The loss to Jacksonville State was avenged in the Conference USA Championship, a game the Owls won 19-15. Kennesaw State accepted a bid to play in the Myrtle Beach Bowl, where it fell to Western Michigan (41-6) on Dec. 19, 2025.

Fran Brown has used the portal to find a quarterback in each of his three seasons as Syracuse's head coach. Kyle McCord (Ohio State), Steve Angeli (Notre Dame) and Rickie Collins (LSU) were all acquired in the portal by the Orange prior to the acquisition of Odom. Angeli and Odom will battle for the starting job in 2026.