Multiple college football programs get bad news from FBS-leading transfer running back

The single most productive running back in college football this past season was on the market as a highly-coveted transfer, and two major programs were left in the lurch.

Ivan Pierre Aguirre/Special to El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

College football’s most productive single running back made waves by entering the transfer portal this cycle, and now the player’s stunning decision has left two would-be contenders still in the market for a game-changer at the position for the 2026 season.

Former Jacksonville State running back Cam Cook entered the NCAA transfer portal at the start of the new year and already has a new school lined up as he revealed his commitment to West Virginia heading into the 2026 offseason.

It’s a major coup for the Big 12 hopefuls as Rich Rodriguez embarks on his second season back with the Mountaineers, but it also leaves a Big 12 insurgent and a traditional SEC football power still looking for answers in a very crowded transfer portal.

Not long after it was revealed that Cook intended to transfer away from Jacksonville State, the FBS leading running back was soon linked both to Houston and Tennessee, each of which was due to host the rusher on official transfer visits.

But both the Cougars and Volunteers learned that Cook will take his talents to West Virginia after outpacing all other rushers in college football this past season.

SEC blue blood was in consideration

While the running back position wasn’t considered a position of desperate need for Tennessee, it remains an area of some focus as the offense switches quarterbacks again and seeks a stabilizing force in the backfield.

The return of DeSean Bishop bodes well for the Volunteers’ offensive continuity in 2026, and Daune Morris is expected to return to the team next season.

But the Vols will lose Payton Lewis to the transfer portal and Star Thomas is out of eligibility, leaving the position one of relative interest for Tennessee this cycle.

Big 12 hopefuls in the mix

Houston was considered an early contender to land Cook out of the transfer portal as the school was in the market for a new input at the running back position.

Following the departure of J’Marion Burnette into the portal, the Cougars found themselves in need in the backfield, and quickly moved to fill that hole in the depth chart.

Makhi Hughes, a former Tulane and Oregon tailback, committed to Houston out of the transfer portal after redshirting once it became apparent he would not climb the Ducks’ depth chart early on this season.

What Cook did on the field

Cook led the FBS in total rushing production this fall, finishing with 1,659 rushing yards on 295 attempts while averaging a solid 5.6 yards per carry and scoring 16 rushing touchdowns in total.

He added 286 yards receiving while catching 30 passes, averaging nearly 10 yards per reception, earning Conference USA Player of the Year honors as well as All-American recognition at the end of the 2025 campaign.

Jacksonville State finished with a 9-5 overall record while completing a banner 7-1 mark in Conference USA competition behind an offense that relied heavily on Cook’s output.

The Gamecocks finished the season ranked No. 5 nationally in rushing production, averaging nearly 250 yards per game on the ground while stacking up 32 touchdowns and posting 5.31 yards per attempt as a team.

Thanks to Cook’s production, Jacksonville State ranked only behind the three service academies and Utah in terms of total rushing output.

Now that talent is headed to the Big 12 ahead of the 2026 college football season.