College Football Playoff team loses key player to NCAA transfer portal

A key defender on a College Football Playoff team is heading for the NCAA transfer portal.

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan (11) runs after making a catch as James Madison Dukes cornerback Justin Eaglin (30) defends during the third quarter at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The 2025 College Football Playoff continues into its second round on Dec. 31. Four teams advanced from the first round of the College Football Playoff: Oregon, Ole Miss, Alabama and Miami.

Four teams were eliminated from the first round of the College Football Playoff: Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Tulane and James Madison.

While it is important for all teams participating in the College Football Playoff, it is now crucial for the eliminated teams to retain and acquire players for their 2026 rosters. Players from eliminated teams have begun to enter the transfer portal.

Among the College Football Playoff participants who will enter the portal is James Madison defensive lineman Mychal McMullin. He will have two seasons of eligibility at his next school.

James Madison DL Mychal McMullin (@Mychal_McMullin) plans to enter the portal, his rep @t_pereira2 tells @PeteNakos.

The 6-foot-2, 295-pound DT had 32 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks in his redshirt sophomore season in 2025. https://t.co/kSYG7dZ8sR pic.twitter.com/qAYFmW5Vmz

— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) December 27, 2025

The 6-foot-1, 291-pounder arrived at James Madison in 2023, the final season of Curt Cignetti's tenure in Harrisonburg. McMullin played in three games that season in order to maintain a redshirt.

The Dukes used McMullin as a depth piece in the 2024 season. He appeared in all 13 games, logging 13 total tackles and 1.5 sacks in James Madison's game against Southern Miss.

McMullin's use was expanded by the Dukes in 2025. He made 32 total tackles and logged a sack in the Sun Belt Championship game against Troy on Dec. 5.

The only team to defeat James Madison in the 2025 regular season was Louisville (28-14) on Sept. 5. The Dukes won non-conference games against Weber State (45-10), Washington State (24-20) and at Liberty (31-13).

The Dukes won Sun Belt games against Georgia Southern (35-10), Louisiana (24-14), Old Dominion (63-27) and Appalachian State (58-10) in Bridgeforth Stadium. James Madison won road games at Georgia State (14-7), Texas State (52-20), Marshall (35-23) and Coastal Carolina (59-10) in conference play.

James Madison won against Troy (31-14) in the Sun Belt Championship to clinch the No. 12 seed in the 2025 College Football Playoff. The Dukes were eliminated by No. 5 Oregon (51-34) in the opening round.

McMullin's entry into the portal is one of a laundry list for the Dukes heading into the 2026 offseason. Head coach Bob Chesney was hired to replace DeShaun Foster at UCLA on Dec. 1, a move that has become the primary cause of what has become a mass exodus from Harrisonburg.