College Football Playoff team loses key starter to transfer portal

The quarterfinals of the 2025 College Football Playoff are officially underway.

Four teams were eliminated in the first round of the College Football Playoff: Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Tulane and James Madison. Players on teams eliminated from the College Football Playoff are now free to enter the transfer portal if they want to play for a new school in 2026.

One player from a College Football Playoff team transferring in the 2026 offseason is Tulane defensive back Javion White. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at his second school.

BREAKING: Tulane starting DB Javion White is entering the @TransferPortal, source tells @On3Sports

He totaled 50 tackles, 6 PD, and 3 INT this season

Earned All-AAC conference honorshttps://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/5IXej8ysv7
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 1, 2026

The 6-foot, 180-pounder arrived at Tulane as a freshman in 2024. He was used sparingly that season, finishing with 11 total tackles, three passes defended, a forced fumble and an interception in six games with the Green Wave.

White's production rose significantly as he started for Tulane in 2025. Across 14 games, White made 50 tackles, defended six passes, caught three interceptions and recovered a fumble for the Green Wave. Some notable performances included a two-interception day in the Green Wave's opener against Northwestern and a nine-tackle day against Florida Atlantic.

The American Athletic Conference gave White recognition for his efforts in 2025. He was named All-AAC Third Team by the league on Dec. 2, 2025.

Tulane won three of its four non-conference games in 2025. The Green Wave defeated Northwestern (23-3), Duke (34-27), and South Alabama (33-31). The lone loss was at eventual College Football Playoff No. 6 seed Ole Miss (45-10) on Sept. 20.

Tulane Green Wave defensive back Javion White (3) | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Green Wave did not lose a home game in American Athletic Conference play in 2025. Tulane defeated East Carolina (26-19), Army (24-17), Florida Atlantic (35-24) and Charlotte (27-0) in Yulman Stadium.

Tulane won road games in conference play at Tulsa (31-14), Memphis (38-32) and Temple (37-13). The only road loss for the Green Wave in conference play was against UTSA (48-26) in the Alamodome on Oct. 30, 2025.

The record Tulane amassed over the course of the 2025 season put it in contention for the American Athletic Conference Championship. The Green Wave defeated North Texas (34-21) on Dec. 5, 2025, to clinch a bid for the 2025 College Football Playoff.

Tulane made the 2025 College Football Playoff as the No. 11 seed and was matched with No. 6 seed Ole Miss in the first round. Tulane lost to the Rebels (41-10) in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

One reason for the mass exodus from Tulane in the 2026 offseason is a coaching change. Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall was named the next head coach of Florida on Nov. 30, 2025.