College football program loses 16 starters to transfer portal

Iowa State football team enters the field before the game against Kansas in the senior day at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Iowa State finished the 2025 campaign with a winning record (8–4 overall, 5–4 in the Big 12), highlighted by a five-game win streak to start the season, but an uneven finish set the stage for major staff turnover.

On December 8, head coach Matt Campbell was officially named Penn State’s head coach, departing Ames after 10 seasons as the program’s winningest coach (72–55 overall).

Iowa State moved quickly, naming Jimmy Rogers as head coach on December 6.

Rogers comes from Washington State, where he led the team to a 6–6 record in the 2025 season, and previously held assistant and defensive coordinator roles at South Dakota State and Florida Atlantic.

Since the coaching change, multiple Cyclones have entered the transfer portal, most recently wide receiver Chase Sowell on Monday.

He becomes the 41st player from Iowa State to enter the portal and the 16th starter, according to analyst Josh Pate.

NEW: Iowa State WR Chase Sowell plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal.

Sowell totaled 500 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns this season.https://t.co/kSYG7dZ8sR pic.twitter.com/pvDDRTrDHy

— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) December 29, 2025

Sowell was Iowa State’s second-leading receiver in 2025, tallying 32 catches for 500 yards and two touchdowns, after spending two seasons at East Carolina (2023–2024) and one at Colorado (2022).

Since Campbell’s departure, several other high-impact players have announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal, including starters QB Rocco Becht, RB Carson Hansen, TE Ben Brahmer, and WR Brett Eskildsen, as well as multiple defensive backs and linemen.

As Pate noted on his podcast, top cornerbacks Jontez Williams and Jeremiah Cooper have also announced their intention to enter the transfer portal and are currently ranked sixth and seventh among available players.

Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht (3) passes during the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The departures remove several established starters and depth, including the starting QB, lead rusher, lead receiver, and multiple starters on both sides of the ball, creating an urgent rebuild task for Rogers and his new staff.

Practically, that means accelerated recruiting/portal work, accelerated opportunity for younger players, and a likely short-term performance reset.

Read More at College Football HQ

• Major college football program linked to 1,800 yard RB in transfer portal

• No. 1 transfer portal player heavily linked to major college football program

• $2.6 million QB ranked as No. 1 transfer in college football

• 25-touchdown RB shares farewell note after entering college football transfer portal