College football programs loses 28 players to transfer portal

Mississippi State finished the 2025 season with a losing record but showed improvement from 2024, closing the year at 5–8 overall and 1–7 in SEC play, with a bowl appearance in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl (43-29 loss to Wake Forest).

Under second-year head coach Jeff Lebby, the Bulldogs improved on their 2–10 finish from the previous season.

Luke Work is one of the Bulldogs’ most impactful offensive linemen, anchoring a unit that powered an offense averaging 399.2 total yards and 30.4 points per game.

The 6-foot-6, 315-pound offensive tackle was classified as a sophomore in 2025 and, across his two-season Mississippi State tenure to date, has appeared in 11 career games with seven starts (five at left tackle and two at right tackle).

His first career start came at Georgia, and he was named to the 2024 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

However, on Sunday, Work announced he will enter the NCAA transfer portal, marking the 28th departure for Lebby’s staff in the 2026 cycle.

Thank you, Mississippi State pic.twitter.com/u55t9dHTYR
— Luke Work (@LukeWork1) January 4, 2026

Notable Bulldogs who have announced plans to enter the transfer portal include backup quarterback Luke Kromenhoek, tight end Cam Ball, reserve tackle Jimothy Lewis Jr., tight end Emeka Iloh, defensive tackle Kai McClendon, and several rotation contributors across both sides of the ball.

Six wide receivers have also entered the portal, the most departures at any position, including Markus Allen, Jordan Mosley, Cam Thompson, Jaron Glover, Ferzell Shepard, and Davian Jackson.

Mississippi State isn’t alone, as the 2026 transfer window has opened amid historically high portal activity.

Early January reporting indicates that thousands of players are either entering or publicly declaring their intent to enter the transfer portal this offseason, including high-profile departures across Power Five programs in the SEC, ACC, and Big Ten.

Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby. — Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby looks on before the game against the Mississippi Rebels | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Known for high-tempo, high-scoring offenses, Lebby began as a student assistant at Oklahoma and later spent 2008–2016 on Baylor’s staff in operations and as a position coach, eventually serving as passing-game coordinator.

After a one-year offensive coordinator stint at Southeastern Louisiana, he joined UCF (2018–19) as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, helping produce nationally top-ranked attacks.

Lebby was then offensive coordinator at Ole Miss (2020–21) and at Oklahoma (2022–23) before Mississippi State hired him as head coach in November 2023.

Nationally, the scale of movement increases the premium on roster management, NIL strategy, and coaching staff stability, but it also presents Lebby with the opportunity to find suitable replacements through the transfer portal.

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