Former Power Four QB enters transfer portal for second straight season

A former Power Four quarterback will enter the transfer portal to look for a third college football program

Dec 28, 2024; Boston, MA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Michael Merdinger (17) throws a pass against the Connecticut Huskies during the first half at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The 2025 college football season is beginning to wind down.

No. 8 Oklahoma and No. 9 Alabama will kick off the 2025 College Football Playoff on Friday. The College Football Playoff will run until the national championship game on Jan. 20.

Additionally, 70 different college football programs accepted invitations to bowl games. The bowls kicked off with the final installment of the Bucked Up LA Bowl on Saturday and will conclude with the Duke's Mayo Bowl between Mississippi State and Wake Forest on Jan. 2, 2026.

The other end-of-year festivity involves the NCAA transfer portal, which will open for 15 days beginning on Jan. 2, 2026. Hundreds of players across all levels of college football have already decided to enter the transfer portal when it opens.

Among those who intend to enter the NCAA transfer portal is Liberty backup quarterback Michael Merdinger. He will be seeking his third college football program in as many seasons.

Liberty QB Michael Merdinger is set to enter the transfer portal, his agent @david_benzaken tells @chris_hummer and @mzenitz.

Merdinger, who began his college career at North Carolina, started Liberty’s final regular season game against Kennesaw and threw for 212 yards. pic.twitter.com/mXjHggphad

— 247Sports Transfer Portal (@247SportsPortal) December 14, 2025

The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder began his college football career at North Carolina. He appeared in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl and put together a 9-for-12 passing performance for 86 yards and an interception in the 27-14 loss to Connecticut.

Merdinger served as Liberty's backup quarterback for the majority of the 2025 season. He went 9-for-20 for 138 passing yards through his first four appearances.

He started in place of the injured Ethan Vasko in the Flames' season finale against Kennesaw State on Nov. 29. Merdinger threw for 212 passing yards and a touchdown while rushing for an additional touchdown.

Liberty's lone non-conference win in 2025 was its season opener against Maine (28-7) on Aug. 30. The Flames' losses were to James Madison (31-13), at Bowling Green (23-13) and at Old Dominion (21-7).

The Flames won their first two home games in Conference USA play against New Mexico State (30-27) and Delaware (59-30). They suffered losses to Missouri State (21-17) and Conference USA champion Kennesaw State (48-42).

Liberty's only Conference USA road win of 2025 was at UTEP (19-8) on Oct. 8. The losses were at Conference USA runner-up Jacksonville State (34-24), Florida International (34-27) and Louisiana Tech (34-28), the latter two of which were in overtime.

The 4-8 mark is the worst for Liberty under Jamey Chadwell, who began his tenure in Lynchburg with a 21-5 overall record. It is the first loss for Liberty since it finished 1-10 under Ken Karcher back in 2005 as a member of the Big South.