Ohio State QB enters transfer portal: 4 college football programs to watch

Four schools to watch with Ohio State quarterback Lincoln Kienholz in the transfer portal.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Lincoln Kienholz (3) | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2025 College Football Playoff continued with its quarterfinal round on Wednesday. No. 10 Miami defeated No. 2 Ohio State 24-14 in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic to advance to the College Football Playoff semifinal game at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Jan. 8 (7:30 p.m. EST, ESPN).

The NCAA transfer portal officially opens for all college football players on Friday and will remain open for the following two weeks. As more teams are eliminated from the 2025 College Football Playoff, more players will have the opportunity to enter the transfer portal.

Within 12 hours of the Cotton Bowl going final, an Ohio State player made the decision to enter the transfer portal. Buckeyes backup quarterback Lincoln Kienholz is looking for a second school to play for with two seasons of eligibility remaining.

NEW: Ohio State QB Lincoln Kienholz plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, @PeteNakos reports. https://t.co/dqbm7elyMX pic.twitter.com/uw6qvh1nIt

— On3 (@On3sports) January 1, 2026

The 6-foot-3, 214-pounder arrived at Ohio State in 2023. He appeared in three games in his first season with the Buckeyes, finishing 10-of-22 passing for 111 yards.

Kienholz did not play in Ohio State's 2024 College Football Playoff national championship run. He sat behind starter Will Howard, Julian Sayin and Devin Brown during the run.

The Buckeyes played Kienholz in six different blowout victories as a part of mop-up duty. He went 11-of-14 passing for 139 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 66 yards and two touchdowns.

Kienholz will receive plenty of attention in the portal as he was a four-star quarterback in the 2023 recruiting class, ranking among the 15 best at the position. He was the No. 1 player from the state of South Dakota.

Below is a look at the four schools most likely to land Kienholz out of the transfer portal in the 2026 offseason.

Washington

Kienholz was committed to Washington for 6 months before flipping his commitment to the Buckeyes on Early Signing Day. Since Kienholz has a feel for Washington after being heavily recruited by it, it could provide a sense of familiarity as a transfer destination.

If Kienholz is looking to start for the Huskies, he may have to wait another season. Demond Williams Jr. also has two seasons of eligibility remaining at Washington and is coming off a 3,000-yard campaign in 2025.

It is also important to consider the regime change when linking Kienholz to Washington. Kalen DeBoer was the head coach at Washington during his recruitment. Jedd Fisch filled the vacancy when DeBoer left for Alabama in the 2024 offseason.

Alabama

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer (left) and defensive coordinator Kane Wommack against the Oklahoma Sooners | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The staff at Washington during Kienholz's recruitment has, in large part, migrated to Alabama. Ryan Grubb, DeBoer's offensive coordinator with the Huskies and now the Crimson Tide, was a key component in Washington's efforts to land Kienholz out of high school.

Similar to the prospect of Kienholz going to Washington, he may not be inserted into a starting role out of the gate. While Ty Simpson is projected as a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft, he can play for the Crimson Tide next season should he feel unready for the NFL.

Behind Simpson are a pair of high-profile quarterback recruits in Keelon Russell and Austin Mack, who could create tough competition for Kienholz.

Kansas State

Kansas State offered Kienholz a scholarship later in his recruitment. While there has been a coaching change in Manhattan since Kienholz's recruitment, the coach taking over for Chris Klieman is Collin Klein. However, the offensive coordinator who recruited Kienholz to Kansas State in 2022 was Klein.

While the connections are already in place, Kansas State may not give Kienholz the quickest path to the field if he wants to start immediately. Avery Johnson has no intention of leaving despite the coaching changes, but Kienholz could potentially take the reins in the 2027 season if he is content to do so.

Wyoming

Wyoming Cowboys head coach Jay Sawvel walks the field before the game against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors | Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

While Laramie, Wyoming, is not exactly close to Pierre, South Dakota, geographically, Wyoming is one of the closer FBS programs to Kienholz's hometown. Wyoming was one of a handful of programs Kienholz visited during his recruitment.

While Craig Bohl has retired from his post as the Cowboys' head coach, connections still remain in place for Kienholz. Current head coach Jay Sawvel was on staff as the defensive coordinator while recruiting Kienholz.

As for potential competition for the starting role, Kienholz's path to the field would be the least complicated at Wyoming. 2025 Cowboys starter Kaden Anderson entered the transfer portal on Monday, opening up a potential opportunity should Kienholz commit to Wyoming.