Top transfer RB has two College Football Playoff teams battling for commitment

Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back Makhi Frazier (5) runs the ball prior to the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Michigan State posted a clear downturn in 2025, finishing 4–8 (1–8 Big Ten) under second-year head coach Jonathan Smith.

The record marked a step back from the Spartans’ 5–7 finish in Smith’s first season and continued the program’s slide from its bowl-qualifying years under Mel Tucker and Mark Dantonio.

The team’s losing environment in 2025 directly contributed to roster churn, with starting contributors such as sophomore running back Makhi Frazier opting to test the transfer portal.

Frazier emerged as Michigan State’s leading rusher in 2025, logging 116 carries for 520 yards (4.5 yards per carry) and two rushing touchdowns across nine games, numbers that established him as a productive, physical downhill runner, even as injuries sidelined him late in the season.

A McKinney, Texas product, Frazier entered college as a four-star recruit and the nation’s No. 117 running back, according to On3, and drew nearly a dozen offers, choosing Michigan State over programs such as Oregon State, Arkansas, Minnesota, and Missouri.

Despite that recruiting pedigree, Frazier saw limited action as a true freshman in 2024 before breaking out in an expanded role in 2025 and now is seeking a new opportunity elsewhere.

That decision has already generated traction, as Frazier’s combination of size (5-foot-10, 218 pounds), production, and up to three years of remaining eligibility has sparked immediate Power Five interest in the transfer portal.

On Thursday, On3 reporter Pete Nakos noted that Frazier is drawing strong interest from two College Football Playoff teams, Indiana and Oregon, both coming off standout seasons and widely viewed as among the top programs in the country.

Michigan State Spartans running back Makhi Frazier (5) runs the ball against USC | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Both programs made deep postseason runs in 2025, with Indiana reaching the College Football Playoff following an undefeated regular season and earning the No. 1 seed in the bracket. 

The Hoosiers recently recorded a dominant Peach Bowl semifinal win over No. 5 Oregon and now sit one win away from the program’s first-ever national championship, with a title matchup against No. 10 Miami scheduled for Monday at Hard Rock Stadium.

Oregon, meanwhile, fell to Indiana in the semifinal but still capped another highly successful season, posting its fourth straight double-digit win campaign under head coach Dan Lanning. 

The Ducks remain one of the most explosive offenses in college football and already have several key offensive weapons locked in for 2026, making Oregon a natural fit for a proven, Big Ten–tested back who could help sustain championship expectations.

While Frazier has reportedly drawn interest from a broad group of suitors, including Auburn, Alabama, Texas A&M, and Ohio State, Nakos has explicitly identified Indiana and Oregon as two programs to closely monitor as they work the transfer portal for running back help.

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