Two-time national champion linked to four college football programs in transfer portal

The NCAA transfer portal officially opened on Friday for all college football players looking for new destinations in 2026. The portal is open for a two-week period that concludes on Jan. 16.

Thousands of college football players from all levels decided to enter the portal after the 2025 regular season wrapped up. Many of the players who are transferring hope to transfer to places where they can receive more national attention.

One transfer trying to broaden his exposure is former Ferris State offensive lineman Dayne Arnett. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at his second school.

The 6-foot-5, 305-pounder arrived at Ferris State in 2024. He started on the Bulldogs' offensive line en route to a Division II national championship, blocking for current Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.

The Bulldogs won another Division II national championship in 2025. Arnett received All-GLIAC First Team distinction for his work in helping Ferris State to its second consecutive national championship.

While the jump from Division II to Division I is significant, Arnett is hearing from a diverse range of programs at both the FBS and FCS levels. Allen Trieu of 247Sports reported that Arnett is visiting four schools since entering the transfer portal.

Ferris State OL transfer Dayne Arnett has visits set with Colorado State, Iowa State, UCLA and North Dakota State.https://t.co/TTDpijz0eq pic.twitter.com/5ffK28y7p1
— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) January 3, 2026

Colorado State

The Rams are looking for a fresh start in 2026. Colorado State parted ways with head coach Jay Norvell on Oct. 19, 2025, amid what became a 2-10 season. It hired former Connecticut head coach Jim Mora Jr. as its next head coach.

Every coaching change in this era of college football comes with massive departures for the program involved.

At least 30 different players from the 2025 Colorado State roster are in the portal, and at least six of the group heading for the portal are offensive linemen. The situation would be ideal for an offensive lineman looking to break into the FBS ranks like Arnett.

UCLA

Bob Chesney at his introductory press conference. — Bob Chesney is introduced as UCLA Bruins football coach at press conference | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Similar to Colorado State, UCLA is in a transitional period with its coaching staff. The Bruins fired DeShaun Foster in mid-September and hired Bob Chesney in early December.

UCLA would be a larger step up since it would be a jump to the Power Four for Arnett. The losses to the transfer portal are not as pronounced for the Bruins despite the coaching change, and a season as a rotational piece at this level could go a long way in Arnett's development.

Iowa State

Arnett is eyeing yet another school that had to make a coaching change after 2025. Former Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell left the Cyclones for the Penn State head coaching vacancy. The Cyclones hired former Washington State head coach Jimmy Rogers as Campbell's successor.

No fewer than 50 members of Iowa State's 2025 roster have entered the transfer portal, some of whom are following Campbell to State College. The Cyclones have landed a handful of transfers under Rogers, but the roster needs more offensive linemen than the two offensive tackles it has acquired so far.

North Dakota State

Jumping from Ferris State to North Dakota State would be the smallest jump of the schools Arnett is interested in. Unlike Colorado State, UCLA, and Iowa State, North Dakota State is headed into its third season under Tim Polasek.

Polasek is 26-3 in his first two seasons with the Bison, creating a very stable situation for any incoming transfers. All of these factors could be attractive to a player like Arnett.