The next era of the college football transfer portal officially opens Jan. 2, but make no mistake -- the 2026 cycle is already underway. Behind the scenes, portal boards have been set for months. Agents are working phones. Players are making quiet decisions. As one source put it, "Deals are being struck."

Lane Kiffin's decision to leave the Ole Miss Rebels in the middle of a College Football Playoff run to become the new head coach of the LSU Tigers is easily one of the biggest stories in all of sports over the last month.