College football winter transfer portal: Opening date, closing date, and rules

The winter transfer portal has become a hectic time for college football teams. Coming slap bang in the middle of the regular season and playoffs, alongside the new rules from several years ago, is not a time that head coaches enjoy.

Ole Miss will again be heavily involved in the transfer portal. In the last three seasons, it has had a top-three portal class. Last season, it ranked No.1, picking up players such as Walter Nolen, Trey Amos, and Chris Paul Jr.

The transfer portal has shrunk by 15 days since 2023-24. The winter window is open for 20 days, while the spring window is open for 10 in 2024-25.

Plenty of questions surround the transfer portal, and we have answered some of those for you.

When does the college football transfer portal open?

The winter transfer portal opens on Monday, December 9, and closes on Saturday, December 28. It will be open for 20 days. Players will have another window to enter in the spring. Players can declare their interest in entering the portal before the date but can not participate in visits till the opening date.

How does a player enter his name into the transfer portal?

A player must notify their university, which has 48 hours to report the data into the database. Coaches at other programs can view the database. They then can see players who enter in real-time, meaning quicker responses to talk to the player after the opening date.

Can a player transfer to a program after the portal closes?

Yes. Once a player's name is in the transfer portal, they can commit outside the window. The dates are for players to enter their name into the portal.

What if a university head coach is fired or resigns?

If a team's head coach is fired or resigns, players from that program have a 30-day window to enter their names into the transfer portal, even if it's outside the two windows.