Since the introduction of the transfer portal, FCS programs across the country have used the portal to their advantage to acquire new — and often times experienced — talent. Sometimes transfer players have an immediate impact after stepping on campus, contributing right away to FCS teams.
Here's a breakdown of the transfer portal and the FCS through so far, looking at FBS to FCS transfers and FCS to FCS transfers.
Number of transfers by school
| School | Number of Transfers |
|---|---|
| Alabama A&M | 28 |
| Southern Illinois | 20 |
| Jackson State | 12 |
| Grambling State | 11 |
| Southern, Samford, Sam Houston | 10 |
| Texas A&M-Commerce, Southeastern Louisiana, Norfolk State | 8 |
| Northern Colorado, Missouri State, Florida A&M, Eastern Kentucky, Duquesne, Central Arkansas |
7 |
| Youngstown State, Southern Utah, Illinois State, Alcorn State, Alabama State |
6 |
| Towson, Tarleton, Stony Brook, Montana, Indiana State, UIW, Eastern Illinois, Bethune-Cookman |
5 |
| UT Martin, Richmond, Northwestern State, North Dakota, Morehead State, Mississippi Valley State, McNeese, Jacksonville State, Elon, Delaware |
4 |
| West Carolina, Wagner, Villanova, UC Davis, Tennessee Tech, Stephen F. Austin, Sacred Heart, Robert Morris, Rhode Island, Portland State, Northern Iowa, North Carolina A&T, North Alabama, Mercer, Hampton, Gardner-Webb, Furman Charleston Southern |
3 |
| Southeast Missouri State, Saint Francis, Sacramento State, Prairie View A&M, Northern Arizona, North Carolina Central, New Hampshire, Montana State, Maine, Long Island, Lamar, ETSU, Eastern Washington, Campbell |
2 |
| Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Butler, Cal Poly, Chattanooga, Colgate, Davidson, Delaware State, Dixie State, Drake, Georgetown, Houston Baptist, Idaho State, Kennesaw State, Merrimack, Monmouth, Nicholls, San Diego, South Dakota, Stetson, Texas Southern, William & Mary, Wofford |
1 |
Three-hundred-eighty-one players and counting have found a new home from the transfer portal at the FCS level so far this offseason. As shown above, some teams have been more active than others in the portal acquiring players. Keep in mind FCS programs only get 63 equivalency scholarships and many of the players that have found new homes from the portal now cut into that number.
Number of transfers by number of schools
| Number of transfers | Number of Schools |
|---|---|
| 28 | 1 |
| 20 | 1 |
| 12 | 1 |
| 11 | 1 |
| 10 | 3 |
| 8 | 3 |
| 7 | 6 |
| 6 | 5 |
| 5 | 8 |
| 4 | 10 |
| 3 | 18 |
| 2 | 14 |
| 1 | 22 |
Ninty-two different FCS schools have dipped into the transfer portal this offseason. There are only 130 FCS programs this year. Almost 72% of programs will have a transfer on the roster this fall.
Number of transfers by conference
| Conference | Number of transfers |
|---|---|
| SWAC | 92 |
| MVFC | 52 |
| Big Sky, CAA | 34 |
| WAC, Southland | 26 |
| SoCon | 23 |
| ASun | 19 |
| NEC | 18 |
| OVC, Big South | 14 |
| MEAC | 11 |
| Pioneer | 8 |
| Patriot | 2 |
The SWAC by far has the most number of transfers of any conference in the FCS. The conference has four of the seven teams with the most transfers. Alabama A&M's 28 transfers are eight more than any other school. It's an arms race in the SWAC.
It may seem like every team is dipping into the transfer portal with the large number of transfers around the country, but one notable team has yet to do so — defending champion North Dakota State.
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