Big 12 Program Loses 64 Players to College Football Transfer Portal After Coach's Firing

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With the 2026 college football transfer portal officially closed for new entries, the Oklahoma State Cowboys set an all-time college football record for transfer portal departures.

According to On3, the program lost 64 players this cycle, and it is the most by any school in a single year. The previous record belonged to the Colorado Buffaloes, which lost 56 players in 2023. 

The exodus followed Mike Gundy’s midseason dismissal after a 1-2 start that included a humiliating 69-3 loss to the Oregon Ducks and a home defeat to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. 

Gundy went 170-90 over 20 seasons in Stillwater, leading the Cowboys to a Big 12 championship in 2011 and eight 10-win campaigns. But the 58-year-old had a disappointing 2024 season with a 3-9 record, and his underwhelming start to 2025 sealed the program’s fate.

His firing opened a 30-day transfer portal window for Oklahoma State players. That early window, combined with the regular January portal period, created a perfect storm for departures.

According to a previous Pokes Report, just 30 players from the previous roster remained listed on the active board inside the team staff room. Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year Wendell Gregory led the notable exits. The linebacker posted 19 solo tackles, eight assists and four sacks before transferring to the Kansas State Wildcats.

The unexpected departure number gave new head coach Eric Morris a hard time rebuilding the roster. However, the former North Texas Mean Green coach quickly managed to bring 54 transfers to Stillwater, including former North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who led the FBS in passing yards (4,379) and had 34 passing touchdowns last season.

The Iowa State Cyclones finished second on the departure list with 54 transfers following Matt Campbell’s exit to Penn State. The Nittany Lions lost 46 players after James Franklin left for the Virginia Tech Hokies.

The West Virginia Mountaineers saw 44 departures under returning head coach Rich Rodriguez, and the Arkansas Razorbacks lost 38 players when former Memphis Tigers head coach Ryan Silverfield replaced Sam Pittman at the end of the regular season. The Mississippi State Bulldogs also lost 38 players to the transfer portal.

Related: Early Big 12 Football Predictions for 2026

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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