Ranking Big Ten football programs with the fewest transfers entering 2026 season
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Seemingly every college football program out there wants a taste of the NCAA transfer portal. Teams in the Big Ten are no different. Some massive overhauls took place in the conference this season, as new head coaches took over.
However, there are still some rosters without a ton of transfers on them. So, of the 18 Big Ten teams, which has the fewest? Let’s take a look at where each of them stands, beginning out West.
1. USC Trojans – 17 transfers
Early in his USC tenure, Lincoln Riley opted to raid the transfer portal. The goal was to find immediate success in Los Angeles, especially as the program moved into the Big Ten. For the most part, Riley’s plan failed.
Now, the Trojans are investing heavily in high school recruiting. Transfer will still be taken here and there, just not at as big a volume.
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2. Iowa Hawkeyes – 19
Of the 19 transfers on campus, 15 of them are from this past cycle. Fittingly enough, three of those 15 are special teams guys — two punters and a kicker.
Elsewhere, it’s a lot of skill position players for Iowa. Both offensively and defensively, the Hawkeyes looked to shore up traditional positions of weakness.
3. Rutgers Scarlet Knights – 20
Coming in at No. 3 on the list is Rutgers. Like the team above them, most of the 20 transfers are coming into the program this offseason. Nineteen of them, to be exact.
A nice mix of position versatility is included in the bunch. Four cornerbacks stand out more than anything, meaning the secondary should look completely different.
4. Ohio State Buckeyes – 20
Ohio State falls into a similar category as USC. The Buckeyes prefer to do most of their roster building through the high school ranks. As a result, transfers become more of a luxury.
Everyone remembers how Ohio State won a national championship, finding a way to keep guys on campus. No reason to go away from the strategy.
5. Michigan Wolverines – 20
Michigan is the first team on this list to have a first-year head coach. Retention was the name of the game, as the roster was not in a bad spot after the firing of Sherrone Moore.
Kyle Whittingham will feel like the Wolverines are in a spot to compete right away. One of the more interesting teams entering ’26.
6. Oregon Ducks – 22
How many schools in the country, let alone the Big Ten, recruit at the level of Oregon? Not many. Not just high school, either, as the Ducks are constantly aiming high in the portal.
Even so, only 22 will be on the 2026 roster. Head coach Dan Lanning knows how to develop some talent and adds outside players when necessary.
7. Maryland Terrapins – 23
Maryland begins a three-team run of 23 transfers on the roster. Head coach Mike Locksley needs to find some wins after back-to-back 4-8 campaigns.
The Terrapins are going to be rolling with a lot of their own guys, though. Not quite inside the top five in the Big Ten but just on the doorstep.
8. Indiana Hoosiers – 23
Seeing Indiana so high on the list might feel odd. For the first two seasons of Curt Cignetti’s tenure, all you heard was about transfers. Now, they are in the lower half when it comes to the Big Ten.
Even so, some key guys on the 2026 roster will have played elsewhere before. None bigger than quarterback Josh Hoover, making his way to IU from TCU.
9. Northwestern Wildcats – 23
10. Illinois Fighting Illini – 24
11. Nebraska Cornhuskers – 25
12. Minnesota Golden Gophers – 25
13. Washington Huskies – 29
14. Penn State Nittany Lions – 39
15. Michigan State Spartans – 39
16. Wisconsin Badgers – 42
17. Purdue Boilermakers – 49
18. UCLA Bruins – 55
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