The NCAA transfer portal for college football players may have closed back in January, but one college quarterback just entered the transfer portal this week using a genius loophole.
While the transfer portal is a popular option for college players looking to explore other opportunities at other schools, there are limitations. A player can only enter the transfer portal during the designated transfer portal window, which opened on Jan. 2, 2026, and ran for 15 days, closing on Jan. 16, 2026. Players cannot enter the portal outside of that window.
However, UCLA quarterback Karson Gordon appears to have found a genius loophole that would allow him to transfer to another football program and play there next fall.
On Thursday, Pete Nakos of On3 reported that the redshirt sophomore quarterback/receiver was entering the transfer portal, but not as a football player. Instead, Gordon decided to enter the portal as a track and field athlete even though he plans to also play football at his next school.
“Despite entering the portal as a track and field athlete, Gordon can sign with any program as a two-sport athlete, meaning he can join any interested football program ahead of the upcoming Fall semester. The NCAA’s month-long track and field portal window opened Thursday and will close on June 26,” On3 reported.
It’s worth noting that while this does make use of a loophole that would allow Gordon to effectively transfer to a new football team, he is a perfectly capable track athlete, as well. In fact, he’s a national champion.
Gordon has been a member of the UCLA track and field team in the past, last competing during the 2025 indoor season as a triple jumper, and he’s been quite successful. Gordon set a personal record with a winning jump of 51 feet, 11 inches at the Spokane Sports Showcase in January 2025. Gordon also won a national championship in the triple jump with a leap of 51-4.5 at the 2023 Nike Outdoor Nationals.
We’ll have to see where Gordon ultimately ends up after this decision.
About Dave Kelsey
Contributing author to The Comeback.