As the clock runs out on Miami and Indiana in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship, there may be no better time to look forward to the next season.
Thanks to an updated college football calendar, the lone transfer portal window of the season has closed. The ability to gauge roster experience became a little easier with the May portal window dropping off the schedule.
The early returns from TARP, a measurement of "Transfer Activity and Returning Production," show a number of teams hitting the jackpot.
Eleven teams maxed out their returning production thanks to portal additions.
Old blue-blood teams like Oregon and Florida gained as many power rating points as possible with their 2026 rosters, while fresh national faces like Indiana and Texas Tech also cashed in on portal additions.
One team is undergoing massive changes throughout the roster and coaching staff but may be set up to make a College Football Playoff run 11 months from now.
Let's take a look at my college football futures and NCAAF picks for the 2026-27 season.
College Football Futures, Picks
Penn State fired head coach James Franklin in October before administrators missed out on candidates such as BYU's Kilani Sitake.
The Nittany Lions may have landed the best fit possible, as new head coach Matt Campbell is known for developing tight ends.
Penn State has a reputation for producing NFL-ready tight ends, and Campbell used more 12, 13 and 14 personnel than any other FBS program.
The former Iowa State head coach has wasted little time rebuilding Penn State. Campbell brought the recruiting back to life, but his work in the transfer portal will pay dividends next season.
The Nittany Lions finished fifth in the transfer portal rankings. Quarterback Rocco Becht, tight end Benjamin Brahmer and receiver Chase Sowell are just a few of the four-star names coming to State College next season.
Campbell also pulled one of the best defensive coordinators in FBS with D’Anton Lynn coming in from USC.
After spending time with UCLA and the Baltimore Ravens, Lynn made a lifeless USC defense a top-30 unit in nearly every category over the span of two years.
Also assisting the early national title wager is the schedule. No team on Penn State's 2026 schedule is expected to be power-rated over the Nittany Lions.
In summary, Penn State was struggling to find a coach in November, while the recruiting was abysmal after Franklin's departure. Campbell is not only a great fit for the Penn State offense, but the recruiting trail and transfer portal have seen positive impacts since early December.
The hiring of Lynn ensures that the Nittany Lions defense will remain highly efficient and Havoc-minded. The schedule is also conducive to a run, with cupcakes in nonconference play and no Ohio State or Oregon in Big Ten play.
Pick: Penn State to Win 2027 National Championship (+7000)
