Credit to Bruce Feldman and Stewart Mandel for pointing something out I hadn't thought of on their podcast
Currently the portal is open for 30 days starting the day after conference championship games. That is done so kids have a chance to take visits and find a new place before second semester starts. The portal closes on Jan 2. There are only four teams in the playoff so 129 teams have kids who can enter the portal and miss absolutely nothing consequential.
But next year, there are 12 teams in the playoff playing some of the biggest games in school history. For example, Ohio State would be in a playoff next year. Their starting QB and a starting WR are already in the portal. This year, that's not that big a deal because the Cotton Bowl isn't this huge game for OSU. But what if it's next year? If a kid in Kyle McCord's situation knows he's going to transfer, does he have to wait until after his team loses in the playoff to enter? And what if you're one of the last four teams standing and the semis are played after the portal closes? Are you just out of luck until after spring football?
To bring it closer to home, Mizzou hasn't lost a kid that's really impactful to the portal at this point. But they're still gong to have 2-3 days after the end of the season to enter if they want to. If this is next year and Mizzou is in the playoff are those guys sticking around to be a part of it? And if Mizzou wins a game or two, what do they do then?
One solution, IMO, is that you open the portal for 30 days AFTER YOUR SEASON ENDS. So if you don't make a bowl game, it's open like Nov 26 to Dec 26. But if you make the national title game it's open like Jan 15 to Feb 15.
Maybe it doesn't impact all that many kids, but it was something I hadn't thought about and yet another example of college sports doing something (the portal window and the playoff) and not thinking about all the potential consequences.
Currently the portal is open for 30 days starting the day after conference championship games. That is done so kids have a chance to take visits and find a new place before second semester starts. The portal closes on Jan 2. There are only four teams in the playoff so 129 teams have kids who can enter the portal and miss absolutely nothing consequential.
But next year, there are 12 teams in the playoff playing some of the biggest games in school history. For example, Ohio State would be in a playoff next year. Their starting QB and a starting WR are already in the portal. This year, that's not that big a deal because the Cotton Bowl isn't this huge game for OSU. But what if it's next year? If a kid in Kyle McCord's situation knows he's going to transfer, does he have to wait until after his team loses in the playoff to enter? And what if you're one of the last four teams standing and the semis are played after the portal closes? Are you just out of luck until after spring football?
To bring it closer to home, Mizzou hasn't lost a kid that's really impactful to the portal at this point. But they're still gong to have 2-3 days after the end of the season to enter if they want to. If this is next year and Mizzou is in the playoff are those guys sticking around to be a part of it? And if Mizzou wins a game or two, what do they do then?
One solution, IMO, is that you open the portal for 30 days AFTER YOUR SEASON ENDS. So if you don't make a bowl game, it's open like Nov 26 to Dec 26. But if you make the national title game it's open like Jan 15 to Feb 15.
Maybe it doesn't impact all that many kids, but it was something I hadn't thought about and yet another example of college sports doing something (the portal window and the playoff) and not thinking about all the potential consequences.
