College Football Bowl Game Opt-Out Tracker

College football bowl season has long been a huge holiday tradition for bettors, but analyzing the bowl game odds isn’t as easy as simply breaking down the team.

Thanks to the NCAA’s transfer portal, keeping up with which players are actually participating is now equally as important.

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To help you stay on top of all the movement, we will have a game-by-game opt-out tracker — plus live college football odds — for each Bowl Game matchup.

Bowl game opt-outs and injuries for 2025-26

Here is the full slate of 2025-26 bowl game matchups. Click on a specific bowl to see the latest opt-outs.

Cricket Celebration Bowl

Saturday, December 13

Celebration Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
South Carolina State
No injuries or opt-outs reported
Prairie View A&M
No injuries or opt-outs reported

Bucked Up LA Bowl

Saturday, December 13

LA Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Boise State
Ty Benefield (SAF)
Kage Casey (OT)
Ben Ford (WR) – injured
Washington
Charlie Crowell (TE) – undisclosed injury
Tacario Davis (CB) – undisclosed injury
Kade Eldridge (TE) – foot injury
Justice Williams (WR) – undisclosed injury
Rashid Williams (WR) – collarbone injury

IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl

Tuesday, December 16

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Salute to Veterans Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Troy
Tae Meadows (RB) – Transfer Portal
DJ Jackson Jr. (DL) – Transfer Portal
Goose Crowder (QB) – ankle injury
Jacksonville State
Aghogho Eyafe (WR) – undisclosed injury
Lucas Farrington (RB) – undisclosed injury
Nabi Hoyt (WR) – undisclosed injury
Jalen Likely (RB) – undisclosed injury
Brock Rechsteiner (WR) – undisclosed injury

StaffDNA Cure Bowl

Wednesday, Dec. 17

Cure Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Old Dominion
Colton Joseph (QB) – Transfer Portal
Maurki James (RB) – undisclosed injury
Titus Myers (WR) – undisclosed injury
South Florida
Byrum Brown (QB)
Kajuan Banks (CB)
Alex Golesh (HC) – Hired by Auburn
Jaden Alexis (WR) – undisclosed injury
Christian Neptune (WR) – undisclosed injury
Chas Nimrod (WR) – undisclosed injury
Cartevious Norton (RB) – undisclosed injury
Kory Pettigrew (WR) – undisclosed injury
Brandon Winton (WR) – undisclosed injury
Weston Wolff (TE) – undisclosed injury

68 Ventures Bowl

Wednesday, Dec. 17

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68 Ventures Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Louisiana
Bryant Williams (OT) – Transfer Portal
Delaware
Thomas Amankwaa (WR) – undisclosed injury
Ja’Carree Kelly (WR) – undisclosed injury
Zach Marker (QB) – leg injury
Oliver Redd (RB) – undisclosed injury
Calvin Thomas (WR) – undisclosed injury
Connor Witthoft (TE) – undisclosed injury

Xbox Bowl

Wednesday, Dec. 17

Xbox Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Missouri State
Tristian Gardner (WR)
JJ O’Neal (DB)
DJ Wesolak (DL)
Ryan Beard (HC) – Hired by Coastal Carolina
No injuries reported
Arkansas State
Nana Burris (WR) – undisclosed injury
Jabari Bush (TE) – undisclosed injury
Ja’Quez Cross (TE) – undisclosed injury
Tyler Little (TE) – undisclosed injury
Cash Hudson (OC) – Transfer Portal

Myrtle Beach Bowl

Friday, Dec. 19

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Myrtle Beach Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Kennesaw State
JeRico Washington (CB) – Transfer Portal
Caleb Offord (CB) – injury
Garland Benyard (LB) – injury
Antonio Stevens (SAF) – injury
Western Michigan
Nadame Tucker (DE)
Cole Cabana (RB) – injury
Noah Bishop (DL) – injury

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl

Friday, Dec. 19

Gasparilla Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Memphis
Ryan Silverfield (HC) – Hired by Arkansas
Travis Burke (OT) – injury
Jaidyn Denis (CB) – injury
Chauncey Logan Jr. (CB) – injury
NC State
Justin Joly (TE)
Hollywood Smothers (RB)
Brandon Cleveland (DT)
Devon Marshall (CB)
Jacarius Peak (LT)
Kamen Smith (OG) – injury
Brody Barnhardt (SAF) – injury
Sean Brown (LB) – injury
Jamel Johnson (CB) – injury

College Football Playoff Round 1

Friday, Dec. 19

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CFP R1 Game 1 opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this game:
Alabama
Zabien Brown (CB) – injury
Josh Cuevas (TE) – injury
Kelby Collins (DL) – injury
Kevin Dewberry (OG) – injury
Justin Jefferson (LB) – injury
Jam Miller (RB) – injury
LT Overton (DL) – injury
Kevin Riley (RB) – injury

Oklahoma
Jovantae Barnes (RB) – injury
Heath Ozaeta (OG) – injury
Jake Maikkula (OG) – injury
R Mason Thomas (DL) – injury
Gentry Williams (CB) – injury

College Football Playoff Round 1

Saturday, Dec. 20

CFP R1 Game 2 opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this game:
Miami
–
Texas A&M
Collin Klein (OC) – Hired by Kansas State
Jay Bateman (DC) – Hired by Kentucky

College Football Playoff Round 1

Saturday, Dec. 20

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CFP R1 Game 3 opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this game:
Tulane
Jon Sumrall (HC) – Hired by Florida
Mississippi
Lane Kiffin (HC) – Hired by LSU

College Football Playoff Round 1

Saturday, Dec. 20

CFP R1 Game 4 opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this game:
James Madison
Bob Chesney (HC) – Hired by UCLA
Oregon
Will Stein (OC) – Hired by Kentucky
Tosh Lupoi (DC) – Hired by Cal
Dakoda Fields (CB) – Transfer Portal
Jahlil Florence (CB) – Transfer Portal

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Monday, Dec. 22

Potato Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Washington State
Anthony Palano (LB) – Transfer Portal
Kenny Worthy (CB) – Transfer Portal
Jaxson Porter (QB) – Transfer Portal
Braden Pegan (WR) – Transfer Portal
Utah State
–

Bush’s Boca Raton Bowl

Tuesday, Dec. 23

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Boca Raton opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Toledo
Jason Candle (HC) – Hired by UConn
Vince Kehres (DC) – Hired by Syracuse
Malachi Davis (EDGE) – Transfer Portal
Louisville
–

New Orleans Bowl

Tuesday, Dec. 23

New Orleans Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Western Kentucky
Dylan Flowers (CB) – Transfer Portal
Southern Miss
–

Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl

Tuesday, Dec. 23

Frisco Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
UNLV
–
Ohio
–

Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl

Wednesday, Dec. 24

Hawai’i Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
California
–
Hawai’i
Jackson Harris (WR) – Transfer Portal

GameAbove Sports Bowl

Friday, Dec. 26

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GameAbove Sports Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Central Michigan
Kade Kostus (DL) – Transfer Portal
Northwestern
–

Rate Bowl

Friday, Dec. 26

Rate Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
New Mexico
–
Minnesota
Fame Ijeboi (RB) – Transfer Portal

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl

Friday, December 26

First Responder Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
FIU
Mister Clark (CB) – Transfer Portal
Victor Evans III (CB)
UTSA
Chidera Otutu (DL) – Transfer Portal

Go Bowling Military Bowl

Saturday, December 27

Military Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Pittsburgh
–
East Carolina
–

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl

Saturday, December 27

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Pinstripe Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Penn State
Zane Durant (DL) – NFL Draft
Zakee Wheatley (SAF) – NFL Draft
Olaivavega Ioane (OL) – NFL Draft
Clemson
Khalil Barnes (SAF) – Transfer Portal
Avieon Terrell (CB) – injury

Wasabi Fenway Bowl

Saturday, December 27

Fenway Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
UConn
Cam Edwards (RB) – Transfer Portal
Ben Murawski (OT)
Carsten Casady (OT)
Brady Wayburn (OG) – Transfer Portal
Oumar Diomande (LB)
Cam Chadwick (DB)
Army
–

Pop-Tarts Bowl

Saturday, December 27

Pop-Tarts Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Georgia Tech
–
BYU
–

Snopp Dogg Arizona Bowl

Saturday, December 27

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Arizona Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Miami (OH)
Dequan Finn (QB)
Kam Perry (WR) – Transfer Portal
Adam Trick (DL) – Transfer Portal
Michael Yharbrough (CB) – Transfer Portal
Fresno State
–

Isleta New Mexico Bowl

Saturday, Dec. 27

New Mexico Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
North Texas
–
San Diego State
Jared Badie (EDGE) – Transfer Portal
August Salvati (EDGE) – Transfer Portal

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

Saturday, Dec. 27

Gator Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Virginia
Ja’Son Prevard (CB)
Missouri
–

Kinder’s Texas Bowl

Saturday, Dec. 27

Texas Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
LSU
Mansoor Delane (CB) – NFL Draft
Ahmad Breaux (DL) – Transfer Portal
Houston
Demetrius Hunter (OL)

JLab Birmingham Bowl

Monday, Dec. 29

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Birmingham Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Georgia Southern
–
App State
–

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Independence Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Coastal Carolina
–
Louisiana Tech
–

Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Music City Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Tennessee
Boo Carter (CB)
Illinois
–

Valero Alamo Bowl

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Alamo Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
USC
–
TCU
–

ReliaQuest Bowl

Wednesday, Dec. 31

ReliaQuest Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Iowa
–
Vanderbilt
–

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

Wednesday, Dec. 31

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Sun Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Arizona State
Sam Leavitt (QB), Chamon Metayer (TE)
Duke
–

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl

Wednesday, Dec. 31

Citrus Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Michigan
–
Texas
CJ Baxter (RB)

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl

Wednesday, Dec. 31

Vegas Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Nebraska
Emmett Johnson (RB)
Utah
–

Cotton Bowl: College Football Playoff Quarterfinal

Wednesday, Dec. 31

CFP Quarterfinal 1 opt-outs

We will list the opt-outs of this game once the official matchup is set.

Orange Bowl: College Football Playoff Quarterfinal

Thursday, Jan. 1

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CFP Quarterfinal 2 opt-outs

We will list the opt-outs of this game once the official matchup is set.

Rose Bowl: College Football Playoff Quarterfinal

Thursday, Jan. 1

CFP Quarterfinal 3 opt-outs

We will list the opt-outs of this game once the official matchup is set.

Sugar Bowl: College Football Playoff Quarterfinal

Thursday, Jan. 1

CFP Quarterfinal 4 opt-outs

We will list the opt-outs of this game once the official matchup is set.

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Friday, Jan. 2

Armed Forces Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Rice
–
Texas State
–

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

Friday, Jan. 2

Liberty Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Navy
–
Cincinnati
–

Duke’s Mayo Bowl

Friday, Jan. 2

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Duke’s Mayo Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Wake Forest
–
Mississippi State
–

Trust & Will Holiday Bowl

Friday, Jan. 2

Holiday Bowl opt-outs

Here are the opt-outs for this bowl:
Arizona
–
SMU
–

Fiesta Bowl: College Football Playoff Semifinal

Thursday, Jan. 8

CFP Semifinal 1 opt-outs

We will list the opt-outs of this game once the official matchup is set.

Peach Bowl: College Football Playoff Semifinal

Friday, Jan. 9

CFP Semifinal 2 opt-outs

We will list the opt-outs of this game once the official matchup is set.

College Football Playoff National Championship

Monday, Jan. 20

CFP National Championship opt-outs

We will list the opt-outs of the National Championship once the official matchup is set.

2025 college football bowl game schedule

Why do players opt out of playing in bowl games?

Players skip bowl games mostly for self-preservation and business reasons, not because they don’t care in the outcome of the game.

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For top NFL prospects, the main concern is injury risk before the annual draft. A bad knee injury in a mostly “exhibition” bowl can cost millions in draft position and even shorten a career. High-profile cases like Notre Dame star Jaylon Smith, who saw his draft stock drop after suffering a devastating injury in the Fiesta Bowl, is the cautionary tale every agent brings up.

The transfer portal adds another layer. Once a player decides to transfer, playing in a bowl for a staff they’re leaving while risking injury before a fresh start often makes little sense. Some schools have even struggled to field full rosters after large portal waves.

You also see opt-outs tied to coaching changes, NIL and draft training. If a head coach bolts or an OC is fired, players may choose to protect their body, lock in draft prep with trainers, and avoid one more month of hits for a game that doesn’t impact a title chase in the modern CFP era.

What is the Transfer Portal?

The NCAA Transfer Portal is an online database the NCAA launched in 2018 to manage and publicize college athletes’ intent to transfer between schools. It’s a sort of  centralized “free agency” board in which coaches and recruiters at other NCAA schools can see a player’s profile and legally contact them about transferring once they have officially entered the portal.

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For football, the portal is now one of the main roster-building tools at both the FBS and FCS levels. A player who wants to move tells their current school’s compliance office; the school must enter the athlete’s name in the portal within a short time frame (generally two business days). Once listed, the athlete can be recruited by other programs and explore scholarship and playing-time opportunities elsewhere.

Transfers are regulated by portal windows which are specific dates when players can enter their names. Recent rule changes have settled on a single main window for Division I football in early January (with a short extra window for College Football Playoff participants), replacing longer December and spring periods.

Can players enter the Transfer Portal multiple times?

Yes, players now can transfer multiple times without having to sit out a season, as long as they meet academic and timing requirements. This has accelerated roster turnover and made the portal a critical tool for coaches who want experienced players instead of relying solely on high school recruiting.

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Can players return to their original school after entering the Transfer Portal?

Yes, although it isn’t common. The portal is basically a “I’m open to talking” signal, not an instant transfer. Until a player actually enrolls at a new school and signs scholarship paperwork there, they’re still eligible to return.

The original school has a choice: Once a player enters the portal, the school is allowed (but not required) to pull or reallocate that scholarship for the next term. So coming back usually depends on whether the staff wants them back and whether there’s still a scholarship and roster spot available.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here