NCAAB Best Betting Values for College Basketball Futures in 2026

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Watching Ohio State get upset on a national stage on New Year’s Eve reminded me to keep an eye on the best current college basketball future values nationwide. Betters who had a futures ticket on any team other than the Buckeyes felt pretty good waking up on New Year’s Day with the odds-on favorite having gone down the night before. It might not solve that hang-over, but that ticket likely shot up 15-25% in value.

BY MATTY D.

For example, I had a ticket for Oregon to win a national football title at 8-1 before the night began. After the Miami Hurricanes beat the odds-on favorite for a national title, the Ohio State Buckeyes, that same ticket became 6-1 (theoretically increasing in value 25%).

Best College Basketball Future Values to Start the New Year

Across college basketball, this is a time of year when many important trends and storylines are overlooked. Between the NFL season reaching a peak, the holidays, and the college football championships coming into focus, some great bargains are live on Sportsbooks.

For example, the return of Kentucky big man Jayden Quaintance and solid play of another injured returner, Jailand Lowe, has not yet corrected Kentucky’s odds to consider them a favorite. The Wildcats are still listed today as 9-1 odds to even reach a Final Four on FanDuel SportBook.

Looking for even longer odds chances to snag a crazy underdog pick for March Madness 2026?
Click here to see more of my favorite futures values and underdogs for a NCAAB Championship.

Odds for Big 10 Teams to Win a Title Still Show Long-shot Potential

Despite having the odds-on favorite to win the national title at this point, Michigan, The Big 10 surprisingly has a lot of upside value for teams that are at least 15-1 to reach the Final Four itself.

Iowa sits around 25-1 to reach a Final Four as 2026 begins.

Meantime, Nebraska remains around 20-1 to reach a Final Four. These generous odds are given, despite the fact that the Cornhuskers haven’t lost a game in 2025 during its fall or early winter stretch of games.

People who are actually investing in physical tickets for national championships should hold off on this idea for now, but consider a Big 10 Conference championship bundled future. You can bet on a particular conference to win a championship. The odds for the Big 10 are going to be skewed towards Michigan, who by itself is a 4-1 favorite to win a title. However, if the Wolverines were to lose, the Big 10 Conference might suddenly become a bargain, loaded with low-cost but realistic teams to make a surprise Final 4 run.

Nebraska Cornhuskers Harvesting the Best Tourney Resume No one is Talking About

Even as Nebraska knocked off top 10 ranked Michigan State in dramatic fashion in a January 2nd home game, the oddsmakers kept disrespecting the Huskers. Nebraska stood as a 20-1 long-shot to make a Final Four on FanDuel, despite having one of America’s best (and still undefeated) records. Joe Lunardi’s December 30th bracketology had them as a 4 seed in the West Region, but Monday’s AP Top 25 voting might have them as the 4th best ranked team in the nation.

It’s hard to believe that head coach Fred Hoiberg is already in his seventh season as head man at Nebraska, after his “mayoral” status at the Hilton Coliseum with Iowa State. However, his family legacy is continuing in Lincoln this season in legendary fashion. He is coaching his son to a prestine record, overseeing a program that his grandfather coached for 9 seasons starting in the 1950s. This team is loaded with storylines that any TV producer at CBS Sports would salivate over during March Madness. It could be time that you put a shekel on the huskers.

LSU Basketball Worth Watching at 150-1 to Win a Title

I am not saying that you need to rush out there and bet the house on the Tigers, but this is a team worth watching at this point of the season. As of this moment, the Tigers are predicted by Joe Lunardi to be a 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They have a solid crop of sophomores led by a head coach, Matt McMahon, perhaps best known for coaching Ja Morant to some tournament wins with the upstart Murray State Racers in 2019. LSU has four scorers averaging anywhere between 13 and 16 per game, which is always a good recipe for a balanced offense. Point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. (7.1 assists to 1.8 turnover ratio) has done a good job navigating the Tigers to a 12-1 record before the conference schedule really kicks in.

Click here to follow LSU basketball on Twitter

Arizona and Iowa are also two teams whose odds I am watching closely. Listed below is a simple chart comparing NCAAB Futures on two major Sportsbooks.

Best Underdog Future Values to Find Under the Christmas Tree

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College basketball future tickets for an underdog team to win the national championship in 2026 could make for a perfect stocking stuffer for 2025. Here are a few tickets I’d love to see under my Christmas tree.

BY MATTY D.

Big 10 offers ample opportunities for high value underdogs in NCAAB Futures market

Let’s start our search for future values in the Big 10 Conference, where the league is making a sound argument as being the nation’s best league, with multiple different suitors for a Final Four bid. Nebraska is the poster child for the high ceiling teams within this group. In mid-November, you could find the Cornhuskers around 250-1 to win it all. Now, after winning its first 12 games and scoring key resume win against Illinois, K-State, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Creighton, this team is still a bargain at 60-1.

Here are some more Big 10 teams to consider for your portfolio. Michigan State stands at 20-1, Illinois 22-1, Iowa at 100-1, and Indiana at 120-1. Those odds are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook and posted on Christmas Eve.

Of course, Michigan stands alone at the top with the biggest amount of respect given in the futures market currently. They are +450 to win it all. That’s at least twice as expensive as any other team in the nation.

Which favorite is the best future value to win the 2026 college basketball championship?

With the Wolverines sitting at +450, that leaves a fleet of still great value picks around that 10-1 neighborhood. Arizona is +850, UCONN 10-1, and Duke 11-1. That group is followed by Iowa State, Purdue, and Houston at 12-1 or 13-1.

From that group, I would choose Arizona and Duke. In fact, I could easily see these teams steamrolling the competition to represent the West and East regions respectively in the national championship game itself. Having two tickets at +850 and 11-1 with that championship matchup together would be a good problem to have.

If those odds aren’t cheap enough for your liking, consider this. This is also the time of the sports calendar year where NFL teams are starting to separate themselves and either pass the eye test, or not. While teams like the Buccaneers, Lions, Ravens, and Chiefs are all suffering some unlikely knockout punches, teams like the Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers are showing some incredible value.

For example, a $5 bet on the 49ers to win the NFC combined with Arizona to win the championship would net $332.

Super sleeper underdogs who could compete in the 2026 March Madness tournament

As they say, “get in the dance and anything can happen.”

Here are some crazy underdogs that I am keeping an eye on at the 100-1 and lower vicinity.

Please note that most of these teams would have to win their own conference tournament championship to enter the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

St. Mary’s is 250-1 to win the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship

The Gaels actually have a recent history of making the tournament as an at large team, thanks in part to its conference mate Gonzaga’s gravitational pull as a national power plus its holding its own against those Bulldogs. This year, St. Mary’s returns an impressive veteran core that includes Harry Wessels and Paulius Murauskas, plus super sophomores Mikey Lewis and Andrew McKeever. McKeever, a 7 foot 2 center from California is averaging nearly a double double after 13 games (11-2 in that stretch).

Utah State 200-1 to win the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship

Someone is coming out of the Mountain West grandfathered in as the annual 7 through 11 seed, and this veteran laden bunch is as good a bet as any to win a few games.

Before conference play, Utah State Aggies quietly built a strong résumé for bettors seeking high-quality future value picks. The Aggies paired legitimate wins over programs like VCU and Tulane with dominant blowouts of Davidson, Charlotte, and Colorado State, showing both floor and ceiling. That blend of NET-relevant victories and decisive margins signaled a team undervalued nationally entering league play.

South Florida Bulls at +280 to win the American Conference

Before conference play fully shapes the market, the South Florida Bulls profile as an appealing future value bet under head coach Bryan Hodgson. Coming from the Nate Oats coaching tree, Hodgson emphasizes pace, spacing, and high-volume three-point shooting. His track record of rapid turnarounds and top-50 offenses suggests South Florida’s relentless attack could outperform preseason expectations. You cannot find South Florida on futures markets just yet, so we will leave the article here with a nasty haymaker pick. If you want to play this team, you can grab them at +280 to win their conference and add to that position if/when they make the tournament that way.

College Basketball Game Previews Weekend before Christmas

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The conference schedules are starting nationwide and college basketball teams have a better idea of how much work their tournament resumes need. Here are some highlights going into the games for the Saturday before Christmas.

BY MATTY D.

Kentucky Wildcats vs St. John’s Red Storm — Volatility Meets a Potential Energy Shift

The Kentucky Wildcats have been one of the hardest teams in the country to pin down so far, and that unpredictability is exactly what makes this spot fascinating. Getting overwhelmed by Gonzaga followed by a confidence-boosting win over Indiana illustrates a team still searching for its identity, but also one capable of sharp course correction. The biggest storyline hovering over this matchup is the possible debut of Jayden Quaintance, the Arizona State transfer whose arrival alone signals a shift in Kentucky’s ceiling. Video circulating of him exiting the team bus ahead of the St. John’s game hints that his first appearance this season could be imminent. If Quaintance is active, his athleticism, rebounding range, and defensive activity give Kentucky a game-changing element down low—exactly the kind of jolt that stabilizes a team still oscillating between extremes. This is less about one result and more about whether Kentucky starts to look structurally tougher and more connected.

Jayden Quaintance exits bus for St Johns game video courtesy BleedBlueCasy on Twitter

North Carolina Tar Heels vs Ohio State Buckeyes — The Market Undersells the Home Edge

The North Carolina Tar Heels feel undervalued laying only a short number at home against Ohio State Buckeyes. This is a classic situation where perception hasn’t quite caught up to reality. North Carolina has shown a steadiness and physical maturity that doesn’t always pop in headline results but consistently shows up over forty minutes, especially in Chapel Hill. Freshman phenom Caleb Wilson has been the model of consistency, scoring 20 points exactly for the past three consecutive games.

Ohio State has talent and can score in stretches, but the Tar Heels’ ability to control tempo, defend in space, and leverage their home environment creates separation that isn’t always reflected in a tight spread. This feels like a game where North Carolina’s cumulative advantages—experience, structure, and crowd energy—matter more than individual shot-making runs.

Memphis Tigers vs Mississippi State Bulldogs — Two Programs Crossing Paths at a Fork in the Road

Timing is everything in college basketball, and the matchup between the Memphis Tigers and the Mississippi State Bulldogs comes at a revealing moment for both programs. Mississippi State appears to be riding momentum after a meaningful win over Utah, a result that could serve as a confidence anchor as the season sharpens. It could also be an important resume bullet to score a tournament berth.

Memphis, on the other hand, is recalibrating after a loss to Vanderbilt Commodores, a team whose national ranking has validated that result as more than a stumble. Memphis looked like a super athletic scoring machine at times, but also an undisciplined train-wreck at others. In the middle of the first half, they looked dead. Memphis went on a scoring run around the mid-point of the game for a scoring comeback, but ultimately lost in overtime at home. This game reads like a directional check: Mississippi State trending upward with defensive buy-in and toughness, while Memphis searches for consistency after a setback that exposed some fault lines. When teams meet at these crossroads, the side with clarity and momentum often dictates the terms—and right now, Mississippi State looks closer to knowing exactly who it is.

Close-up on College Basketball as Conference Schedules Get Rolling

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After an eventful month plus of non-conference games with important outcomes, the college basketball season is transitioning into conference play where we are looking for the best leagues. As for the nation’s best teams, it feels like a band of heavyweights including Michigan, Arizona, and Duke remain squarely at the top. While Purdue was voted just barely outside of the top 5 in this week’s AP voting, they still remain one of the favorites to win a championship.

BY MATTY D.

There is a cluster of teams just below the top 5 that is intriguing to watch. In this week’s AP Top 25 Poll, Iowa State popped into the top 5, ranking as the 4th best team in the nation. This group also includes potential championship pedigree teams such as UCONN, Houston, and Gonzaga. This weekend I wanted to see another potential title contender from this class. I watched Michigan State struggle to separate itself from Penn State in a sleepy Saturday matinee in Happy Valley.

Sparty struggles with PSU signals what’s to come in conference play nationwide

This is a college basketball season where the cream has risen to the top like none other. The best freshman class of players in a generation were the subject of an arms race where major programs have never had more latitude to spend on their stars because of the NIL. However, despite all of this, the underdog still has a shot between the lines and within the 40 minute game clock.

The Michigan State Spartans took their top 10 national ranking into Penn State to play the first of 20 conference games as a heavy favorite, but the pesky Lions were neck-and-neck. This fight reminded me how the top seeded teams need to be on defense this winter against the rogue underdog. Regardless of how many 5-star athletes you have on your roster, a sleepy matinee can always rock a group of college kids who likely would rather sleep-in, anyway.

Arizona Separates Itself in Superior Stretch Against Offensive Juggernaut Alabama

This was the exact stretch where Arizona showed it isn’t just capable of trading blows with an offensive juggernaut — it knows how to end the fight. In a span of barely two minutes, the Wildcats ripped control away through depth, pressure, and poise. Ivan Kharchenkov set the tone with a steal and layup, Brayden Burries followed with another swipe, and suddenly Arizona was running downhill. Tobe Awaka hammered home a dunk off a Burries assist, and when Alabama tried to breathe, Burries calmly buried a three and then leaked out for a layup on the next possession. That sequence wasn’t about one star going nuclear — it was Arizona flaunting waves of contributors, each doing their job at full speed. Burries, though, was the engine. The #12 recruit in the nation looked every bit the part as a freshman, impacting the game as a scorer, facilitator, and disruptor. This is what separates contenders from pretenders: Arizona didn’t just survive the storm — it overwhelmed Alabama with depth, execution, and the kind of finishing instinct that championship teams develop early.

Other Observations from Outside the Top 10 in the AP Top 25

Nebraska is finally getting its due. The Cornhuskers had already proven their worth with a Feast Week tournament championship, but their undefeated record got another notch on the belt this week with an impressive win at Illinois. Nebraska is now finally in the 15th slot in the national rankings.

Kansas freshman superstar Darryn Peterson returned from injury after missing a few games and the Jayhawks responded. KU defeated NC State as a slight underdog and now maintain their ranking at 17th overall.

Florida already has four losses but somehow survived living in the AP Top 25 at 23rd overall.

Georgia and Virginia debut on the Top 25 for the first time this season, with programs like Kentucky, Clemson, and UCLA finding themselves on the outside looking in.

College Basketball Games to Watch for 2025 College Football Conference Championship Weekend

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Although conference championship crowns are being captured this weekend, these are some pivotal college basketball matchups to watch closely as the non-conference schedule winds down.

PICKS BY MATTY D.

Michigan State hosts Duke as Sparty Sees Itself as Surprise +1.5 Underdog

I feel like I’ve seen this movie before. You have a darling blue blood who has all of the nation’s highest rated recruits sprinkled with some long tenured program guards who just know how to play basketball. Duke comes straight out of central casting for that one. Enter Tom Izzo’s bunch. They look more like a defensive line group, with perhaps a few black and blue eyes to match. This Motley Cru normally mucks up the action with physical play.

Michigan State finds itself as a surprising 30-1 underdog to win the National Championship at this point, after its already excelled in the non-conference session throughout November.

Give me the Spartans to win outright, but I’ll take the 1 1/2 points if they’re giving it.

Either way, this will be a very interesting test for Duke super freshman Cameron Boozer (among this incredible list of sons of NBA stars currently playing collect basketball) as he has so far cruised to 30 plus point games against major programs. He has made it look easy doing it.

Overlooked Mid-major pick of the college basketball weekend

Not many people nationally are talking about the big upset win that Bowling Green scored at K-State this week. It was an impressive performance from the three point line and specifically for senior Sam Towns who dropped 17 points in the first half.

This, despite K-State having one of the nation’s highest paid players in Memphis transfer PJ Haggerty.

I don’t see a let down from Bowling Green here in this spot as they are spotting Utah Valley a casual 1 1/2 points, according to DraftKings line as of one hour before tip nationwide.

Feast Week Debrief – College Basketball 2025 Recap

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The college basketball regular season is very irregular, so it behooves fans who hope to pick the (nearly) perfect bracket to pay attention to what happened around the holidays. Feast Week during Thanksgiving is one of the most important weeks. That’s because teams with Final Four aspirations are building up their “non-conference resume.” Later, the conference schedule gets clogged with league opponents in January and February.

BY MATTY D.

My family laughs at me because I am so locked in during Feast Week, paying attention to who is performing well on a neutral floor. That irregular schedule for college hoops starts with a flurry of very important measuring stick games between teams who don’t naturally play each other. January can be more low-key as a bad loss in conference could be excused. However, in February and especially early March, bubble teams need to win every game to solidify their resume for a tournament birth. And, even the teams ranked in the top 10 want wins so that they can lock up 1 and 2 seeds. Here are some of the teams that looked like 1 or 2 seeds this Feast Week.

Looking Like 1 or 2 Seed NCAA Tournament Teams in November

This college basketball season started with an eye-opening performance by Arizona. More specifically, it was a coming out party for freshman Koa Peat, who dominated a game against Florida. However, as the Gators no longer look like a top 10 team and that Wildcats victory fades into our memory, a new red hot team is jumping onto the radar.

Can Wolverines Continue to Dominate College Basketball?

For a brief moment there during the Feast Week festivities, Gonzaga looked like they would be proclaimed the people’s champion and front-runner for the 2026 Championship. The newer “Players Era” Championship feast week tournament has become all the rage. The stock for traditional tournaments such as The Battle for Atlantis and The Mauii Invitational has lost value. In the Players Era semifinals, Gonzaga put a hurting on the always-tough defensive unit that is San Diego State. They looked like a very veteran team that could possibly sail to an unblemished non-conference record and then an even more comfortable conference schedule in the West Coast Conference.

However, then Michigan happened. Gonzaga played Michigan in the championship game and it was never even close. Michigan won by 40 points, Trey McKenney scored 17, and Yexel Lendeborg was named tournament MVP for his blossoming play.

Lendeborg, a native of Puerto Rico, has had an interesting pathway to Division 1 success. He not only played the last two seasons in relative obscurity at UAB, but he also barely knew that he’d be a college athlete during his major life adjustment over high school. Watch a special report by News 11 in Yuma, Arizona, where Lendeborg played junior college basketball.

Another Team in Michigan Carries an Undefeated Record into December

Michigan State was another notable program to pass on the tournament format during Feast Week. They and Duke continued rolling in their own paths. The Spartans continue to be fueled by the nation’s best dunker, Coen Carr and the steady hand of point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. A showcase game between Michigan State and UNC saw the experience and athleticism of the Spartans outpace the sometimes sensational play of UNC super freshman Caleb Wilson.

Houston Out-bullied by the Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee’s win over Houston wasn’t just a notch on the Vols’ non-conference belt — it was a toughness test, and they passed it in the final possessions. In a game defined by defensive clamps and half-court grit, it was Tennessee that made the firmer cuts, secured the harder rebounds, and executed the cleaner possessions when it mattered most. Houston rarely gets out-muscled in winning time, but the Vols did just enough of the dirty work to finish the job and earn one of November’s most meaningful victories. Ja’Kobi Gillespie proved that he was one of the best point guards in the nation (exemplified by how he carried himself in a postgame interview that has since gone viral) and Jaylen Carey was just a men amongst boys down low.

Best Hair in College Basketball Nominees for the 2025-2026 NCAAB Season

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With as much college basketball as we watch, we start to admire more than just the pure skill on the basketball court, such as the style and shape that some players sport for their hairdos.

And when I say we, I am referring to the collective college basketball chatter that we engage with on Twitter, blogs, and other social media. Below are some cool hair cuts to keep an eye on towards March Madness for the prom night of all red carpet moments.

Distinguished Gray Hair Makes its way into college hoops

NIL may be keeping more players in the NCAA ranks for longer, but this Eastern Washington transfer has been distinguished in gray for the entirety of his college career. Steele Venters has some Blue Steel looks with his distinguished gray highlights.

Here are some other NCAAB hair styles people are talking about on Twitter

Here’s the good, the bad, the ugly when it comes to haircuts the college basketball Twitterverse is talking about.

Mountain West Check-In: Are We Headed Toward Another Multi-Bid Year?

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The Mountain West has opened the 2025–26 season with a competitive upper tier and several teams showing signs that the league could once again chase multiple NCAA Tournament bids. Early-season performances from Utah State, Colorado State, Boise State, Grand Canyon, and San Diego State have helped shape the conference’s identity heading into December.

Below is a focused check-in on these five teams, plus an updated look at Fresno State’s early results.

Utah State (4–0, KenPom No. 66)

Utah State has delivered one of the most complete early-season profiles in the conference. Their senior leadership and defensive cohesion have been clear strengths, allowing them to control pace and dictate matchups across their first four games.

Key Game: Utah State vs. VCU

Their win over VCU stands out as the defining moment of November. Seniors Kolby King, Garry Clark, and MJ Collins Jr. took command of the game from the opening tip. King steadied the offense and controlled tempo; Clark imposed himself physically inside; and Collins Jr. delivered steady perimeter defense and confident scoring. Anytime VCU attempted to swing momentum, one of Utah State’s veterans answered with a high-level possession. The Aggies never relinquished control, and the victory showcased their maturity and readiness to compete at the top of the conference.

Colorado State (4–1)

Colorado State continues to lean on strong spacing, smart ball movement, and dependable guard play. Their early-season results reflect a disciplined team that understands how to generate efficient offense even against superior size or athleticism.

Boise State (4–1)

Boise State has once again emerged as a physical and fundamentally solid team. Their home-court strength remains one of the most reliable factors in the conference, and the Broncos’ ability to defend without fouling has traveled well in the early weeks.

Grand Canyon (3–2, KenPom No. 87)

Grand Canyon’s efficiency ranking places them among the Mountain West’s early standouts. With length at multiple positions and defensive activity that disrupts rhythm, they’ve already shown they can handle high-major size and speed.

San Diego State (2–1, KenPom No. 80)

San Diego State continues to embody the traits that have defined their program for years—pressure defense, physical shot contests, and confident late-game execution. Even with limited sample size, they again look like one of the most dependable teams in the Mountain West.

Fresno State (5–2)

Fresno State has the win total, but not the profile. However, their losses at home to UC San Diego and especially SC Upstate—currently ranked 326th in KenPom—makes it so that we can’t take them seriously.

Parody is Dead in College Basketball

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Parody, the primary ingredient that makes college basketball amazing, could be spoiling right in front of our very eyes. It’s the ingredient that allows for a team ranked outside of the top 100 make for a memorable Thursday in mid-March.

Last year, we watched all 1 seeds make the Final Four for the first time in nearly 20 years.

This year, we are seeing a historic streak where the basketball season is beginning with ranked teams pitching a shutout against unranked teams.

Even with ranked teams continuing their perfect record against unranked opponents, the season has already delivered moments where the upset alarm blared loud enough to make everyone look twice. In early November, Towson pushed No. 3 Houston deep into the second half before a late 13–2 run finally gave the Cougars breathing room. UC Irvine nearly stunned No. 7 Arizona, leading for long stretches until Koa Peat’s late-game heroics bailed the Wildcats out in Tucson. Charleston had No. 12 Alabama tied inside the final four minutes before the Tide’s depth finally separated. Even mid-majors like Vermont (vs. Tennessee) and Saint Peter’s (vs. Villanova) hung around into crunch time, keeping the score within a single possession late. All of these games flirted with becoming the season’s first true shocker—yet every time, the ranked favorite found a solution. Those close calls highlight how thin the margin has been, but they also underscore the larger storyline: even when threatened, the top teams simply refuse to fall.

The Rich Getting Richer Makes for a Poorer Experience for the Non-Power Schools

In the NIL era, the old saying “the rich get richer” has never felt more literal in college basketball. Money has always mattered, but now it speaks with a megaphone. The programs with deep-pocketed collectives, national brands, and massive donor networks are stacking even more advantages on top of their already dominant positions. Top-50 recruits who might have once chosen high-mid-majors for immediate playing time are now opting for Power 5 schools because the financial opportunity simply isn’t comparable. Even proven mid-major stars in the transfer portal are being pulled upward by six-figure offers and long-term visibility that only the biggest programs can provide. The result is a consolidation of talent at the sport’s wealthiest institutions—where depth charts resemble NBA benches and even the “role players” were once featured options somewhere else. As NIL accelerates this talent migration, the power dynamic continues tightening around a small handful of resource-heavy schools, making the upset landscape feel thinner than ever.

Another dynamic is clearly missing from the college game There are nearly no scenarios where the nucleus of mid-major programs are cultivating with each other, and delivering results, within a four year window. If you think of the Wichita State teams from the early 2010s, there was a senior leadership that blended young stars (like Fred Van Fleet) and then blossomed come tournament time. The Butler Bulldogs of that same era grew as a unit with a mix of one or two NBA prospects with a remainder of just solid 4 year college basketball players.

Once a player does excel at the mid-major level, he jumps squarely onto everyone’s radar and therefore, likely, into the transfer portal.

Oscar Clufff is a rare case of a player journey from major, to minor, to a major conference once again.

The transfer portal has become more important than the traditional course of coaches recruiting from high schools. Look at 247sports.com listing of the top 100 players to transfer ahead of the 2025-2026 season. You’ll see the litany of instances to where a power school robs from the fruits of the mid-major level labors.