Former Ohio State Buckeyes’ freshman star is entering the transfer portal for a second time looking for his final stop in college

The former Buckeye is leaving Colorado and Deion Sanders’ program to look for a new start.

Brandon Little — Ohio State Buckeyes & Cleveland Browns News Writer
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The Ohio State Buckeyes and every other team in the college football landscape are gearing up to navigate the two-week transfer portal window. 

Ohio State had one player make it known he would enter the transfer portal, WR Bryson Rodgers. The Buckeyes hope to be preparing for a College Football Playoff semifinal game when the portal opens on Jan. 2. 

Former Ohio State freshman star is heading to the portal 

Dallan Hayden was an impactful freshman for the Buckeyes back in the 2022 season with 553 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Hayden then played in just three games as a sophomore in 2023 and took a redshirt.

Hayden transferred to Colorado after the 2022 season, and he’s now heading back to the portal after spending two seasons with Deion Sanders’ program, according to Hayes Fawcett.

Hayden will have one year of eligibility left to play his final year of college football. The decision to transfer to Colorado was never very productive for Hayden. As a backup, Hayden had 196 rushing yards and a touchdown in 11 games played for the Buffaloes in 2024. The production picked up to 326 rushing yards in 10 games this season. Through four years of college football, Hayden has 1,185 rushing yards on 264 attempts to go along with eight touchdowns. 

The one connection that Buckeye fans will immediately make is South Florida with Ohio State OC Brian Hartline. A jump down in competition could be what Hayden needs for his final season before he tries to chase a pro career. Hayden was a four-star top-300 player in the class of 2022 when he originally committed to the Buckeyes. 

NCAA transfer portal information for 2026 College Football season

  • The NCAA transfer portal opens on Jan. 2 and closes on Jan. 16.
  • Elimination of Spring Window: The NCAA eliminated the previous 15-day spring window, making this the sole major winter period.
  • Graduate Transfers: Graduate transfers must adhere to the same 15-day window as undergraduate players.
  • Coaching Changes: A 15-day window is triggered if a new coach is hired after January 2.

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