In today’s college football landscape, the traditional “process” is no longer the standard. Instead, the sport has split into two clear approaches: patiently developing a championship roster over several years or assembling one quickly through the December transfer portal.
As we examine how today’s programs are built, on-field results are beginning to tell a clear story about which units thrive on team chemistry and which succeed on sheer transactional talent.
Homegrown Trenches
In today’s college football, few traps are more tempting than believing in “plug-and-play” offensive lines. Landing a 300-plus-pound tackle from the portal may be exciting, but you can’t buy synchronicity.
Iowa stands as a counterexample, a true member of the old guard. Its 2025 offensive line had 142 combined starts, making it one of the most experienced and cohesive units in the country. The Hawkeyes started the same five offensive linemen in all 12 regular-season games, a level of continuity that helped them capture the Joe Moore Award for the nation’s top offensive line.
That steadiness showed up every week, as Iowa posted five games with more than 200 rushing yards and didn’t commit its first holding penalty until game ten against USC.
The Impact Acquisition
If the trenches are built around “the unit,” skill players are all about “the individual.” This is where the acquisition model can generate the highest return on investment (ROI).
Colorado is a prime example. When Coach Prime, Deion Sanders, took over the Buffaloes in 2023, he brought in stars like Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders to anchor his roster for his first few seasons. After a disappointing 2023 campaign, Hunter and Sanders were major contributors to Colorado’s 9–4 season in 2024, which ended with Hunter winning the Heisman Trophy as a two-way player and Sanders being regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the sport.
Another case study from this past season is Ole Miss. The Rebels acquired former Division II quarterback Trinidad Chambliss from Ferris State, along with 25 other portal additions. When Chambliss got his opportunity, he took it and ran. The eventual Heisman candidate led the Rebels to a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance in the program’s first trip to the postseason competition.
On the contrary, Florida State hasn’t seen the same level of success with heavy portal usage. The Seminoles brought in a top‑ten portal class in 2024 but stumbled to a 2–10 finish. In 2025, FSU went portal‑heavy again and ended with an underwhelming 5–7 record, leading to head coach Mike Norvell to be on the hot seat.
Moral of the story: going portal‑heavy can be hit or miss.
The Hybrid Model
The Hybrid Model centers around the elite of the elite, schools that bring in high-quality high school and portal talent to build the best roster possible.
Kirby Smart has taken this exact approach at Georgia. Continuously bringing in a top ten recruiting class year after year, while also now dipping into the transfer portal to plug and play upper-level talent.
Oregon is another example of this model. Head Coach Dan Lanning has been one of the most prolific recruiters in all of college football, but lately has supplemented with talented and key portal acquisitions over the past few seasons.
Overview
I personally believe that continuity is the biggest factor in on-field success in today’s college football. But you also have to build your roster with enough depth to handle injuries and other unexpected circumstances. For me, I align with the Hybrid Model simply because those teams have had the most success in recent memory and are the best setup to continue being at the top of the sport.
It’s not just about throwing around the most money; it’s about acquiring the right players to fit your brand, culture, and scheme.
