College football bowl season is the most wonderful time of the year. Unusual matchups at even more unusual times (11 a.m. ET on a Friday for the Myrtle Beach Bowl, for example) fuel our festive fever for football. Yet, increasingly, bowl season is losing some of its magic, as the transfer portal and NFL Draft lead to players making the decision to opt out to protect their future.
Who’s in? Who’s out? Our college football bowl game opt-out tracker has the latest updates on which players won’t take part in their team’s upcoming postseason showcase game.
Boise State vs. Washington (LA Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Kage Casey, OT, Boise State (NFL Draft)
Troy vs. Jacksonville State (Salute to Veterans Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Tae Medows, RB Troy (transfer portal)
- DJ Jackson, EDGE, Troy (transfer portal)
- Reggie Jackson, OT, Jacksonville State (transfer portal)
Old Dominion vs. USF (Cure Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Colton Joseph, QB, Old Dominion (transfer portal)
- Byrum Brown, QB, USF (opt out)
Louisiana vs. Delaware (68 Ventures Bowl) Opt-Outs
No confirmed opt-outs for the Louisiana vs. Delaware clash in the 68 Ventures Bowl.
Missouri State vs. Arkansas State (Xbox Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Cash Hudson, OC, Missouri State (transfer portal)
Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan (Myrtle Beach Bowl) Opt-Outs
No confirmed opt-outs for the Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan clash in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.
Memphis vs. NC State (Gasparilla Bowl) Opt-Outs
No confirmed opt-outs for the Memphis vs. NC State clash in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Washington State vs. Utah State (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Kenny Worthy, CB, Washington State (transfer portal)
- Anthony Palano, LB, Washington State (transfer portal)
- Jaxson Potter, QB, Washington State (transfer portal)
- Braden Pegan, WR, Utah State (transfer portal)
Toledo vs. Louisville (Boca Raton Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Malachi Davis, EDGE, Toledo (transfer portal)
Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss (New Orleans Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Dylan Flowers, CB, Western Kentucky (transfer portal)
UNLV vs. Ohio (Frisco Bowl) Opt-Outs
No confirmed opt-outs for the UNLV vs. Ohio clash in the Frisco Bowl.
California vs. Hawaii (Hawaii Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Jackson Harris, WR, Hawaii (transfer portal)
Central Michigan vs. Northwestern (GameAbove Sports Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Kade Kostus, DL, Central Michigan (transfer portal)
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New Mexico vs. Minnesota (Rate Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Fame Ijeboi, RB, Minnesota (transfer portal)
Florida International vs. UTSA (First Responder Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Mister Clark, DB, Florida International (transfer portal)
- Chidera Otutu, DL, UTSA (transfer portal)
Pittsburgh vs. East Carolina (Military Bowl) Opt-Outs
No confirmed opt-outs for the Pittsburgh vs. East Carolina clash in the Military Bowl.
Penn State vs. Clemson (Pinstripe Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Zane Durant, DT, Penn State (NFL Draft)
- Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State (NFL Draft)
- Olaivavega Ioane, OL, Penn State (NFL Draft)
- Khalil Barnes, S, Clemson (transfer portal)
UConn vs. Army (Fenway Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Brady Wayburn, OL, UConn (transfer portal)
- Cam Edwards, RB, UConn (transfer portal)
Georgia Tech vs. BYU (Pop-Tarts Bowl) Opt-Outs
No confirmed opt-outs for the Georgia Tech vs. BYU clash in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Miami (OH) vs. Fresno State (Arizona Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Kam Perry, WR, Miami-OH (transfer portal)
- Adam Trick, DL, Miami-OH (transfer portal)
- Mychal Yharbrough, CB, Miami-OH (transfer portal)
North Texas vs. San Diego State (New Mexico Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Jared Badie, EDGE, San Diego State (transfer portal)
- August Salvati, EDGE, San Diego State (transfer portal)
Virginia vs. Missouri (Gator Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Ja’Son Prevard, CB, Virginia
LSU vs. Houston (Texas Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Ahmad Breaux, DT, LSU (transfer portal)
- Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU (NFL Draft)
- Demetrius Hunter, OL, Houston (no longer with the program)
Georgia Southern vs. Appalachian State (Birmingham Bowl) Opt-Outs
- AJ Swann, QB, Appalachian State (transfer portal)
- Elijah Mc-Cantos, CB, Appalachian State (transfer portal)
- Brayshawn Littlejohn, LB, Appalachian State (transfer portal)
- Thomas Davis, EDGE, Appalachian State (transfer portal)
- Denell Nix Jr., OT, Appalachian State (transfer portal)
Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech (Independence Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Nick Del Grande, OT, Coastal Carolina (transfer portal)
- Evan Bullock, QB, Louisiana Tech (transfer portal)
- Michael Richard, DB, Louisiana Tech (transfer portal)
- Jacob Fields, DB, Louisiana Tech (transfer portal)
- Mekhi Mason, LB, Louisiana Tech (transfer portal)
Tennessee vs. Illinois (Music City Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Boo Carter, CB, Tennessee (transfer portal)
- Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee (NFL Draft)
- Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois (NFL Draft)
MORE: Kenny Dillingham Opens Up on Jordyn Tyson After NFL Draft Decision Report
USC vs. TCU (Alamo Bowl) Opts-Outs
- Braylon Conley, CB, USC (Transfer Portal)
- Lake McRee, TE, USC (opt-out)
Iowa vs. Vanderbilt (ReliaQuest Bowl) Opt-Outs
No confirmed opt-outs for the Iowa vs. Vanderbilt clash in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Arizona State vs. Duke (Sun Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Sam Leavitt, QB, Arizona State (transfer portal)
- Josh Atkins, OT, Arizona State (transfer portal)
- Javan Robinson, CB, Arizona State (transfer portal)
- Zechariah Sample, WR, Arizona State (transfer portal)
- Tate Romney, LB, Arizona State (transfer portal)
- Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State (NFL Draft)
- Xavion Alford, DB, Arizona State (longterm injury)
Michigan vs. Texas (Citrus Bowl) Opts-Outs
- CJ Baxter, RB, Texas (transfer portal)
- Jerrick Gibson, RB, Texas (transfer portal)
- Connor Stroh, OL, Texas (transfer portal)
- Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas (NFL Draft)
- Trey Moore, EDGE, Texas (NFL Draft)
Nebraska vs. Utah (Las Vegas Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska (NFL Draft)
- Rocco Spindler, OL, Nebraska (NFL Draft)
- Dason McCullough, EDGE, Nebraska (opt out)
Rice vs. Texas State (Armed Forces Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Drayden Dickmann, WR, Rice (transfer portal)
- Khary Crump, DB, Rice (no longer with the team)
- Tellek Lockette, OL, Texas State (transfer portal)
Navy vs. Cincinnati (Liberty Bowl) Opt-Out
- Christian Harrison, DB, Cincinnati (transfer portal)
- Tayden Barnes, DB, Cincinnati (transfer portal)
Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State (Duke’s Mayo Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Mateen Ibirogba, DL, Wake Forest (transfer portal)
- Tony Mitchell, DB, Mississippi State (transfer portal)
Arizona vs. SMU (Holiday Bowl) Opt-Outs
- Michael Wooten, OL, Arizona (transfer portal)
