Austin Peay lands UCLA QB Karson Gordon through track portal loophole

Austin Peay found a portal edge most FCS programs could not: former UCLA quarterback Karson Gordon arrived in Clarksville through track and field, not football. That detail matters because the NCAA killed college football’s spring transfer window in September 2025, but outdoor track and field still had a separate spring opening, giving Gordon a legal lane into Austin Peay State University after he jumped in late last month.

For the Governors, the upside is obvious. They added a redshirt sophomore with Power Four background, a quarterback who was recruited to Westwood and kept a dual-sport profile alive long enough to exploit the calendar. Gordon committed on June 4, and while his exact role in Austin Peay’s offense is still to be sorted out, the move gives the Governors another interesting arm in a quarterback market where stability is a real competitive advantage across the FCS.

Gordon’s UCLA file tells you why this is more than a one-off curiosity. He enrolled in June 2024, did not see game action that season, and was listed by UCLA in both football and track and field. His football bio says he chose UCLA for “Big Ten ball and the opportunity to compete in two sports,” which is the kind of line that sounds neat at signing day and becomes very real once a transfer path opens up. The track profile backs that up: Gordon competed in two indoor meets during his true freshman season and set a personal record in the triple jump.

That dual-sport status also carried risk. UCLA reported in April 2025 that Gordon suffered a torn ACL while running track, a reminder that this was never a token second sport tacked onto a quarterback résumé. It was active, and it was part of the reason this portal move was even possible once the football window disappeared.

Austin Peay has been active in roster building this cycle, and Gordon fits the profile of the kind of bet that can pay off beyond one scholarship slot. If he develops into a credible FCS quarterback, the Governors did not just add depth. They found a player with major-conference background, unusual transfer access, and enough athletic juice to matter in a room where one good decision can change a season.