More Than 535 FBS Players Reportedly Transferring to FCS in 2026

HERO Sports’ Feb. 20, 2026 update lists more than 535 players who previously were on FBS rosters as having moved or committed to move to FCS programs for the 2026 season, the outlet reported in an updated running list. That snapshot, published as an updated list on Feb. 20, 2026, identifies the FBS-to-FCS inflow as a discrete category tracked separately from FCS-to-FBS movement.

HERO Sports’ recent tracking sits alongside the site’s earlier transfer tallies. In a 2024 piece by Sam Herder the headline read, “548 FCS players are heading to new FCS schools for the 2024 season,” and the article opened with, “The transfer portal is off and running with plenty of players looking to find a new home in 2024.” Herder’s 2024 coverage also stated, “We will do our best again this year to track FCS-to-FBS, FCS-to-FCS, and FBS-to-FCS transfers,” and included the line, “The table below is a running list of the 2024 FCS-to-FCS transfers.”

Those three published figures create a cross-year frame: HERO Sports reported 548 FCS-to-FCS moves for 2024, noted that in 2023 “more than 350 FCS players transferred to another FCS program,” and in its Feb. 20, 2026 update reported more than 535 FBS-to-FCS inbound moves for 2026. The 2026 figure and the 2024 FCS-to-FCS headline are different categories and seasons; the 2026 number refers explicitly to players who were previously on FBS rosters moving to FCS programs.

The Feb. 20, 2026 excerpt supplied to this report is truncated and does not include the full list or a breakdown by name, position, school, or commitment status. The supplied 2026 snippet ends with a cut at “vol,” and the update as provided contains no roster table, no player names, no conference or program tallies, and no clarification whether entries are portal entries, signed transfers, graduate moves, or commitments. Those items remain outstanding verification tasks.

HERO Sports’ site metadata and page elements are part of the public record from the 2024 coverage: the 2024 article carries Sam Herder’s byline and a social handle shown as @Rizan_11, related links such as “RELATED: FCS-to-FBS Transfers & FBS-to-FCS Transfers” and “2024 Big Sky Football Preview,” a mention of Lan Larison, UC Davis, a BetMGM promotional block with compliance language, and gambling helpline numbers including 1-800-GAMBLER, 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) for New York, 1-800-327-5050 for Massachusetts, 1-800-NEXT-STEP for Arizona, 1-800-BETS-OFF for Iowa, and 1-800-981-0023 for Puerto Rico; the page footer shows “© 2022 HERO SPORTS.”

Reporting next steps are clear and necessary: obtain HERO Sports’ full Feb. 20, 2026 running list to confirm the exact tally, collect the list of player names and previous FBS schools, determine whether entries are commitments or finalized roster moves, and confirm HERO Sports’ counting methodology. If the “more than 535” inbound FBS-to-FCS number holds up to verification, it would represent a substantial influx relative to the site’s prior-season figures and will prompt tangible roster and recruiting implications for FCS programs preparing for the 2026 season.