This is the new normal for college football.The new NCAA transfer portal rules have made it easier than ever for college athletes to transfer from school to school, as many times as they wish.The Cyclones starting QB has entered the transfer portalGettyThe turnover from program to program around the country seems nearly endless, starting fresh each season. Rarely do players stay at one school for three or four years anymore.And when a head coach leaves a program for another job, forget about it. He might as well pack his players’ bags and bring them along on the private jet to his new school.That’s usually how it happens, and right now, Iowa State is feeling the effects.On December 8, Matt Campbell was officially introduced as Penn State’s new head coach, leaving Ames after 10 seasons as Iowa State’s all-time winningest coach with a 72–55 record.Since then, the Cyclones have seen 41 players enter the transfer portal, including 16 starters.The Iowa State athletic department acted quickly, naming Jimmy Rogers as the new head coach on December 6; however, there was nothing they could do to prevent the mass exodus.Rogers joins the Cyclones from Washington State, where he guided the team to a 6–6 record in the 2025 season. He previously held assistant and defensive coordinator positions at South Dakota State and Florida Atlantic.He now has a lot of work ahead to rebuild the roster and avoid a complete reset.Wide receiver Chase Sowell is the latest Cyclone to enter the transfer portal. In 2025, Sowell was Iowa State’s second-leading receiver, recording 32 catches for 500 yards and two touchdowns.It’s not Sowell’s first trip to the transfer portal, or even his second, after spending two seasons at East Carolina (2023–2024) and one at Colorado (2022).Campbell was the most successful coach in program historyGettyWide receiver Chase Sowell is on the move once againThe Cyclones will look drastically different in 2026 than they did in 2025GettyIn the wake of Campbell’s departure, a number of other key Cyclones have entered the transfer portal, including starting quarterback Rocco Becht, running back Carson Hansen, tight end Ben Brahmer, wide receiver Brett Eskildsen, as well as several defensive backs and linemen.The Cyclones have lost several key starters and critical depth, from their quarterback, leading rusher, and top receiver to multiple contributors on both offense and defense, presenting Rogers and his staff with an immediate and daunting roster-rebuilding task.The turnover in Ames is just one example, but it’s far from the only one. Similar upheaval is happening all over the country.Every December highlights just how much the modern transfer portal has changed college football. Rules allowing athletes to move freely from school to school, as often as they wish, make roster stability increasingly difficult.Add a coaching change into the mix, and programs like Iowa State can experience near-complete overhauls in a single offseason.As Rogers takes the helm, he faces the difficult task of not only filling the roster but restoring continuity and competitiveness.Cignetti has worked miracles in BloomingtonGettyHowever, thanks to the remarkable work of Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti in his first year, followed by a historic second season, excuses and the long rebuilds they once required are a thing of the past.Of course, there is only one Cignetti. Could Rogers have a similar magic touch? Possibly, but it’s unlikely. Cignetti has unfairly reset expectations for all first- and second-year head coaches.He transformed the losingest program in college football history into a conference champion and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff in just two years.If Rogers can accomplish anything remotely close to that, the people in Ames will be just fine. Just don’t hold your breath.