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The 2025-2026 College Football Bowl Opt-Out Tracker: The Star Players Skipping The Action And Why

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The annual bowl season is upon us, but for many college football fans, the excitement is tempered by the ever-growing list of star players who will not be suiting up for their teams. As of today, December 19, 2025, the bowl game opt out tracker is already populated with high-profile names, reflecting the seismic shifts in the college sports landscape driven by the NFL Draft, the Transfer Portal, and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals. This phenomenon transforms many non-College Football Playoff (CFP) matchups into de facto exhibition games, fundamentally altering the competitive balance and betting lines.

The decision to skip a bowl game is a calculated business move for top-tier athletes, prioritizing future professional careers over one final collegiate contest. This trend is no longer limited to just projected first-round picks; it now includes key starters preparing for the NFL Combine, players seeking new opportunities via the Transfer Portal, and even those with significant NIL earnings who view injury risk as a threat to their financial stability. Understanding the tracker is essential for any fan or bettor analyzing the postseason slate.

The 2025-2026 Bowl Game Opt-Out Tracker: Key Names Missing

The current bowl season has seen a significant number of impact players choose to sit out, creating massive holes in their team’s lineups. These absences often force coaches to rely on younger talent or players lower on the depth chart, dramatically changing the game script. The following list highlights some of the most notable players who have officially opted out of their respective bowl games for the 2025-2026 season:

  • Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska: Declared for the 2026 NFL Draft and will skip the Las Vegas Bowl against Utah. Johnson was a key offensive piece for the Cornhuskers.
  • Michael Taaffe, S, Texas: A surprising opt-out, the Longhorns safety is focusing on his preparation for the NFL Draft.
  • Nick Singleton, RB, Penn State: A prominent running back, Singleton's decision to opt out of the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson is a major blow to the Nittany Lions' rushing attack.
  • Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon: The Ducks wide receiver is another high-profile skill position player choosing to prioritize the next level over the bowl game.
  • Wade Woodaz, LB, Clemson: A starting linebacker for the Tigers, Woodaz's absence due to surgery will impact their defensive performance in the Pinstripe Bowl.
  • Collin Sadler, LG, Clemson: The starting left guard opting out further weakens the Tigers’ offensive line against Penn State.
  • Bryant Wesco, WR, Clemson: Though injured earlier in the season, Wesco's absence is another loss for the Clemson receiving corps.
  • Tristian Gardner, WR, Missouri State: Opting out to prepare for the NFL Draft after a strong season.
  • JJ O'Neal, DB, Missouri State: Another defensive player from Missouri State electing to opt out.
  • DJ Wesolak, DL, Missouri State: The defensive lineman’s absence is a significant loss for the Bears.

Beyond these confirmed opt-outs, many other players are entering the Transfer Portal, which, while not a true opt-out, often results in the same outcome: the player is unavailable for the bowl game. This includes players like quarterback Sam Leavitt from Arizona State, who entered the portal ahead of the Sun Bowl.

Why the Exodus? The Tri-Factor Driving the Opt-Out Trend

The decision for a player to skip a bowl game is multifaceted, combining personal ambition, financial risk, and a shifting loyalty structure in modern college sports. The core reasons can be boiled down to a powerful tri-factor: NFL Draft preparation, injury risk avoidance, and the Transfer Portal.

1. NFL Draft Preparation and Injury Risk

For a top NFL prospect, the primary motivation for opting out is simple: self-preservation. Playing in a non-CFP bowl game—often referred to as a "meaningless exhibition"—carries an unacceptable risk of a career-altering injury. The most famous example remains former Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith, who suffered a catastrophic knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl in 2016, causing him to fall from a projected top-five pick to the second round, costing him millions of dollars.

The timeline for an NFL Draft prospect is rigid. Sitting out allows players to:

  • Begin Training: Start intense, specialized training for the NFL Combine and Pro Day weeks earlier than their teammates.
  • Heal and Recover: Use the December break to fully recover from the wear and tear of a 12-game regular season.
  • Secure Their Future: Eliminate the chance of injury that could derail a multi-million dollar contract. The risk-reward calculation overwhelmingly favors sitting out.

2. The Transfer Portal Effect

The Transfer Portal has become a secondary, yet equally impactful, driver of bowl game absences. Players who decide to enter the portal to seek better playing time or a higher-profile program often do so immediately after the regular season concludes. By entering the portal, they are focused on communicating with new schools and securing their next destination, making them unavailable for their current team's bowl game.

While a player in the portal is technically still eligible to play, the practical reality is that they are mentally and logistically moving on. This dynamic creates a "double whammy" for teams, as they lose not only their NFL-bound stars but also key rotational players looking for a fresh start. This is why the bowl game opt-out tracker often merges with the college football transfer portal tracker—they are two sides of the same coin, leading to significant roster turnover.

The New College Football Economy: NIL, CFP Expansion, and the ‘Dead’ Bowl Game Debate

The modern era of college football is defined by two major structural changes: the advent of NIL and the expansion of the College Football Playoff (CFP). Both have contributed to the devaluation of traditional, non-playoff bowl games.

The NIL Factor

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals have fundamentally changed the financial calculus for college athletes. With players now earning substantial income—sometimes hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars—while still in school, the financial risk of injury is amplified.

If a player has a $500,000 NIL deal, a severe injury in a bowl game could jeopardize their future NFL earnings *and* potentially impact their ability to fulfill existing NIL obligations. The debate has even surfaced regarding whether NIL recipients should face financial penalties for opting out, arguing that the money they receive is tied to their commitment to the team. However, the current system allows athletes to prioritize their long-term financial health, and for many, that means sitting out.

The Expanded CFP and Devaluation of Bowl Games

The expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams has created a clear dividing line in the postseason. For the 12 teams that qualify, the bowl games are now part of a high-stakes championship tournament. For the remaining 70+ teams, the non-CFP bowl games are seen by many as less meaningful consolation prizes.

This devaluation is not just perceived by fans and media; it is reflected in the players' decisions. A team that was "snubbed" from the playoff, or simply played for a non-championship goal, may see its star players feel less motivation to participate. Some executives have even declared that traditional bowl games are "officially dead" in this new landscape, as the focus shifts entirely to the playoff.

The bowl game opt out tracker is now a critical tool for handicappers and fans alike, serving as a real-time casualty report for the postseason. It highlights the growing chasm between the elite, playoff-bound teams and the rest of college football, where individual career decisions increasingly trump team loyalty in the new professionalized amateur environment. As the 2025-2026 season wraps up, expect this list of absences to continue growing, cementing the opt-out as an annual ritual of the bowl season.

The 2025-2026 College Football Bowl Opt-Out Tracker: The Star Players Skipping the Action and Why
bowl game opt out tracker
bowl game opt out tracker

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