Portal Fact or Fiction: Judkins Puts Bucks Over the Top, Miami Whiffs on QBs, Maiava to USC

In today’s Fact or Fiction — transfer portal edition — I look at three big recent topics from the transfer portal and decide whether the statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.

1. Quinshon Judkins can be a national title difference maker.

Farrell’s take: FICTION

Judkins is a great back, and his two seasons at Ole Miss were epic. He played at the highest level in the SEC, and we just saw a run-driven Michigan win it all. So why Fiction? The QB situation at Ohio State is unsettled, and I’m not in love with Will Howard. Ohio State has had very good running backs the last few years and couldn’t break through, and even with a 12-team playoff, I don’t think a running back can be the difference maker for the Buckeyes. They need more than that.

Oct 29, 2022; College Station, Texas, USA; Mississippi Rebels running back Quinshon Judkins (4) runs the ball against Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Tyreek Chappell (7) in the first half at Kyle Field.

2. Miami whiffed on portal QB transfers.

Farrell’s take: FICTION

How do we know this? FCS Albany QB Reese Poffenbarger put up great numbers last season with 36 touchdown passes and 3,603 passing yards in 2023 — the most of any QB at his level. He was also the Colonial Athletic Association Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022 (2,999 passing yards, with 24 touchdowns and four interceptions) and the Jerry Rice Award Runner-Up. The kid can ball, and we saw a ton of big-name portal kids have very average seasons last year (Sam Hartman at Notre Dame, Devin Leary at Kentucky, Hudson Card at Purdue, and so on), so how the heck do we know? Albany DE Jared Verse went from FCS Great Danes to become an absolute stud at Florida State and is a surefire first-rounder. It can be done.

JUST IN: Reese Poffenbarger is transfering to the University of Miami in 2024.

Take a look back at thr QB's top five passing touchdowns from the 2023 season at UAlbany.@ReesePoffenbarg | @CanesFootball pic.twitter.com/0PqkQUSS2j

— FloCollege | Football (@FloCollegeFB) January 8, 2024

3. USC flexed their muscle with their QB commit.

Farrell’s take: FACT

Georgia had Jordan Maiava all locked up it appeared, but the Trojans came back late and flipped him. It was going to be a massive flex move for Kirby Smart to land a talented QB in a backup role, but now USC has someone to push Miller Moss. Lincoln Riley gets the last laugh in this one.