Oklahoma State pipeline from North Texas continues with star RB Caleb Hawkins
Running back Caleb Hawkins, who set an FBS record with 25 rushing touchdowns as a freshman, is transferring from North Texas to Oklahoma State, he posted Sunday on social media.
Hawkins, a native of Shawnee, Okla., follows head coach Eric Morris, running backs coach Patrick Cobbs and new offensive coordinator Sean Brophy (the former quarterbacks coach) from North Texas to Stillwater.
Hawkins ran 231 times for 1,434 yards and 25 touchdowns, and he also caught 32 passes for 370 yards and four TDs. The 29 total TDs led FBS and set a new freshman mark.
Former Mean Green star quarterback Drew Mestemaker, a redshirt freshman, announced on Saturday his commitment to Oklahoma State on Saturday, joining sophomore wide receiver Miles Coleman and sophomore offensive tackle Braydon Nelson through the portal.
North Texas sophomore wide receiver Wyatt Young also will be leaving for the Cowboys' program, ESPN reported on Sunday.
Young was third in the FBS and first in the American Conference with 1,264 receiving yards and 10 TDs on 70 catches, including seven for 55 yards in the New Mexico Bowl victory over San Diego State. The Texas native has 88 catches for 1,559 yards and 12 TDs in 27 career games.
Hawkins rushed 31 times for 198 yards and two touchdowns as the Mean Green outscored San Diego State 49-47 on Dec. 27.
Mestemaker is the national passing-yardage leader with 4,379 yards, second-most by a freshman in FBS history behind only Ohio State's C.J. Stroud (4,435 in 2021).
He also fired 34 touchdowns and was intercepted nine times while guiding the Mean Green to a school-best 12-2 record.
--Former James Madison star dual-threat quarterback Alonza Barnett III signed with UCF on Sunday after an official visit to Orlando.
The redshirt junior was the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year as the Dukes won the conference title. JMU was the No. 12 seed and lost to Oregon in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
Barnett completed 58.4% of his passes this season for 2,806 yards and 23 TDs with eight picks in 14 games. He also rushed 127 times for 589 yards and 15 TDs.
For his career, Barnett has completed 58.8% of his passes for 5,433 yards, 49 TDs and 13 interceptions in 30 games -- 26 the past two seasons. He also has 1,075 yards and 23 TDs on the ground on 271 attempts.
--Redshirt sophomore quarterback Kenny Minchey told ESPN on Sunday that he is transferring from Notre Dame to Nebraska. Minchey, who lost the 2024 preseason competition to be the Fighting Irish starter to CJ Carr, was 20-of-26 passing for 196 yards and rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown in six appearances this season.
For his career in three seasons at Notre Dame, Minchey is 23-for-29 for 212 yards and nine carries for 96 yards and two TDs in 10 games. Nebraska is seeking a replacement for Dylan Raiola, a former five-star recruit who played two seasons before entering the transfer portal.
--East Carolina quarterback Katin Houser is transferring to Illinois, according to an On3 report. The Fighting Illini is seeking a replacement for Luke Altmyer, who is out of eligibility.
Houser played parts of two years at Michigan State and two at ECU, where he has his best season in 2025 by completing 65.9% of his passes for 3,300 yards and 19 touchdowns with six interceptions. The redshirt junior also rushed 85 times for 181 yards and nine TDs.
He played in 13 games at Michigan State (2022-23) and 21 at ECU (2024-25), completing 531 of 846 passes (62.8%) for 6,438 yards, 43 TDs and 22 picks. He has 183 career rushing attempts for 352 yards and 15 TDs.
--Well-traveled quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. has committed to sign with North Carolina, ESPN reported.
Edwards played in only two games (34 snaps) for Wisconsin this season. The graduate student injured his left knee in the season-opening win over Miami (Ohio) and is expected to receive a medical redshirt.
A native of Springfield, Va., in the Washington metropolitan area, Edwards signed with Wake Forest and redshirted in 2021 before playing three seasons at Maryland. He completed 62.7% of his passes for the Terrapins for 3,322 yards, 19 TDs and 10 interceptions in 26 games (2022-24).
--Redshirt freshman quarterback Aaron Philo is reported to the transferring from Georgia Tech to Florida. A Georgia native, Philo played the past two seasons for the Yellow Jackets, completing 57.8% of his passes (59 of 102) for 938 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in eight games (three this season).