The transfer portal season is about a month away, and the 2026 cycle is already shaping up. Over 130+ athletes have already announced their entry to the portal. And things have gotten more spicy after the FCS’s dominant QB, Zolten Osborne, decided to hit the portal, hoping to transfer to a top-tier school.

According to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, Charleston Southern QB Zolten Osborne has decided to enter the 2026 transfer portal for the 2026 cycle. Osborne’s agent, Zach Cardenez, gave confirmation of his portal entry and reposted his announcement.

Osborne is a 6-foot-2, 205-pounder from North Charleston. He got enrolled in the Buccaneers in 2022, and played the last three seasons in the FCS level games. He finished his 3rd season with the Bucs, throwing 3,087 yards with 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

The Lowcountry native had his best play towards the end of the 2025 season, throwing nine touchdowns and just one interception in CSU’s last five games of the year. This was his first fully healthy season since joining the Bucs, as he suffered a season-ending injury in his freshman year, after the first six games, and was medically redshirted the following year.

In the 2025 season, he started in all 12 games and completed 166 of 304 passes, throwing for 2,216 yards and 12 touchdowns, and rushing for one. He threw for a career-high of four touchdowns at Western Illinois and reached his career-high in passing yards at SEMO with 302 yards.

He played a key role during the Bucs’ three-game winning streak, throwing at least 250 yards in each game. His noteworthy season earned him the OVC/Big South Offensive Player of the Week honor twice this season. Following the fall, he was named Honorable Mention All-Conference.

Following big honors in the first full-healthy season, Osborne’s entry into the 2026 transfer portal as a sophomore puts him right into the buzz.

Zolten Osborne had an offer from USF

Before landing a commitment to the Charleston Southern Buccaneers, Osborne already had an offer from the USF Bulls. The former Fort Dorchester QB, in his high school junior year, received an offer from the Bulls after his incredible high school stats. As a junior, he completed over 3500 passing yards and 38 touchdowns as a starting QB for four years. As a starter, his team barely lost, holding a 34 – 5 record.

He was a two-time All-State selection during high school and was one of the top quarterback prospects in the Palmetto State. He led the school to a region championship for four years straight and helped the school reach a Lower State Championship and a State finals appearance. 

While completing his high school, he had offers from FBS programs in South Florida, Georgia Southern, Kent State, Miami (OH), and FCS programs ETSU and Mercer. He also had attended camps with the South Carolina Gamecocks and the North Carolina Tar Heels. It would be interesting to see which program lands him an offer in the upcoming two-week transfer window, kicking off on January 2, 2026.