When the Transfer Portal opened, the Ohio State football team immediately lost several running backs. Sam Dixon and James Peoples headed for the portal, thinning out the running back room. Once that happened, it looked like they were in some big trouble at that spot.
CJ Donaldson is out of eligibility. It took the Buckeyes giving Bo Jackson a hefty raise to convince him to return to the team. Still, keeping their starting running back was huge for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Had Jackson left, they would have been in a lot of trouble heading into 2026.