Overview
- He shared his decision on Friday, confirming he will enter the NCAA transfer portal after four seasons at James Madison.
- Barnett earned Sun Belt Player of the Year honors in 2025 and led the Dukes to a 12–2 record, a conference title, and the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance.
- He finished the season with 2,806 passing yards and 23 touchdowns against eight interceptions, plus 589 rushing yards and 15 scores.
- Program turnover frames the move, with former JMU coach Bob Chesney taking the UCLA job and Billy Napier hired by the Dukes, while UCLA has already re-signed starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava for 2026.
- The portal opens Jan. 2 and closes Jan. 16, and analysts expect Barnett, who has one year of eligibility remaining, to draw strong Power Four interest, with schools such as Nebraska, Indiana, Oregon, Florida State, LSU, and Penn State mentioned as potential suitors.