The transfer portal is officially open, and it appears the North Dakota State Bison are losing one of their key players from a season ago. It's to be expected these days, though, with the NIL opportunities. Additionally, finding a program that gives players a bigger spotlight with NFL aspirations is a key reason for entering the portal as well.

Reports indicate that 2024 Jerry Rice Award winner CharMar Brown has officially entered the transfer portal, according to Pete Nakos of On3 Sports. The star running back finished the 2024 campaign with 1,181 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. The Jerry Rice Award is given to the best FCS freshman.

“North Dakota State running back CharMar Brown is entering the transfer portal. He's repped by The Familie. Rushed for 1,181 yards with 15 touchdowns. Won the 2024 Jerry Rice Award, which goes to the top FCS freshman.”

That's a tough blow to the Bison and head coach Tim Polasek. Brown served as the team's go-to running back last season. However, North Dakota State will have to find a replacement sooner rather than later. Luckily for them, there are seven other running backs on the roster, assuming none of them enter the transfer portal this offseason.

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North Dakota State remains one of the top programs in the FCS. The Bison finished the 2024-25 campaign with a 14-2 record. They also went on to win their 10th FCS championship after defeating Montana State 35-32. It was the first title for the Bison since the 2021 season.

Although North Dakota State is losing Brown in the transfer portal, the program should be fine in the long run. The Bison are one of, if not the best, FCS programs in the nation, as they continuously compete for titles year in and year out.

Polasek is entering his just his second year as North Dakota State's head coach. He replaced Matt Entz, who left the program to take on an assistant role at USC. Last offseason, Entz accepted the head coaching job at Fresno State.