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Iowa State WR Xavier Townsend plans to enter NCAA Transfer Portal

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs12/20/25grant_grubbs_

Iowa State wide receiver Xavier Townsend plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal. He transferred to Iowa State ahead of the 2025 campaign after spending three seasons at UCF.

Townsend made 10 appearances for the Cyclones this season. He recorded 18 catches for 243 yards. While he didn’t score a receiving touchdown, he did run in a score in the ground game.

In his three seasons at UCF, Townsend totaled 29 appearances. He amassed 66 catches, 521 receiving yards, 278 rushing yards and five total touchdowns.

Xavier Townsend played high school football at Berkeley Prep (FL), where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 581 overall player and No. 90 wide receiver in the 2022 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.

He is the seventh Iowa State player to announce his intent to enter the transfer portal. Earlier this month, Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell officially accepted an offer to take over at Penn State. In turn, Iowa State is expected to experience significant roster turnover this offseason.

Campbell had been the head coach at Iowa State since 2016. In his 10 seasons at the helm of the program, he amassed a 72-55 overall record and a 50-40 mark in conference play. He led the Cyclones to a two Big 12 Championship game appearances.

In response to Campbell’s decision, Iowa State hired Jimmy Rogers to be its next head coach. Rogers was Washington State‘s HC in the 2025 campaign. He led the Cougars to a 6-6 overall record.

Prior to his time at the helm of WSU, Rogers was South Dakota State‘s head coach. In just two seasons with the Jackrabbits, he led the program to a 27-3 record and a 15-1 mark in conference play.

Moreover, in 2023, South Dakota State won the FCS National Championship. The team lost in the national semifinals in 2024, but won the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Now, he’ll look to lead Iowa State to similar heights.

“My family and I are excited to be joining the Iowa State University community and the Cyclone football program,” Rogers said. “Iowa State has been one of the nation’s top programs for the last decade and we look forward to building upon its upward trajectory. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity that Jamie Pollard has given me to lead the Cyclones.”

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.