Kentucky tailback Dante Dowdell is entering transfer portal

Transfer portal movement can be a two-way street. Kentucky’s roster attrition is not over yet as Will Stein‘s first coaching staff hits the free agency market to build the roster. The first tailback to leave the program occurred on Day 1 on the portal window.

Dante Dowdell is going one-and-done at Kentucky. The former blue-chip recruit will be looking for his fourth college football home in four seasons.

NEW: Kentucky RB Dante Dowdell plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, @PeteNakos reports.

The former Nebraska and Oregon transfer rushed for 560 yards and 3 touchdowns this season. https://t.co/hHRBJmp0r9 pic.twitter.com/iOp5BISBy0
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) January 3, 2026

Dante Dowdell started his career at Oregon in 2023 when he played for Stein. The Mississippi native then moved to Nebraska in 2024 when he had a career year where he rushed for 614 yards and 12 touchdowns. Dowdell became the most successful short-yardage tailback in college football that season. Unfortunately, that did not translate to Kentucky where Dowdell finished his junior season with 560 rushing yards and three touchdowns but the tailback did give the offense some big-play pop with a pair of 50-plus yard touchdown runs. The multi-time transfer has 1,264 career rushing yards.

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The Kentucky tailback will enter free agency with one year of eligibility remaining. Dante Dowdell will not be playing for Stein for a second season. UK currently has just four scholarship tailbacks on the roster. The Cats hosted Texas transfer CJ Baxter for a visit on Monday.