That's a nostalgic take that ignores modern reality. Florida State's own 2023 resurgence was built on a massive portal class, including their starting QB. The portal isn't just roster churn, it's strategic roster construction to address immediate weaknesses. Texas Longhorns won the Big 12 and made the playoff because Quinn Ewers and Adonai Mitchell, both portal additions, made critical plays in big games. Development matters, but so does acquiring proven talent. The teams winning now, like Georgia and Alabama, are elite at both developing high school recruits and strategically using the portal. Relying solely on culture is how you get passed by. The 2023 national title game featured two teams, Michigan and Washington, that were heavily portal-reliant at key positions. The data is clear, teams in the top 10 of the 247Sports Team Transfer Rankings have won the last three national championships. You can't just ignore that trend.