What Are the Smallest Division I Football Schools?
According to Athnet scholarship recruiters, the smallest Division I Football schools are defined as student populations of 5,000 or less. Of the 347 Division I schools boasting over 6,000 athletic teams, there are currently 23 universities and colleges that fall under this criteria and are scattered across 49 of the 50 states. The NCAA Division I schools provide athletic opportunities for over 170,000 student-athletes each year.
The smallest schools and their locations in alphabetical order are:
- Alcorn State University, Mississippi
- Bethune-Cookman University, Florida
- Bucknell University, Pennsylvania
- Butler University, Indiana
- Charleston Southern University, South Carolina
- Colgate University, New York
- College of the Holy Cross, Massachusetts
- Davidson College, North Carolina
- Delaware State University, Delaware
- Furman University, South Carolina
- Jacksonville University, Florida
- Lafayette College, Pennsylvania
- Mississippi Valley State University, Mississippi
- Saint Francis University, Pennsylvania
- Savannah State University, Georgia
- U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado
- U.S. Military Academy, New York
- University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
- University of Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Valparaiso University, Indiana
- Virginia Military Institute, Virginia
- Wagner College, New York
- Wofford College, South Carolina
Although small and many not well known, schools such as Butler University, the U.S. Air Force Academy and others boast competitive football teams. Students looking to play football at a small DI school should consider these options and be sure to look into scholarship opportunities through the NCAA or other recruiting options.