House settlement explained

Roster Limits & New Eligibility Rules

How the 2025-26 changes to D1 rosters, scholarships and eligibility affect high school football recruits. Rules checked Oct 20, 2026. Rules change, so confirm details on the linked sources and with each school's compliance office. This is general guidance, not legal or eligibility advice.

What changed in 2025

Starting July 1, 2025, D1 schools in the House settlement have a 105-player football roster limit, and they can give athletic aid to any or all of those 105 players. The old FBS limit was 85 scholarships. Rosters are certified with the College Sports Commission.

Not every D1 school works the same way

  • Schools that didn't opt in (many FCS schools) aren't bound by the 105 limit; FCS schools that didn't opt in stay under the overall limit of 63 scholarship equivalencies.
  • Designated student-athletes (players on a 2024-25 roster, or promised a 2025-26 spot before April 7, 2025) don't count toward the limit, so some rosters can be above 105 for a few years.
  • Fewer total roster spots means fewer walk-on spots at many schools. Ask every D1 coach: "Did your school opt in? How many roster spots and how much aid do you expect for my class?"

The new D1 eligibility clock (adopted June 2026)

  • Division I now allows up to five years of eligibility, starting when you first enroll full time at any college or at the start of the academic year after your 19th birthday, whichever comes first. Redshirt and season-count rules go away.
  • It applies to anyone who first enrolls full time in fall 2027 or later. Students who first enroll in 2026-27 get whichever rule is better for them.
  • Why it matters for football: a prep-school or postgraduate year, or reclassifying, can use up part of your five years if you're already past the start of the academic year after your 19th birthday.

Division II and Division III

  • Division II adopted the same age-based model on Aug. 5, 2026.
  • Division III has not adopted it; a proposal for the 2027 NCAA Convention would bring a similar model to D3.

What it means for your family

  • A capped roster plus the transfer portal means more competition for each D1 spot.
  • Keep FCS, D2, D3, NAIA and JUCO programs on your list. Use the free directory.

Sources (checked Oct 20, 2026)

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