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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Analysis: McKendree University football participation ranks 36th in nation

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Lebanon-based McKendree University football fielded 148 players in 2016 – the 36th highest such student popularity number in the nation – according to a Metro East Sun analysis of federal education data.

Other Illinois schools among the nation’s 200 college or university football teams that field the most football players were Robert Morris University in Chicago (190 players) and North Central College in Naperville (132 players).. 

The U.S. Department of Education’s office of postsecondary education collects athletics data annually from all institutions with intercollegiate athletics programs that receive funding through federal financial aid programs. Data for 2016 – the latest year available – includes more than 2,000 schools nationwide.

A total of 887 schools nationwide offer football programs, with the number of players averaging 103 per team.

Top 200: College football programs in U.S. with most participation

SchoolStateDivisionFootball Team Members
University of Mount UnionOHNCAA Division III with football251
MidAmerica Nazarene UniversityKSNAIA Division I215
Methodist UniversityNCNCAA Division III with football201
Tusculum CollegeTNNCAA Division II with football192
Lindenwood UniversityMONCAA Division II with football191
Robert Morris University IllinoisILNAIA Division II190
Benedictine CollegeKSNAIA Division I190
Newberry CollegeSCNCAA Division II with football187
Limestone CollegeSCNCAA Division II with football178
Baldwin Wallace UniversityOHNCAA Division III with football174
Ashland UniversityOHNCAA Division II with football173
Alderson Broaddus UniversityWVNCAA Division II with football171
Delaware Valley UniversityPANCAA Division III with football169
Graceland University-LamoniIANAIA Division II167
Hardin-Simmons UniversityTXNCAA Division III with football167
Trine UniversityINNCAA Division III with football166
University of Mary Hardin-BaylorTXNCAA Division III with football165
Saint Ambrose UniversityIANAIA Division II163
North Carolina Wesleyan CollegeNCNCAA Division III with football163
Henderson State UniversityARNCAA Division II with football162
Thomas More CollegeKYNCAA Division III with football162
University of PikevilleKYNAIA Division I159
Howard Payne UniversityTXNCAA Division III with football158
University of DubuqueIANCAA Division III with football156
University of St ThomasMNNCAA Division III with football156
Mississippi CollegeMSNCAA Division II with football156
Midland UniversityNENAIA Division II156
Carson-Newman UniversityTNNCAA Division II with football156
Grand View UniversityIANAIA Division II154
Wayland Baptist UniversityTXNAIA Division I152
ASA CollegeNYNJCAA Division I151
Marian UniversityINNAIA Division II150
Lindsey Wilson CollegeKYNAIA Division I149
Olivet CollegeMINCAA Division III with football149
Carthage CollegeWINCAA Division III with football149
McKendree UniversityILNCAA Division II with football148
Wingate UniversityNCNCAA Division II with football146
Huntingdon CollegeALNCAA Division III with football145
Iowa Central Community CollegeIANJCAA Division II145
Georgetown CollegeKYNAIA Division I145
Heidelberg UniversityOHNCAA Division III with football145
Albright CollegePANCAA Division III with football145
Ohio Northern UniversityOHNCAA Division III with football144
Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversityOKNCAA Division II with football144
Shorter UniversityGANCAA Division II with football143
Bridgewater CollegeVANCAA Division III with football143
Saginaw Valley State UniversityMINCAA Division II with football142
Wagner CollegeNYNCAA Division I-FCS142
Averett UniversityVANCAA Division III with football142
Valdosta State UniversityGANCAA Division II with football141
Concordia University-NebraskaNENAIA Division II141
Pittsburg State UniversityKSNCAA Division II with football140
Adrian CollegeMINCAA Division III with football140
Chowan UniversityNCNCAA Division II with football140
Texas A & M University-CommerceTXNCAA Division II with football140
University of Michigan-Ann ArborMINCAA Division I-FBS139
University of Nebraska-LincolnNENCAA Division I-FBS139
Pacific UniversityORNCAA Division III with football139
Washington & Jefferson CollegePANCAA Division III with football139
Colorado State University-PuebloCONCAA Division II with football138
DePauw UniversityINNCAA Division III with football138
Iowa State UniversityIANCAA Division I-FBS137
Oklahoma State University-Main CampusOKNCAA Division I-FBS137
Warner UniversityFLNAIA Division II136
Lackawanna CollegePANJCAA Division II136
The University of AlabamaALNCAA Division I-FBS135
Hartwick CollegeNYNCAA Division III with football135
Tiffin UniversityOHNCAA Division II with football135
Arkansas Tech UniversityARNCAA Division II with football134
McNeese State UniversityLANCAA Division I-FCS134
Davenport UniversityMINCAA Division II with football134
University of North Carolina at Chapel HillNCNCAA Division I-FBS134
University of Nebraska at KearneyNENCAA Division II with football134
John Carroll UniversityOHNCAA Division III with football134
George Fox UniversityORNCAA Division III with football134
University of California-BerkeleyCANCAA Division I-FBS133
Iowa Western Community CollegeIANJCAA Division I133
Wartburg CollegeIANCAA Division III with football133
University of Louisiana at LafayetteLANCAA Division I-FBS133
Northwood UniversityMINCAA Division II with football133
Lenoir-Rhyne UniversityNCNCAA Division II with football133
Chadron State CollegeNENCAA Division II with football133
Utica CollegeNYNCAA Division III with football133
Lake Erie CollegeOHNCAA Division II with football133
Mt San Antonio CollegeCACCCAA132
North Central CollegeILNCAA Division III with football132
Charleston Southern UniversitySCNCAA Division I-FCS132
Ferrum CollegeVANCAA Division III with football132
Troy UniversityALNCAA Division I-FBS131
Bethany CollegeKSNAIA Division II131
Stevenson UniversityMDNCAA Division III with football131
Concordia University-Ann ArborMINAIA Division II131
Doane University-Arts & SciencesNENAIA Division II131
Midwestern State UniversityTXNCAA Division II with football131
Southwestern Assemblies of God UniversityTXNAIA Division I131
Florida Institute of TechnologyFLNCAA Division II with football130
Louisiana CollegeLANCAA Division III with football130
Ohio State University-Main CampusOHNCAA Division I-FBS130
Walsh UniversityOHNCAA Division II with football130
Reinhardt UniversityGANAIA Division II129
Western New England UniversityMANCAA Division III with football129
Eastern Michigan UniversityMINCAA Division I-FBS129
The University of Montana-WesternMTNAIA Division I129
Bluffton UniversityOHNCAA Division III with football129
Middle Tennessee State UniversityTNNCAA Division I-FBS129
Angelo State UniversityTXNCAA Division II with football129
Texas Lutheran UniversityTXNCAA Division III with football129
Harding UniversityARNCAA Division II with football128
University of GeorgiaGANCAA Division I-FBS128
Indiana University-BloomingtonINNCAA Division I-FBS128
Siena Heights UniversityMINAIA Division II128
University of Central OklahomaOKNCAA Division II with football128
Brigham Young University-ProvoUTNCAA Division I-FBS128
Snow CollegeUTNJCAA Division I128
West Virginia UniversityWVNCAA Division I-FBS128
Jacksonville State UniversityALNCAA Division I-FCS127
Fullerton CollegeCACCCAA127
Western Connecticut State UniversityCTNCAA Division III with football127
University of West GeorgiaGANCAA Division II with football127
Augustana CollegeILNCAA Division III with football127
Fort Scott Community CollegeKSNJCAA Division I127
University of Louisiana at MonroeLANCAA Division I-FBS127
Springfield CollegeMANCAA Division III with football127
Missouri Southern State UniversityMONCAA Division II with football127
Northwest Missouri State UniversityMONCAA Division II with football127
Westminster CollegePANCAA Division III with football127
West Texas A & M UniversityTXNCAA Division II with football127
University of UtahUTNCAA Division I-FBS127
University of South AlabamaALNCAA Division I-FBS126
Michigan Technological UniversityMINCAA Division II with football126
Oklahoma Baptist UniversityOKNCAA Division II with football126
Texas A & M University-College StationTXNCAA Division I-FBS126
The University of Virginia's College at WiseVANCAA Division II with football126
Norwich UniversityVTNCAA Division III with football126
University of CharlestonWVNCAA Division II with football126
Central CollegeIANCAA Division III with football125
Franklin CollegeINNCAA Division III with football125
Kansas State UniversityKSNCAA Division I-FBS125
Kansas Wesleyan UniversityKSNAIA Division II125
Frostburg State UniversityMDNCAA Division III with football125
Alma CollegeMINCAA Division III with football125
Carroll CollegeMTNAIA Division I125
The University of FindlayOHNCAA Division II with football125
Wittenberg UniversityOHNCAA Division III with football125
Temple UniversityPANCAA Division I-FBS125
The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleTNNCAA Division I-FBS125
Texas Christian UniversityTXNCAA Division I-FBS125
The University of Texas at AustinTXNCAA Division I-FBS125
University of Central FloridaFLNCAA Division I-FBS124
Point UniversityGANAIA Division II124
Elmhurst CollegeILNCAA Division III with football124
Concordia College at MoorheadMNNCAA Division III with football124
Southwest Baptist UniversityMONCAA Division II with football124
Colorado Mesa UniversityCONCAA Division II with football123
Georgia Southern UniversityGANCAA Division I-FBS123
University of KentuckyKYNCAA Division I-FBS123
Northwestern State University of LouisianaLANCAA Division I-FCS123
University of Missouri-ColumbiaMONCAA Division I-FBS123
University of Nevada-RenoNVNCAA Division I-FBS123
Northwestern Oklahoma State UniversityOKNCAA Division II with football123
Citadel Military College of South CarolinaSCNCAA Division I-FCS123
University of West AlabamaALNCAA Division II with football122
University of ArkansasARNCAA Division I-FBS122
San Diego State UniversityCANCAA Division I-FBS122
University of RedlandsCANCAA Division III with football122
Simpson CollegeIANCAA Division III with football122
Washburn UniversityKSNCAA Division II with football122
Centre CollegeKYNCAA Division III with football122
Grand Valley State UniversityMINCAA Division II with football122
University of North Carolina at CharlotteNCNCAA Division I-FBS122
SUNY College of Technology at AlfredNYNCAA Division III with football122
Allegheny CollegePANCAA Division III with football122
Coastal Carolina UniversitySCOther122
University of HoustonTXNCAA Division I-FBS122
Arizona State University-TempeAZNCAA Division I-FBS121
Florida State UniversityFLNCAA Division I-FBS121
Berry CollegeGANCAA Division III with football121
University of IowaIANCAA Division I-FBS121
University of Saint Francis-Fort WayneINNAIA Division I121
University of LouisvilleKYNCAA Division I-FBS121
Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityNENCAA Division III with football121
Southwestern Oklahoma State UniversityOKNCAA Division II with football121
Misericordia UniversityPANCAA Division III with football121
Clemson UniversitySCNCAA Division I-FBS121
University of South Carolina-ColumbiaSCNCAA Division I-FBS121
Sam Houston State UniversityTXNCAA Division I-FCS121
Texas Tech UniversityTXNCAA Division I-FBS121
Emory & Henry CollegeVANCAA Division III with football121
Bethany CollegeWVNCAA Division III with football121
Auburn UniversityALNCAA Division I-FBS120
University of FloridaFLNCAA Division I-FBS120
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeLANCAA Division I-FBS120
Montana Tech of the University of MontanaMTNAIA Division I120
Rocky Mountain CollegeMTNAIA Division I120
Cornell UniversityNYNCAA Division I-FCS120
Morrisville State CollegeNYNCAA Division III with football120
SUNY Buffalo StateNYNCAA Division III with football120
Ohio Dominican UniversityOHNCAA Division II with football120
Ohio University-Main CampusOHNCAA Division I-FBS120
University of ToledoOHNCAA Division I-FBS120
 Source: U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education

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