Honestly, if you took a nap in 2022 and just woke up, the world of NCAA Division 1 schools would look like a fever dream. You've got Stanford playing "Atlantic" Coast Conference games. You've got schools in the Pacific Northwest flying to New Jersey for a Tuesday night volleyball match. It's wild.
Basically, the old "regional" logic of college sports has been thrown out the window. Nowadays, it’s all about television markets and a massive legal settlement that officially ended the "amateur" era as we knew it. But let's peel back the curtain on what's actually happening on campus right now.
What is a Division 1 School, anyway?
At its core, a D1 school is a member of the top tier of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are currently 365 schools (as of early 2026) that hold this status. That’s a lot of jerseys. These schools are usually the ones with the biggest budgets, the most scholarships, and those massive stadiums you see on Saturday afternoons.
But it’s not just about size. To stay in the D1 club, a school has to meet some pretty stiff requirements. For starters, they have to sponsor at least seven sports for men and seven for women (or six for men and eight for women). They also have to play a certain percentage of their games against other D1 opponents.
It's a high-stakes game. If a school falls below the attendance or scholarship minimums, they risk being bumped down. That’s why you see schools like Sacramento State pushing so hard to jump from the FCS to the FBS—they're chasing the prestige and the payout that comes with the top tier.
The Great Realignment: Where did the Pac-12 go?
You can't talk about NCAA Division 1 schools without mentioning the "conference carousel." It’s been chaotic. The historic Pac-12 basically dissolved and then, like a phoenix, tried to stitch itself back together.
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As we sit here in 2026, the Big Ten is a 18-team monster stretching from Seattle to New Brunswick. The SEC has absorbed Texas and Oklahoma. Meanwhile, the "reborn" Pac-12 is entering its first full season of its new look, having poached schools like Boise State, Fresno State, and San Diego State from the Mountain West.
Why the mess?
- TV Money: Networks pay more for big-name matchups.
- Stability: Schools want to be in "safe" conferences that won't disappear overnight.
- The Power Four: We’ve moved away from the "Power Five" to a "Power Four" (SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC) that holds almost all the leverage.
The 2025 "House" Settlement: It’s Not Amateur Anymore
This is the big one. If you’re a student-athlete or a fan, the House v. NCAA settlement changed everything. Starting in the 2025-26 academic year, schools are now allowed to share revenue directly with their athletes.
We’re talking about a cap of roughly $20.5 million per school that can go straight to the players' pockets. This is on top of scholarships and NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals. Honestly, the term "student-athlete" feels a bit different when some of these kids are making six figures before they even graduate.
Roster Limits vs. Scholarship Caps
Another massive shift most people missed is the move from "scholarship limits" to "hard roster limits." In the old days, a football team could have 85 scholarship players and maybe 40 "walk-ons" who paid their own way.
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Now, the NCAA has set a hard cap—for example, 105 players for an FBS football roster—but schools can technically give scholarships to all of them if they have the cash. This is great for the players, but it’s making life really hard for smaller mid-major schools that can't afford to fund 100+ full rides.
The FBS vs. FCS Split: Why it matters
Inside Division 1, there’s a sub-split that only applies to football. You’ve got the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
The FBS is the "big leagues"—think Alabama, Michigan, and Georgia. They play in bowl games and the now-expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.
The FCS (formerly Division I-AA) is where you find schools like North Dakota State or South Dakota State. They have their own playoff system, which is actually pretty awesome and arguably more "pure" than the FBS version. But the gap between the two is widening. With the new revenue-sharing rules, many FCS schools are struggling to keep their best players from being "poached" by bigger FBS programs through the transfer portal.
Life at a "Mid-Major" School
Not every D1 school is a blue blood. Most NCAA Division 1 schools are what we call "mid-majors." These are schools in conferences like the Sun Belt, the MAC, or the Atlantic 10.
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For these programs, the 2026 landscape is a bit of a minefield. They don't have the $20 million in "shared revenue" to give to athletes. Instead, they rely on "guarantee games"—those matchups where they go play a giant like Ohio State and get paid $1.5 million just to show up. It’s "blood money" that funds the rest of their athletic department.
But don't count them out. Mid-majors are often the "Cinderella" stories in March Madness. Schools like George Mason or Florida Atlantic have proven that you don't need a hundred-million-dollar budget to make a Final Four run. It just takes the right mix of senior leadership and a coach who hasn't been hired away by a Power Four school... yet.
What it takes to get in (Academic Reality)
If you're a high schooler aiming for a D1 spot, the rules are stricter than you might think. You can't just be a star on the field. You need:
- 16 Core Courses: You've gotta hit specific numbers in English, Math, and Science.
- The 10/7 Rule: You must complete 10 of those 16 courses before your senior year starts. Seven of them must be in English, Math, or Science.
- GPA: A minimum 2.3 GPA in those core courses.
It's sorta funny—while the business side of the NCAA is becoming professionalized, the eligibility side is getting tighter. The NCAA Eligibility Center is the gatekeeper here, and they don't mess around with transcripts.
Surprising Facts About D1 Schools
- Geographic Absurdity: In 2026, UC Berkeley (on the Pacific Ocean) is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
- The "Non-Football" Crowd: There are roughly 100 D1 schools that don't even have football teams. Think Gonzaga or Marquette. They focus all their energy (and money) on basketball.
- The Scholarship Myth: Most D1 athletes aren't on "full rides." Aside from "headcount" sports like football and basketball, many athletes receive partial scholarships and cover the rest with loans or grants.
Actionable Steps for Navigating D1 Sports
If you're a fan, a student, or a parent trying to make sense of this new era, here is how you should approach it:
- Check the Conference Maps: Before you buy tickets, make sure you know who is actually in your school's conference. It’s likely changed in the last 24 months.
- Support NIL Legally: If you’re a donor, look into your school's "Official Collective." The 2025 settlement made these more transparent, but they still drive recruiting.
- Monitor the Transfer Portal: The window usually opens in December and April. If your favorite player isn't getting "revenue share" minutes, expect them to enter the portal.
- Focus on the FCS: If you're tired of the "corporate" feel of the Big Ten or SEC, check out an FCS game. The atmosphere is often more traditional, and the playoff system is genuinely thrilling.
- Verify Academic Eligibility Early: If you're a recruit, start your NCAA Eligibility Center profile in your sophomore year of high school. Don't wait until you're a senior and find out you're missing a lab science credit.
The era of the "amateur" NCAA Division 1 school is over, replaced by a professionalized, high-revenue model that more closely resembles the NFL or NBA. It’s a lot to keep track of, but at the end of the day, the games on the court and the field are still the heart of the American sports calendar. Just be prepared to see some very long flight paths on the team's travel schedule.