NCAA Expected to Increase Scholarships in 2025-26

NCAA Expected to Increase Scholarships in 2025-26

The NCAA is at work again and according to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, scholarship limits will jump in football, volleyball, men’s college basketball, baseball and softball. In other words, and for bettors out there, football at the FBS level will increase their limit from 85 to 105, while men’s basketball will increase to a maximum of 15 scholarships from 13 (same was the women). This is tied to the proposed settlement in the House v. NCAA case, which will cap the roster for FBS football

When it comes to football, the current scholarship limit for the 2024 season is 85 and teams can carry up to 120 players. Assuming this proposal passes, the scholarships will increase by 20 players to 105. For men’s basketball adding two more scholarships could mean that players out of high school, who would normally sign with a mid-major program, may take the jump to a Power 5ish type of school. But coaches can’t play 15 or even 13 players at once. That means even more players could be heading to the transfer portal when they realize that they have no place to play.

The biggest increase goes to baseball, which was at a max of 11.7 and now increases to 34. That could really elevate the sport and give it more attention in the spring. Title IX will also factor in this as schools that add men’s scholarships will have to try and balance out their roster of sports with more sports or scholarships for women.

Women will get more scholarships for softball to go from a max of 12 to 25, while volleyball will reach 18. Whether schools get to these scholarship maxes is another story and schools who are in the Northeast are probably not going to max their baseball or softball roster out with a max of a combined 59 scholarships.

For gamblers, this should not have an immediate impact but wait until next season when the transfer portal in basketball continues to fluctuate and the college football portal could also be impacted. If a high school football player’s only goal is to make a Power Five squad, but never play, then they should be satisfied. Most players will not be happy with their roles as special teams players or practice fodder ala Rudy as the portal will get even nuttier.