NCAA's New Roster Limits Transform College Sports, Redefining Scholarships and Strategy

In a seismic shift for college athletics, the NCAA has agreed to new roster limits across various sports, shaking up long-held traditions and expectations. As part of the House v. NCAA settlement, which takes effect in the 2025-26 school year, college football teams will see their roster cap rise to 105 players, while baseball will see its limit triple to 34. This change marks a significant departure from the previous scholarship-focused structure that governed collegiate sports for decades, where football teams were limited to 85 scholarships and baseball had a cap of 11.7. The motivation behind this game-changing negotiation stemmed from the NCAA's desire to curtail the vulnerability of scholarship limits to legal challenges. With a string of recent losses in court, the NCAA aimed to create a more stable framework while also increasing the number of student-athletes receiving scholarships. The settlement allows schools the flexibility to decide how many full and partial scholarships they want to distribute within the broader roster limits, a concept that has generated mixed feelings among coaches and athletic directors. The new roster cap will have varied implications across college football programs. For certain schools, the opportunity to offer 105 scholarships may encourage them to field teams filled with high-talent athletes, possibly intensifying competition among recruiting classes. However, for developmental programs with rich walk-on traditions, the transition to a 105-player roster will require careful navigation. These programs must now decide whether to focus on full-scholarship recruits or to continue investing in walk-ons who have previously earned their stripes without scholarship support. As a result, decisions about who remains on the roster may lead to difficult conversations about cuts and scholarship allocations. "The unknown is what's been difficult," said David Braun, head coach at Northwestern. "What does it look like for the walk-ons? Are there still opportunities for young players to develop? As rosters get smaller, you may find that the pressure to recruit the very best talent intensifies, leaving less room for growth among less experienced players." While some coaches express optimism regarding the increased scholarship opportunities, others remain skeptical about teams fully utilizing the 105-player limit. An anonymous SEC administrator noted that increasing scholarships to this level might not effectively translate to game-time experience for the additional players. Meanwhile, coaches from smaller conferences fear that the new roster rules could exacerbate existing disparities in recruiting, particularly as major programs might focus on building deeper rosters of scholarship-level players, leaving fewer opportunities for emerging talent at lower-tier institutions. The implications extend beyond football, impacting baseball and other sports as well. The increase in baseball scholarships from 11.7 to 34 raises questions about competitive balance. While coaches like Scott Stricklin view this as a "workable number," there is concern that it may deepen the divide between major and mid-major programs, similar to the stratification seen in football. The pressure to fill 34 scholarships could lead to heightened competition for recruits and a shift in the landscape of college baseball. Moreover, Title IX compliance remains a critical consideration for athletic departments, as any increase in scholarships in men's sports must be counterbalanced by equivalent opportunities for female athletes. This could force schools to rethink their scholarship distribution strategies, potentially impacting the number of men's sports offered on campuses. As schools navigate this new world of college athletics, the complexities of roster limits, scholarship distribution, and the implications for walk-on opportunities will be at the forefront of strategic planning. The NCAA's shift from scholarship caps to roster limits represents a major evolution in the landscape of college sports, prompting athletic departments and coaches to reevaluate their recruitment efforts and team structures. With those changes on the horizon, the conversation around what it means to be a student-athlete continues to evolve. As schools adjust to the new reality, the balance between supporting student-athletes while managing resources effectively will be a challenge that many will face head-on. The landscape of college sports is undeniably shifting, and as teams prepare for the stakes to rise, the impact of these new roster limits may be felt for years to come.