Colleges in Michigan With Football Teams
22 colleges in Michigan, and how many players each one loses after this season.
- players leave a typical team
- 24
- lose a quarterback
- 55%
2026-27 rosters, read September 29, 2026
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All 22 Michigan schools
Most players leaving first. Players leaving are players in their last season on the 2026-27 roster.
22 schools
D3Alma
Alma, MI
44players leaving
Positions
D1 FBSCentral Michigan
Mount Pleasant, MI
43players leaving
Positions
D1 FBSEastern Michigan
Ypsilanti, MI
42players leaving
Positions
See which positions each school needs.
Roster Needs is part of Pro. It shows the positions each school is losing, so you can email the coaches who need your position.
D1 FBSMichigan
Ann Arbor, MI
39players leaving
Positions
D2Hillsdale
Hillsdale, MI
34players leaving
Positions
D1 FBSMichigan State
East Lansing, MI
30players leaving
Positions
D2Davenport
Grand Rapids, MI
26players leaving
Positions
NAIAMadonna
Livonia, MI
26players leaving
Positions
D2Wayne State
Detroit, MI
25players leaving
Positions
D3Adrian
Adrian, MI
24players leaving
Positions
D3Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo, MI
24players leaving
Positions
D1 FBSWestern Michigan
Kalamazoo, MI
24players leaving
Positions
Show all 22 schoolsShow fewer schools
D3Hope
Holland, MI
22players leaving
Positions
D2Ferris State
Big Rapids, MI
21players leaving
Positions
D3Albion
Albion, MI
17players leaving
Positions
D2Michigan Tech
Houghton, MI
17players leaving
Positions
D2Grand Valley State
Allendale, MI
16players leaving
Positions
D2Northwood
Midland, MI
13players leaving
Positions
D2Northern Michigan
Marquette, MI
12players leaving
Positions
NAIALawrence Tech
Southfield, MI
9players leaving
Positions
D3Olivet
Olivet, MI
9players leaving
Positions
D3Calvin
Grand Rapids, MI
7players leaving
Positions
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Questions
How many colleges in Michigan have football?
NextCommit's coach data lists 25 colleges in Michigan with football teams for 2026: 5 D1 FBS, 9 D2, 7 D3, 3 NAIA and 1 JUCO. This page shows the 22 whose 2026-27 rosters we could read in full on September 29, 2026.
How many players does a Michigan football program lose each year?
The typical Michigan football program on this list has 24 players in their last season on its 2026-27 roster. Offensive linemen are the most common opening: 95% of these programs lose at least one, then defensive linemen at 95%.
What does "players leaving" mean?
Players in their last season on the college's 2026-27 roster page: seniors, graduate students and fifth-year players at four-year schools, and sophomores at junior colleges. Redshirt marks do not change the count. Their spots open for recruits who start college in 2027.
Does a player leaving mean an open scholarship?
No. It means a roster spot the coaches have to refill, with high school recruits, transfers or walk-ons. How many spots carry aid depends on the level: Division I schools in the House settlement have a 105-player roster limit and no scholarship cap, Division II has 36 football equivalencies shared across the team, Division III gives no athletic aid, the NAIA allows 24 and the NJCAA 85. Some players also get an extra year through a waiver.
Which positions does each school need?
That is Roster Needs, part of NextCommit Pro. It shows the positions each school is losing and filters your coach list to the programs that need your position. This page shows each school's total only.
How should I use this list?
Find schools at your level with players leaving, check which level fits you with the free Football Recruit Score, then email the position coach or recruiting coordinator with your film, measurables and GPA. Follow up when you have something new to share.
How often is this data updated?
NextCommit reads college roster pages twice a year, after fall and spring rosters are posted. This page shows the September 29, 2026 read of 2026-27 rosters. Schools we could not read in full join the list when a later read passes.
How we got these numbers
We read each college's own roster page on September 29, 2026. Players leaving are players in their last season on the 2026-27 roster: seniors, graduate students and fifth-year players at four-year schools, and sophomores at junior colleges. Redshirt marks don't change the count.
This list shows 22 of the 25 programs in NextCommit's coach data (88%). Schools whose roster we couldn't read in full aren't listed yet. We call a list complete when we can read at least 75% of its rosters.
Divisions are for the 2026 season, including North Dakota State and Sacramento State moving to FBS and Saint Francis (PA) moving to Division III.
A player leaving is a spot to refill, not a scholarship offer. Coaches also fill spots from the transfer portal, some players get an extra year, and a roster page can lag behind the team. Use the numbers to decide where to look, then ask the coach.
Last updated November 3, 2026.
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