by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 10 schools for Men’s Football (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual scores each program on a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Want to narrow by division or explore related lists? Pick a path below.
Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than Vanderbilt University this year for Men's Football (Division I). Located in Nashville, TN, Vanderbilt University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 985, alongside a GSR of 90%. The federal graduation rate stands at 82%. Team revenue averages $380,384 per participant, with expenses of about $380,384 per participant. Athletic aid averages $42,235 per athlete.
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in Knoxville, TN, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 977, alongside a GSR of 79%. The federal graduation rate stands at 49%. Team revenue averages $1,321,460 per participant, with expenses of about $497,890 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $29,054.
University of Memphis landed the #3 spot for Men's Football (Division I). Located in Memphis, TN, University of Memphis is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 974, and a 88% Graduation Success Rate. About 62% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $133,495 per participant, against $133,495 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $16,106 per athlete.
Middle Tennessee State University earned the #4 place for student athletes. This public school is set in Murfreesboro, TN. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 954, and a 92% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 82%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $89,245, compared with $89,245 spent per athlete. The school awards about $20,110 in athletic aid per athlete.
Tennessee Technological University is one of the top schools for Men's Football (Division I), at #5. Located in Cookeville, TN, Tennessee Technological University is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 968, with a Graduation Success Rate of 78%. Its federal graduation rate is 53%. The program generates about $51,772 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $51,772 per participant. Athletic aid averages $14,453 per athlete.
Austin Peay State University did well this year, earning the #6 position. This public school is set in Clarksville, TN. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 965, alongside a GSR of 85%. About 53% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $50,872, compared with $50,872 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,483.
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Men's Football (Division I). Based in Chattanooga, TN, The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is a public institution. The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga records an NCAA APR of 970, with a Graduation Success Rate of 70%. Its federal graduation rate is 43%. Team revenue averages $55,931 per participant, against $55,931 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $13,025 per athlete.
Tennessee State University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Located in Nashville, TN, Tennessee State University is a public institution. Tennessee State University records an NCAA APR of 930, alongside a GSR of 70%. About 53% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $63,431 per participant, with expenses of about $63,431 per participant. The school awards about $13,651 in athletic aid per athlete.
East Tennessee State University ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Men's Football (Division I). This public school is set in Johnson City, TN. The team's NCAA APR score is 947, alongside a GSR of 76%. The federal graduation rate stands at 56%. The program generates about $47,111 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $47,111 per participant. The school awards about $11,444 in athletic aid per athlete.
The University of Tennessee-Martin ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Men's Football (Division I). The University of Tennessee-Martin is a public school based in Martin, TN. The team's NCAA APR score is 935, and a 67% Graduation Success Rate. About 40% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $33,930, compared with $34,325 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $9,021 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Programs are scored on a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.
References
See our data sources and methodologies.