by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 8 programs for Men’s Football (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual evaluates each program using 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.
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Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than Austin College this year for Men's Football (Division III). Based in Sherman, TX, Austin College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,580, against $7,035 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor earned the #2 place for student athletes. University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is a private not-for-profit school based in Belton, TX. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,869, with expenses of about $8,869 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Hardin-Simmons University came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division III). Based in Abilene, TX, Hardin-Simmons University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,653, compared with $6,021 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Texas Lutheran University came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division III). Located in Seguin, TX, Texas Lutheran University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $4,826 per participant, against $4,724 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
East Texas Baptist University earned the #5 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Marshall, TX. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $4,876, with expenses of about $4,876 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
McMurry University did well this year, earning the #6 position. Located in Abilene, TX, McMurry University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $5,318, against $5,318 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Howard Payne University came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Based in Brownwood, TX, Howard Payne University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $6,700 per participant, with expenses of about $5,768 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Sul Ross State University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Alpine, TX. Team revenue averages $5,653 per participant, against $5,804 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $891.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs 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.