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College Football/D-1A limit for football traveling team roster

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Expert: - 8/28/2011


Question
How many members on a D-1A football team is allowed to travel with the team? Per ncaa rules.

Answer
Glenn
This is a good question that is asked frequently.  I was expecting the NCAA to limit travel squad sizes as they have in the past.  That has now been regulated/limited by conferences.

There are travel limits for D1-FCS, D-II and D-III.  The NCAA Knight's Commission met in March of this year to discuss several topics affecting D-1 sports including cost saving measures and travel caps.  I am not aware of any formal policy affect NCAA Div. 1 FBS travel at this time.

Please recall there is a cap of 105 players on a roster for Div. 1 FBS, and the NCAA playing rules limited the bench area to 60 non-uniformed personnel (NCAA Football Rule 1-2-4(b) limits the number of non uniformed personnel in the team area to 60 for both teams). The NCAA By-laws provide: "Limit on Number of Participants—Bowl Subdivision. [FBS] In bowl subdivision football, there shall be a limit of 105 student-athletes who may engage in practice activities prior to the institution’s first day of classes or the institution’s first contest, whichever occurs earlier. Exception—National Service Academies. [FBS] There is no limit on the number of student-athletes who will be attending a national service academy and who may engage in practice activities prior to the institution’s first day of classes or the institution’s first contest, whichever occurs earlier."

Many Conferences such as the Big 10, ACC and others have set conference travel limits to 72 players While the WAC limits its travel squads to 64.  The NCAA Football Playing Rules do not address this issue as it is an NCAA administrative regulation not a playing rule.  The NCAA By-laws have changed over the years. At one time it was 48 squad members as the limit for the traveling team.  Iit has changed over the years from unlimited to 100 to 80 and down to 60.  I did not find the limit in the 2011 by-laws. I suspect the travel limit is 60 players with up to 72 to a conference chanpionship.  The Conferences each have their own rules for travel limits.  The NCAA Post Season Handbook limits the official traveling party at each level and this will include players.  With that said I am not certain of the NCAA travel restrictions as I was not able to find them in the By-laws for Div. 1 FBS.  Below is a list of travel squad restrictions and limits for other divisions and sports.  This is slightly outside my area of expertise.

Here is a travel link
http://ncaa.org/
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/0a92a3804e0b9ef1b0e6f01ad6fc8b25/2010-11+D1+

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