Football 2020 & 2021 Football Classifications Released

[Alum-Ni]

District assignments TBA

Link: https://nsaa-static.s3.amazonaws.com/textfile/fbl/fbclass.pdf

 

[Alum-Ni]

CLASS A

Boys Enrollment of 425+

31 teams / 6 districts (5 w/ 5 teams & 1 w/ 6 teams)
31 teams playoff eligible
Playoffs: 16 teams (top two each district + 4 wild cards)

1. Omaha South - 1,157
2. Grand Island - 1,077
3. Omaha Central - 1,012
4. Millard North - 987
5. Millard South - 967
6. Lincoln East - 891
7. Millard West - 870
8. Lincoln High - 855
8. Omaha North - 855
10. Lincoln North Star - 833
11. Lincoln Southeast - 806
12. Lincoln Southwest - 798
13. Omaha Burke - 797
14. Omaha Creighton Prep - 781
15. Omaha Bryan - 769
16. Omaha Westside - 747
17. Papillion-LaVista South - 735
18. Papillion-LaVista - 692
19. Lincoln Northeast - 682
20. Omaha Northwest - 660
21. Kearney - 613
22. Bellevue West - 601
23. Bellevue East - 581
24. Gretna - 567
25. Elkhorn South - 565
26. Fremont - 562
27. Norfolk - 530
28. Omaha Benson - 517
29. Columbus - 504
30. North Platte - 469
31. Lincoln Pius X - 451

 

[Alum-Ni]

CLASS B

Boys Enrollment of 160-424

25 teams / 5 districts (5 w/ 5 teams)
24 teams playoff eligible
Playoffs: 16 teams (five district winners + 11 wild cards)

** = ineligible

1. South Sioux City - 473**
2. Scottsbluff - 400
3. Ralston - 394
4. Hastings - 386
5. Elkhorn - 379
6. Lexington - 373
7. Bennington - 327
8. Omaha Skutt - 303
9. Grand Island Northwest - 285
10. Norris - 282
11. Waverly - 260
12. Beatrice - 256
12. Blair - 256
14. Crete - 250
15. Omaha Gross/Cornerstone Christian - 224
16. Gering - 221
17. Plattsmouth - 205
17. Seward - 205
19. McCook - 198
20. Elkhorn North - 193
21. Alliance - 187
22. Elkhorn Mt. Michael - 177
23. York - 172
24. Aurora - 171
25. Omaha Roncalli - 164

 

[Alum-Ni]

CLASS C1

Boys Enrollment of 70-159

43 teams / 8 districts (5 w/ 5 teams, 3 w/ 6 teams)
41 teams playoff eligible
Playoffs: 16 teams (eight district winners + eight wild cards)

** = ineligible

1. Schuyler - 243**
2. Nebraska City - 163**
3. Platteview - 159
4. Sidney - 147
5. Ogallala - 136
5. Wahoo - 136
7. Wayne - 130
8. Holdrege - 127
9. Cozad - 125
10. West Point-Beemer - 121
11. Douglas County West - 114
12. Columbus Lakeview - 111
13. Adams Central - 107
13. Boys Town - 107
15. Auburn - 105
16. Ashland-Greenwood - 104
16. Chadron - 104
18. Fairbury - 102
19. Gothenburg - 100
19. Omaha Concordia - 100
19. Pierce - 100
22. Falls City - 99
22. Minden - 99
24. Broken Bow - 97
24. Columbus Scotus - 97
26. Wood River/Shelton - 96
27. Arlington - 92
27. St. Paul - 92
29. Fort Calhoun - 89
30. Boone Central/Newman Grove - 88
30. Lincoln Christian - 88
32. Logan View/Scribner-Snyder - 87
33. Central City - 86
33. Raymond Central - 86
35. O'Neill - 84
36. Milford - 83
37. Mitchell - 81
38. Kearney Catholic - 80
39. Louisville - 76
40. Fillmore Central - 75
40. Malcolm - 75
42. Battle Creek - 72
43. North Bend - 71

 

[Alum-Ni]

CLASS C2

Boys Enrollment of 69 and below

32 teams / 6 districts (4 w/ 5 teams, 2 w/ 6 teams)
29 teams playoff eligible
Playoffs: 16 teams (six district winners + 10 wild cards)

** = ineligible

1. Valentine - 83**
2. Gordon-Rushville - 80**
3. Gibbon - 71**
4. Syracuse - 69
5. Lincoln Lutheran - 67
5. Wahoo Neumann - 67
7. Ord - 66
8. David City - 65
8. Norfolk Catholic - 65
8. Wilber-Clatonia - 65
11. Centura - 63
12. David City Aquinas - 62
12. Grand Island Central Catholic - 62
14. Hershey - 61
14. Twin River - 61
16. Bridgeport - 60
16. Centennial - 60
18. Bancroft-Rosalie/Lyons-Decatur - 59
19. Yutan - 58
20. Tekamah-Herman - 56
21. Ponca - 55
21. Sutton - 55
23. Hartington Cedar Catholic - 54
24. Crofton - 53
24. Oakland-Craig - 53
26. Chase County - 52
26. Fremont Bergan - 52
28. Superior - 49
29. Sandy Creek - 46
30. Doniphan-Trumbull - 44
31. Hastings St. Cecilia - 41
32. North Platte St. Patrick's - 37

 

[Alum-Ni]

Total 8-Man Schools: 109 (104 playoff eligible, 52 playoff eligible in each 8-man class)

CLASS D1

Boys Enrollment of 47 and below eligible

57 teams / 10 districts (3 w/ 5 teams, 7 w/ 6 teams)
52 playoff eligible teams
Playoffs: 32 teams (10 district winners + 22 wild cards)

** = ineligible
^^ = two-year exemption, are playoff eligible

1. Conestoga - 72**
2. Madison - 64**
3. Wakefield - 60**
4. Palmyra - 51**
5. Ravenna - 50**
6. Amherst - 54^^
6. Nebraska Christian - 54^^
8. Arcadia/Loup City - 53^^
9. Tri County - 51^^
10. Ainsworth - 50^^
10. Atkinson West Holt - 50^^
10. Lutheran High Northeast - 50^^
10. Wisner-Pilger - 50^^
14. Clarkson/Leigh - 47
14. Freeman - 47
14. Johnson County Central - 47
14. Summerland - 47
18. Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer - 46
18. North Central - 46
20. Heartland - 45
20. Southern - 45
22. Bayard - 44
22. Cambridge - 44
22. Elkhorn Valley - 44
25. Alma - 43
25. Guardian Angels Central Catholic - 43
25. Kimball - 43
28. Arapahoe - 42
28. Exeter-Milligan/Friend - 42
28. Hemingford - 42
28. Plainview - 42
28. Sutherland - 42
33. Anselmo-Merna - 41
33. Cross County - 41
33. Dundy County-Stratton - 41
33. Hitchcock County - 41
33. Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family - 41
33. Neligh-Oakdale - 41
33. Omaha Brownell-Talbot - 41
40. Burwell - 40
40. East Butler - 40
40. Elmwood-Murdock - 40
40. Hartington-Newcastle - 40
40. Howells-Dodge - 40
40. Laurel-Concord-Coleridge - 40
40. Shelby/Rising City - 40
40. Thayer Central - 40
48. Nebraska City Lourdes - 39
48. Southern Valley - 39
50. Maxwell - 38
50. Perkins County - 38
50. Stanton - 38
53. Bertrand - 37
53. Cedar Bluffs - 37
53. Elm Creek - 37
53. Weeping Water - 37
57. Hi-Line - 36 (three-year average = 46.000)

 

[Alum-Ni]

Total 8-Man Schools: 109 (104 playoff eligible, 52 playoff eligible in each 8-man class)

CLASS D2

Boys Enrollment of 47 and below eligible

52 teams / 9 districts (2 w/ 5 teams, 7 w/ 6 teams)
52 playoff eligible teams
Playoffs: 32 teams (9 district winners + 23 wild cards)

1. Morrill - 36 (three-year average = 42.333)
1. Creighton - 36 (40.333)
1. Niobrara/Verdigre - 36 (39.333)
1. Homer - 36 (34.333)
5. Ansley/Litchfield - 35
5. Central Valley - 35
5. Mead - 35
5. Osmond - 35
5. Palmer - 35
5. Sandhills/Valley - 35
5. South Loup - 35
12. Bruning-Davenport/Shickley - 34
13. Lawrence-Nelson - 33
14. Fullerton - 32
14. Leyton - 32
16. Boyd County - 31
16. Emerson-Hubbard - 31
16. Garden County - 31
16. Johnson-Brock - 31
16. Walthill - 31
21. Kenesaw - 30
21. Omaha Christian / Omaha Street School - 30
21. Sandhills/Thedford - 30
24. Randolph - 29
25. Allen - 28
25. Axtell - 28
25. Bloomfield - 28
25. Blue Hill - 28
25. Loomis - 28
25. Maywood/Hayes Center - 28
25. Osceola - 28
25. Riverside - 28
33. High Plains - 27
33. Medicine Valley - 27
33. Overton - 27
33. Pender - 27
33. Pleasanton - 27
38. Falls City Sacred Heart - 26
39. Chambers/Wheeler Central - 25
39. O'Neill St. Mary's - 25
41. Twin Loup - 24
41. Wausa - 24
43. Diller-Odell - 22
43. Elgin/Elgin Pope John - 22
43. Hyannis - 22
43. Winside - 22
43. Wynot - 22
48. Brady - 21
48. Mullen - 21
48. Nebraska Lutheran - 21
51. Giltner - 20
52. Humphrey St. Francis - 18

 

[Alum-Ni]

CLASS D6

Boys Enrollment of 27 and below eligible

35 teams / 7 districts (7 w/ 5 teams)
33 playoff eligible teams
Playoffs: 16 teams (16 wild cards)

** = ineligible
^^ = two-year exemption, are playoff eligible

1. McCool Junction - 38^^
2. Franklin - 34**
3. Harvard - 30**
4. Deshler - 28^^
4. Silver Lake - 28^^
6. Pawnee City - 27
7. Hay Springs - 26
7. Southwest - 26
9. Sterling - 25
9. Wilcox-Hildreth - 25
11. Creek Valley - 24
11. Potter-Dix - 24
11. Wauneta-Palisade - 24
14. Paxton - 23
14. Wallace - 23
16. Red Cloud - 22
16. Stuart - 22
16. Sumner-Eddyville-Miller - 22
19. Heartland Lutheran - 21
19. Minatare - 21
21. Dorchester - 19
22. Hampton - 18
22. Lewiston - 18
22. Parkview Christian - 18
25. Arthur County - 17
25. Meridian - 17
25. South Platte - 17
25. St. Edward - 17
29. Santee - 15
30. Elba - 14
31. Crawford - 12
31. Spalding Academy - 12
33. Cody-Kilgore - 11
33. Sioux County - 11
35. Banner County - 9

 

[northeastNebraska]

Something that may go unnoticed. Hyannis jumps back to D2. You don’t see too many teams jump back up without co-oping or consolidating.

 

[coachsloup]

I understand why Franklin is 6 man but why at Harvard would you stay 6 man AND be ineligible when you clearly have enough kids and talent to play 8man??

 

[northeastNebraska]

I understand why Franklin is 6 man but why at Harvard would you stay 6 man AND be ineligible when you clearly have enough kids and talent to play 8man??

“Change is hard” -Nebraskans

 

[Alum-Ni]

I understand why Franklin is 6 man but why at Harvard would you stay 6 man AND be ineligible when you clearly have enough kids and talent to play 8man??

I don't know their situation at all, but just because they "have" the boys to play 8-man, do they have the participation to play 8-man?

 

[nenebskers]

Something that may go unnoticed. Hyannis jumps back to D2. You don’t see too many teams jump back up without co-oping or consolidating.

Walthill jumped back up to D2 as well. Shocked they wouldn't stay 6 man and be playoff ineligible.

D1 has 13 of 56 teams, 23% total, above the enrollment cutoff. Obviously the 8 man cutoff still need tweaked.

 

[runningback43]

The crazy thing that I noticed is that C-2 only has 32 teams total. 29 that are playoff eligible. Used to have around 60 teams in C-2.

 

[MacMan92]

I said this in another thread but I’m going to repeat it here. If your number is 27 or below and you choose to play 8 man and forfeit any games during the current cycle, you must play 6 man during the next cycle.

 

[24 ctr trap]

How many D-2 teams on this list with an enrollment below 27 have ever forfeited a game?

 

[speedy66]

I understand why Franklin is 6 man but why at Harvard would you stay 6 man AND be ineligible when you clearly have enough kids and talent to play 8man??

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact their coach is a 6 man coach. That’s what he played in high school, that’s what he’s coached most of his career,

 

[MacMan92]

It’s not about having a history of forfeiting games but about making school take a realistic look at their participation numbers.

If your number is 25 and you’re going to have 20 plus on your roster, more power to you. If your number is 25 and you have 14 on your roster I think you are kidding yourself about making it through a season because odds are you are playing kids who have no business on a varsity football field. Now we have a player safety issue caused by the pride of your administration or school board.

We cannot continue to have people preach about making the game safer while schools insist on playing in a classification that will force kids on the field before they are ready.

Also remember these decisions effect more than the players at their school. Now other schools are losing games off their schedule because “We’ve always played 8 man and that’s never going to change.” It’s stupid and avoidable.

Again, if your under 27 and it works at your school, great. But if your school refuses to see the writing on the wall, maybe a system like this might encourage some schools to take a more realistic approach when declaring for football season

Let’s not even get started on the need to raise the numbers.

By the way I think it should apply to schools below 47 who opt to play 11 man as well.

 

[northeastNebraska]

The crazy thing that I noticed is that C-2 only has 32 teams total. 29 that are playoff eligible. Used to have around 60 teams in C-2.

It’s sad. Way too many teams playing 8 man.

 

[Ruttingbuck]

It’s sad. Way too many teams playing 8 man.

Why is that sad???

 

[northeastNebraska]

Why is that sad???

It’s sad to see C2 being so small. 2007 there was 47 teams in C2.

It’s not sad seeing so many teams playing 8 man. Sorry that may have seemed like that’s what I meant. It’s more so, I wish there was more teams in C2 compared to D1.

 

[bruiser84]

Why is that sad???

It is sad because it shows the decline in population in rural Nebraska. And worse than that it shows the decline in participation numbers. It is sad because the top 14 schools in D-1 should be in C-2 based on their enrollment numbers. And the top 22 are at least as big or bigger than the bottom 3 in C-2. It is sad because the whole D-1 class except HI-Line is at least as big as the smallest in C-2. So it is obvious it can be done. You can field an 11 man team with at least a 37 enrollment, because at least one team is doing it. I am not saying there is anything wrong with 8 man football. It is the best option for a lot of schools. Just not all the schools that are currently in the class.
But I can see the other side also. If we can't compete effectively (i.e. make playoffs once in a while) why not opt down, not be eligible for playoffs, and maybe win a few more games, give the kids some confidence, and maybe build the program in the future. No one wants to be a punching bag all the time. Success breeds success.
That's all I have to say about that.

 

[Ruttingbuck]

I don't get the teams that are ineligible staying, but I know firsthand that say a school with a number of 44 may get 25 kids out for football. Throw in some injuries and what not you can drop to 20 pretty fast. Figure a certain percent of those kids are not athletic but are there because that is the thing to do. Could that school play 11 man, absolutely. Could they play it well, at times.

 

[GoBigBlob]

Bottom 2 teams in C-2, with 8-man enrollments, happen to be private schools (Hastings St Cecelia & North Platte St Pat).
Imagine that, would of never guessed!

 

[huskers_2001]

Bottom 2 teams in C-2, with 8-man enrollments, happen to be private schools (Hastings St Cecelia & North Platte St Pat).
Imagine that, would of never guessed!

Confused by the statement, Blob.

 

[Llama57]

Confused by the statement, Blob.

It's a fact that a higher socioeconomic class equals a higher participation rate in extracurricular activities is what I believe he's saying.

 

[northeastNebraska]

Bottom 2 teams in C-2, with 8-man enrollments, happen to be private schools (Hastings St Cecelia & North Platte St Pat).
Imagine that, would of never guessed!

Hopefully NPSP can bounce back. Beautiful newer elementary school, nice gym, and a great staff.

 

[GoBigBlob]

It's a fact that a higher socioeconomic class equals a higher participation rate in extracurricular activities is what I believe he's saying.

Yes I was referring to bruiser84 saying it was "obvious a school with 37 enrollment can compete in 11-man"...and that "there are 22 teams in D-1 that are as big or bigger than bottom 3 in C-2". ...
Bottom 2 being private schools...bad comparison

 

[bruiser84]

Yes I was referring to bruiser84 saying it was "obvious a school with 37 enrollment can compete in 11-man"...and that "there are 22 teams in D-1 that are as big or bigger than bottom 3 in C-2". ...
Bottom 2 being private schools...bad comparison

I have no interest getting into the same old tired argument about private schools. My statement that it can be done simply meant that with good participation numbers, one can play 11 man football. The "obvious" was because we can SEE it is being done now. Not that everyone with a 37 enrollment number can, because of their own participation number.

 

[GoBigBlob]

I have no interest getting into the same old tired argument about private schools. My statement that it can be done simply meant that with good participation numbers, one can play 11 man football. The "obvious" was because we can SEE it is being done now. Not that everyone with a 37 enrollment number can, because of their own participation number.

Yes I agree.

Can be done, yes.
likely to happen, no

 

[slattimer99]

“...opt down, not be eligible for playoffs and maybe win a few more games...” Consider this -you have the numbers to play up, but still opt down. A player on your playoff ineligible team then causes a career ending injury to a key player on another team. That team’s regular season and postseason are now affected. It happened to our team this year. I hope on next year’s schedule we have no teams playoff ineligible.

That could literally happen any game of the season, vs any opponent. It sucks that happened. But that excuse for why a team should not opt down is ridiculous.

 

[highschoolfootballnut]

That could literally happen any game of the season, vs any opponent. It sucks that happened. But that excuse for why a team should not opt down is ridiculous.

I kinda see the point, what if your a team in D1 with an enrollment of 38 to 36 with 20 out and holding your own and then play a team with an enrollment of 72 or 65 who is using you to build their program at your possible expense

 

[slattimer99]

I kinda see the point, what if your a team in D1 with an enrollment of 38 to 36 with 20 out and holding your own and then play a team with an enrollment of 72 or 65 who is using you to build their program at your possible expense

If a team is opting down that has an enrollment of 65-72, I already have a good idea of how many kids they have out for football and what their school climate/culture is most likely like.

Placing blame for catastrophic injuries is ridiculous.

 

[highschoolfootballnut]

If a team is opting down that has an enrollment of 65-72, I already have a good idea of how many kids they have out for football and what their school climate/culture is most likely like.

Placing blame for catastrophic injuries is ridiculous.

Allowing someone to opt down to build their program at any risk of hurting your program is ridiculous and is why a overwhelming majority of states do not allow it

 

[slattimer99]

Allowing someone to opt down to build their program at any risk of hurting your program is ridiculous and is why a overwhelming majority of states do not allow it

I don't like it either....

But how is letting a school with an enrollment of 65-72, that in all likelihood has poor participation in the first place (probably has less kids out than the school with 38 enrollment), more than likely poor school culture with sports, and poor weight room attendance, worse than playing a juggernaut with 48 enrollment, that has 36 kids out, that all lift, and have a culture of winning?

Let's be honest here, and that's why I said blaming catastrophic injuries on something like this is ridiculous.

 

[Buff-alo]

Allowing someone to opt down to build their program at any risk of hurting your program is ridiculous and is why a overwhelming majority of states do not allow it

Different Thread.... same old conversation. Let's throw out there the unfair advantage that private schools have while we are at it! Give it a rest fellas...

 

[highschoolfootballnut]

I don't like it either....

But how is letting a school with an enrollment of 65-72, that in all likelihood has poor participation in the first place (probably has less kids out than the school with 38 enrollment), more than likely poor school culture with sports, and poor weight room attendance, worse than playing a juggernaut with 48 enrollment, that has 36 kids out, that all lift, and have a culture of winning?

Let's be honest here, and that's why I said blaming catastrophic injuries on something like this is ridiculous.

All of your above reasons of why that school is struggling and are that schools problems, not other schools problems and should not at any risk of any kind be shared with everyone because of that schools problem. This is not Burger King, you can't always have your way
This why coops are delayed to long, if this school just can not field a team, then start another sport or activity and those who want to play football can enroll in another school, or work hard to coop with someone. but opting down delays any actual solution and just prolongs the problem or shares it with everyone else. Not every school is going to be successful at everything, some will fail and always fail in and at certain things, so look for other things to be good at that fits your school

 

[slattimer99]

All of your above reasons of why that school is struggling are that schools problem, not other schools problems and should not at any risk of any kind be shared with everyone because of that schools problem. This is not Burger King, you can't always have your way

You brought up the differing enrollments and now avoiding any actual discussion of it.

The fact remains, trying to put blame on something for a catastrophic injury as previously mentioned is ridiculous.

 

[Llama57]

The latest "arguement" is off point. There are B teams that play C1, C1 that play C2, etc. What if one of those catastrophic injuries happens in that game with a team that isn't eligible in that class? Are you so upset then?

 

[highschoolfootballnut]

The latest "arguement" is off point. There are B teams that play C1, C1 that play C2, etc. What if one of those catastrophic injuries happens in that game with a team that isn't eligible in that class? Are you so upset then?

playing up is a choice that a school can make