2025-2026 NDE Enrollment Numbers & 8 Man Classifications

[ACICOD is BACK]

The Nebraska Department of Education has released enrollment numbers from the October 1 date that schools had to report. Below is a link to that information:

https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/MembershipByGradeRaceAndGender_20252026.pdf

9th, 10th, and 11th grade boys counts will be used to determine football classifications for the next two years.

 

[ACICOD is BACK]

See updated projections below!

 

[ACICOD is BACK]

See Updated Projections below.

 

[o_runningback43]

Thanks for doing this ACICOD

 

[TwinsRRUs]

If your numbers make you 8-man, why would you need to opt up from D2 to D1, or down from D1 to D2, or down from D1 to D3?

Why not just stay on the class your enrollment places you? (Seems completely different than opting from 11-man to 8-man or vice versa)

 

[ACICOD is BACK]

This might need some updating. Working on getting some clarification on items.

 

[ACICOD is BACK]

UPDATED CLASSIFICATIONS PROJECTION FOR 8-MAN:

D1
Wakefield (CEC D1)	59
Tekamah-Herman (CEC D1)	57
Tri County (52/55 Previous)	60
Centennial (46 Previous)	58
Gibbon	55
Pender	55
Ponca	55
West Holt	54
Alma	52
Elkhorn Valley	52
Sutton	51
Thayer Central	51
Cedar Bluffs	50
Johnson-Brock	50
Sandy Creek	50
Kimball	49
Stanton	49
Arcadia/Loup City	48
Centura	48
Crofton	48
Cross County	48
Elm Creek	48
Elmwood-Murdock	48
Hartington-Newcastle	48
Wisner-Pilger	48
Ravenna	48
Gordon-Rushville	47
Hastings St. Cecilia	46
LHNE	46
Twin River	46
Amherst	45
Homer	45
Nebraska Christian	45
EMF (44, 47, 47)	44
Falls City ***INELIGIBLE***	92
Conestoga ***INELIGIBLE***	89
Fairbury ***INELIGIBLE***	89
David City ***INELIGIBLE***	78
JCC ***INELIGIBLE***	77
Freeman ***INELIGIBLE***	58

D2
Madison (CEC D2)	57
Fullerton (44, 41, 26)	44
LCC	43
Superior	43
Aquinas Catholic	42
Arapahoe	42
HLHF	42
Bancroft-Rosalie	41
Creighton	41
East Butler	41
NG/St. Edward	41
Hemingford	40
Maywood/HC	40
Neligh-Oakdale	40
Lourdes CC	39
Oakland-Craig	39
Perkins County	39
Shelby-Rising City	39
South Loup	39
TCNE	39
Hi-Line	37
Howells-Dodge	37
LDNE	37
NPSP	37
Ainsworth	36
Bertrand	36
Bloomfield	36
Loomis	36
Niobrara/Verdigre	36
OCA	36
Franklin	35
Hitchcock County	35
Kenesaw	35
Wilcox-Hildreth	35
Shelton	35
B-D-S (34, 33, 37)	34

D3
Omaha Nation (CEC D3)	66
Southern Valley (CEC D3)	36
Blue Hill (34, 37, 31)	34
North Central	33
Osceola	33
Weeping Water	33
Winside	33
Boyd County	32
Central Valley	32
CWC	32
GACC	32
Sutherland	32
Bayard	31
Burwell	31
Cambridge	31
Dundy County	31
Maxwell	31
Palmer	31
Lawrence-Nelson	30
Twin Loup	30
Randolph	29
St. Mary's	29
Anselmo-Merna	28
Axtell	28
Pleasanton	28
Wausa	28
Deshler	27
Overton	26
Archangels Catholic	25
Sandhills Valley	24
Brady	23
Clarkson	23
Leigh	23
Sandhills/Thedford	22
Wynot	21
Wauneta-Palisade	20
EPPJ	19
Mullen	19
FCSH	18
Hyannis	15
Southern ***INELIGIBLE***	42

 

[ACICOD is BACK]

I think this is the more likely classification scenario for 8-man football. In thinking through other sports, they put their teams into classifications FIRST and then allow for opt ups or downs. This scenario does that. After cutting teams where they should be, then teams that are opting down or getting a CEC are added into the classifcation.

As a result, I end up with 40 in D1, 36 in D2, and 41 in D3.

We'll see how it actually plays out!

 

[ACICOD is BACK]

This would mean 34 eligible in D1, 36 eligible in D2, and 40 eligible in D3.

 

[Anon1751687433]

D1 and D3 won't be scheduled together unless mutually requested. My guess opting to D3 would be a way to try to keep a small roster team away from the bigger roster teams, without dropping to D6.

If your numbers make you 8-man, why would you need to opt up from D2 to D1, or down from D1 to D2, or down from D1 to D3?

Why not just stay on the class your enrollment places you? (Seems completely different than opting from 11-man to 8-man or vice versa)

 

[Anon1751687433]

I think this is the more likely classification scenario for 8-man football. In thinking through other sports, they put their teams into classifications FIRST and then allow for opt ups or downs. This scenario does that. After cutting teams where they should be, then teams that are opting down or getting a CEC are added into the classifcation.

As a result, I end up with 40 in D1, 36 in D2, and 41 in D3.

We'll see how it actually plays out!

What I understood from different discussions was that D1 would be the 32 largest eligible, plus ineligibles. Which I interpreted to mean the D1 CEC included in the 32. But no clue if that's accurate or not.

 

[just_average32]

What I understood from different discussions was that D1 would be the 32 largest eligible, plus ineligibles. Which I interpreted to mean the D1 CEC included in the 32. But no clue if that's accurate or not.

I believe the CEC eligible are removed from the split counts then added in like the ineligible teams

 

[Husker7562]

This would mean 34 eligible in D1, 36 eligible in D2, and 40 eligible in D3.

I think this would push Nebraska Christian and EMF down to D2. as they are taking the first 32 Eligible teams in D1. Then split the rest with D2, D3.

 

[C8manfball]

D1 districts are shaping up to be very interesting. Would the state consider grouping all the ineligible schools into a single district? Geographically, that actually makes some sense!

 

[Anon1751687433]

I believe the CEC eligible are removed from the split counts then added in like the ineligible teams

Now...if it works like that (remove them, split it up, then add them) that would result in teams that otherwise would be D2, being D1 and otherwise would have been D3, being D2. Correct?

That's why I'm not sure that the process will follow that, because of schools being pushed up to a higher class by factors other than just where the numbers fall.

That being said, I do not have nearly enough info to be willing to place a wager of any amount on how it will work out, and am very interested to see how the actual mechanics work. With unknown new numbers, the new CEC, a changed 11/8 man cut off number,...a lot of variables in play this cycle.

 

[stangsker]

Sorry to piggy back on 8 man discussions- C1/C2 will be 59 teams as it appears Aurora and Gross will both be over the 160 mark. Looks like the movers from last cycle will be Raymond Central and Arlington moving to C1 and Scotus, Logan View, Louisville, Wilber moving to C2 along with the new co-ops from Plainview/Osmond and Heartland/Hampton as well as Bridgeport and Summerland.

C2
WPB	81​
Scotus	80​
Battle Creek	80​
GICC	77​
Logan View	76​
LL	76​
Louisville	73​
Kearney Catholic	73​
NBC	73​
Wilber	72​
Palmyra	72​
Boone	72​
Bridgeport	72​
St. Paul	70​
Mitchell	70​
Malcolm	69​
DT	66​
Norfolk Catholic	63​
Yutan	62​
Valentine	60​
Wood River	59​
Plainview/Osmond	59​
Heartland/Hampton	59​
Fillmore	58​
Ord	57​
Neumann	53​
Hershey	53​
Bergan	52​
Cedar Catholic	51​
Summerland	51​

C1
Roncalli	151​
Wayne	147​
DC West	145​
Brownell Talbot/CC/Quest	134​
AG	129​
Wahoo	127​
Sidney	127​
Lakeview	126​
hOldrege	125​
Concordia	125​
Adams Central	121​
Fort Calhoun	102​
Syracuse	101​
BT	100​
Milford	100​
Chadron	98​
Arlington	97​
Cozad	94​
Broken Bow	94​
O'neill	94​
Minden	93​
Central City	91​
Auburn	91​
Raymond Central	88​
Ogallala	87​
Gothenburg	85​
Lincoln Christian	84​
Pierce	82​
Chase County	81​

 

[JAG164]

From my understanding (from an NSAA affiliated individual)

D1 is the largest 32 eligible + all ineligible

all other 8 man teams will be split in half.

If it’s an odd number, the extra will be in D3.

 

[LooseCannon]

D1 districts are shaping up to be very interesting. Would the state consider grouping all the ineligible schools into a single district? Geographically, that actually makes some sense!

This should be happening already. If you chose to be ineligible, you can only play other ineligible teams.

 

[just_average32]

Sorry to piggy back on 8 man discussions- C1/C2 will be 59 teams as it appears Aurora and Gross will both be over the 160 mark. Looks like the movers from last cycle will be Raymond Central and Arlington moving to C1 and Scotus, Logan View, Louisville, Wilber moving to C2 along with the new co-ops from Plainview/Osmond and Heartland/Hampton as well as Bridgeport and Summerland.

C2
WPB	81​
Scotus	80​
Battle Creek	80​
GICC	77​
Logan View	76​
LL	76​
Louisville	73​
Kearney Catholic	73​
NBC	73​
Wilber	72​
Palmyra	72​
Boone	72​
Bridgeport	72​
St. Paul	70​
Mitchell	70​
Malcolm	69​
DT	66​
Norfolk Catholic	63​
Yutan	62​
Valentine	60​
Wood River	59​
Plainview/Osmond	59​
Heartland/Hampton	59​
Fillmore	58​
Ord	57​
Neumann	53​
Hershey	53​
Bergan	52​
Cedar Catholic	51​
Summerland	51​

C1
Roncalli	151​
Wayne	147​
DC West	145​
Brownell Talbot/CC/Quest	134​
AG	129​
Wahoo	127​
Sidney	127​
Lakeview	126​
hOldrege	125​
Concordia	125​
Adams Central	121​
Fort Calhoun	102​
Syracuse	101​
BT	100​
Milford	100​
Chadron	98​
Arlington	97​
Cozad	94​
Broken Bow	94​
O'neill	94​
Minden	93​
Central City	91​
Auburn	91​
Raymond Central	88​
Ogallala	87​
Gothenburg	85​
Lincoln Christian	84​
Pierce	82​
Chase County	81​

Brownell-Takbot is opting to C2 per the declaration document on the NSAA website

 

[Polkamaniac 13]

Sorry to piggy back on 8 man discussions- C1/C2 will be 59 teams as it appears Aurora and Gross will both be over the 160 mark. Looks like the movers from last cycle will be Raymond Central and Arlington moving to C1 and Scotus, Logan View, Louisville, Wilber moving to C2 along with the new co-ops from Plainview/Osmond and Heartland/Hampton as well as Bridgeport and Summerland.

C2
WPB	81​
Scotus	80​
Battle Creek	80​
GICC	77​
Logan View	76​
LL	76​
Louisville	73​
Kearney Catholic	73​
NBC	73​
Wilber	72​
Palmyra	72​
Boone	72​
Bridgeport	72​
St. Paul	70​
Mitchell	70​
Malcolm	69​
DT	66​
Norfolk Catholic	63​
Yutan	62​
Valentine	60​
Wood River	59​
Plainview/Osmond	59​
Heartland/Hampton	59​
Fillmore	58​
Ord	57​
Neumann	53​
Hershey	53​
Bergan	52​
Cedar Catholic	51​
Summerland	51​

C1
Roncalli	151​
Wayne	147​
DC West	145​
Brownell Talbot/CC/Quest	134​
AG	129​
Wahoo	127​
Sidney	127​
Lakeview	126​
hOldrege	125​
Concordia	125​
Adams Central	121​
Fort Calhoun	102​
Syracuse	101​
BT	100​
Milford	100​
Chadron	98​
Arlington	97​
Cozad	94​
Broken Bow	94​
O'neill	94​
Minden	93​
Central City	91​
Auburn	91​
Raymond Central	88​
Ogallala	87​
Gothenburg	85​
Lincoln Christian	84​
Pierce	82​
Chase County	81​

Schyler, Chase County, and Brownell-Talbot are all opting down to C2 and Alliance and Nebraska City are opting to C1 according to the NSAA website

 

[ACICOD is BACK]

From my understanding (from an NSAA affiliated individual)

D1 is the largest 32 eligible + all ineligible

all other 8 man teams will be split in half.

If it’s an odd number, the extra will be in D3.

It's not as simple as what you're making it sound. What you said is correct, but you've got to look at the process of classifications for all sports/activities to understand the depth of how this happens.

All teams will be lined up for football in enrollment number order, starting with the biggest schools. Those schools who are 55 & below (along with the two who will be in their exemption cycle) will be "eligible" teams for the playoffs. They will select the biggest 32 of those schools for D1, and then split D2 and D3 in half.

THEN, they will take the teams who are too large for 8-man (over 55 enrollment and not in an exemption cycle) and put them in their appropriate places. In this case, that means adding 2 eligible schools to D1 for CEC waivers, 1 to D2 for a CEC waiver, and 2 to D3 for CEC waivers. That's how you get to 34 eligible in D1.

FINALLY, all the INELIGIBLE schools will be dumped into D1 because that's where they land. D1 will be 40 teams.


I initially took the stance that the CEC teams would be included in the "eligible" list, but I don't believe that's how it will work. No other activity/sport moves a team up or down a division based on who opts up or down a class. So the first thing that needs to happen is for the schools to be placed where they SHOULD BE, and from there, the adjustments get made.

We'll see how things look when the final classifications come out, but I'm confident in the way they are split above.

 

[JAG164]

It's not as simple as what you're making it sound. What you said is correct, but you've got to look at the process of classifications for all sports/activities to understand the depth of how this happens.

All teams will be lined up for football in enrollment number order, starting with the biggest schools. Those schools who are 55 & below (along with the two who will be in their exemption cycle) will be "eligible" teams for the playoffs. They will select the biggest 32 of those schools for D1, and then split D2 and D3 in half.

THEN, they will take the teams who are too large for 8-man (over 55 enrollment and not in an exemption cycle) and put them in their appropriate places. In this case, that means adding 2 eligible schools to D1 for CEC waivers, 1 to D2 for a CEC waiver, and 2 to D3 for CEC waivers. That's how you get to 34 eligible in D1.

FINALLY, all the INELIGIBLE schools will be dumped into D1 because that's where they land. D1 will be 40 teams.


I initially took the stance that the CEC teams would be included in the "eligible" list, but I don't believe that's how it will work. No other activity/sport moves a team up or down a division based on who opts up or down a class. So the first thing that needs to happen is for the schools to be placed where they SHOULD BE, and from there, the adjustments get made.

We'll see how things look when the final classifications come out, but I'm confident in the way they are split above.

Great explanation - makes sense. Thanks!

 

[Husker7562]

Any insight on district break up if these are the numbers? Would this make D3 have 6 districts. 5 with 7 teams and 1 with 6 teams?

 

[ACICOD is BACK]

Districts have always had 5 or 6 teams. I don't see that changing in this cycle.

 

[TheGridironGuru]

Any guesses on possible district assignments in D1? I feel they could be interesting.

 

[ACICOD is BACK]

Here's ChatGPT's solution...............I included that no more than 2 Ineligibles could be in a single district:

District 1 — Northeast​

• Wakefield
• Pender
• Ponca
• Hartington-Newcastle
• Homer

District 2 — North-Central / Norfolk Area​

• Stanton
• Wisner-Pilger
• Lutheran High Northeast
• Elkhorn Valley
• Cedar Bluffs

District 3 — East / Platte Valley​

• Tekamah-Herman (CEC D1)
• Johnson-Brock
• Elmwood-Murdock
• Nebraska Christian
• Johnson County Central (INELIGIBLE)

District 4 --- Southeast​

• Tri County
• Thayer Central
• Fairbury (INELIGIBLE)
• Freeman (INELIGIBLE)
• Exeter-Milligan-Friend

---

District 5 — East-Central (Cass/Otoe)​

• Conestoga (INELIGIBLE)
• Johnson-Brock
• Elmwood-Murdock
• Cedar Bluffs
• Nebraska Christian

---

District 6 — South-Central​

• Centennial
• Cross County
• Sutton
• Sandy Creek
• Hastings St. Cecilia

---

District 7 — Central​

• Gibbon
• Ravenna
• Amherst
• Elm Creek
• Arcadia/Loup City

---

District 8 — North-Central / Panhandle​

• Gordon-Rushville
• Kimball
• West Holt
• Crofton
• Alma

 

[ACICOD is BACK]

I'm not sure that District 8 is really a feasible solution, but it's what AI says!

 

[nenebskers]

Crofton to Gordon to Kimbell to Alma. LOL

Looks like the Big10!

 

[TheGridironGuru]

Thank you, I tried the same thing!

 

[Loper90]

Here is a guess at Districts for D3

District 1
Falls City Sacred Heart
Weeping Water
Southern
Deshler
Lawrence-Nelson
Blue Hill

District 2
Omaha Nation
GACC
Clarkson
Winside
Randolph

District 3
Leigh
ArchAngels
Osceola
Palmer
EPPJ

District 4
Wynot
Wausa
St. Mary's
Boyd County
North Central

District 5
Anselmo-Merna
Twin Loup
Burwell
CWC
Central Valley

District 6
Pleasanton
Overton
Axtell
Southern Valley
Cambridge

District 7
Sutherland
Maxwell
Brady
Wauneta-Palisade
Hitchcock County

District 8
Bayard
Hyannis
Mullen
Sandhill/Thedford
Sandhills Valley

 

[Husker7562]

Districts 5, 4, and 3 would be tough!

 

[pajans01]

Here's how I see the 11-man classes based on the fact that Alliance (C1) and Schuyler (C2) were both approved to move down by the CEC, as well as the fact that Nebraska City, Brownell Talbot, and Chase County have also opted down (without CEC approval).

CLASS A (425+)

1. Grand Island 1022
2. Millard South 1019
3. Millard North 976
4. Omaha Central 865
5. Millard West 859
6. Omaha South 830
7. Papillion-La Vista South 811
8. Creighton Prep 769
9. Omaha Westside 764
10. Lincoln North Star 734
11. Papillion-La Vista 697
12. Lincoln Northeast 688
13. Lincoln East 680
14. Lincoln High 680
15. Lincoln Southwest 678
16. Omaha Westview 658
17. Kearney 649
18. Omaha Burke 648
19. Lincoln Southeast 649
20. Omaha North 649
21. Fremont 618
22. Bellevue West 596
23. Omaha Buena Vista 576
24. Omaha Bryan 563
25. Omaha Northwest 560
26. Elkhorn South 552
27. Omaha Benson 510
28. Columbus 500
29. Bellevue East 499
30. Norfolk 470
31. North Platte 460
32. South Sioux City 454
33. Bennington 451
34. Lincoln Northwest 441
35. Lincoln Standing Bear 447
36. Elkhorn North 437

CLASS B (160-424)

1. Scottsbluff 418
2. Gretna East 411
3. Ralston 397
4. Hastings 389
5. Pius X 387
6. Lexington 384
7. Gretna 379
8. Elkhorn 303
9. Norris 283
10. Omaha Skutt 279
11. Crete 274
12. Waverly 271
13. GI Northwest 268
14. Beatrice 240
15. Blair 225
16. Seward 208
17. Gering 196
18. McCook 188
19. York 184
20. Omaha Gross 167
21. Plattsmouth 166
22. Aurora 161
23. Platteview 161

CLASS C1
***Nebraska City 162 (ineligible)

1. Alliance 174 (approved)
2. Omaha Roncalli 151
3. Wayne 147
4. Ashland-Greenwood 129
5. Sidney 127
6. Wahoo 127
7. Holdrege 125
8. Omaha Concordia 125
9. Mt. Michael 123
10. Lakeview 120
11. DC West 117
12. Ft. Calhoun 111
13. Syracuse 101
14. Boys Town 100
15. Milford 100
16. Chadron 98
17. Arlington 97
18. Broken Bow 94
19. Cozad 94
20. O’Neill 94
21. Minden 93
22. Auburn 91
23. Central City 91
24. Raymond Central 88
25. Adams Central 87
26. Ogallala 87
27. Lincoln Christian 86
28. Pierce 82
29. Kearney Catholic 81
30. West Point-Beemer 81

CLASS C2
***Omaha Brownell Talbot/Cornerstone Christian 116 (ineligible)
***Chase County 81 (ineligible)

1. Schuyler 219 (approved)
2. Battle Creek 80
3. Scotus 80
4. Gothenburg 78
5. GICC 77
6. Lincoln Lutheran 76
7. Logan View 76
8. Boone Central 75
9. Louisville 73
10. North Bend 73
11. Bridgeport 72
12. Palmyra 72
13. Wilber-Clatonia 72
14. Plainview/Osmond 59
15. Mitchell 70
16. Malcolm 69
17. Doniphan-Trumbull 66
18. Yutan 65
19. Summerland 64
20. Norfolk Catholic 63
21. St. Paul 61
22. Valentine 60
23. H&H (Heartland and Hampton) 59
24. Wood River 59
25. Fillmore Central 58
26. Ord 57
27. Hershey 53
28. Neumann 53
29. Bergan 52
30. Cedar Catholic 51

 

[westernnehusker]

Here's ChatGPT's solution...............I included that no more than 2 Ineligibles could be in a single district:

District 1 — Northeast​

• Wakefield
• Pender
• Ponca
• Hartington-Newcastle
• Homer

District 2 — North-Central / Norfolk Area​

• Stanton
• Wisner-Pilger
• Lutheran High Northeast
• Elkhorn Valley
• Cedar Bluffs

District 3 — East / Platte Valley​

• Tekamah-Herman (CEC D1)
• Johnson-Brock
• Elmwood-Murdock
• Nebraska Christian
• Johnson County Central (INELIGIBLE)

District 4 --- Southeast​

• Tri County
• Thayer Central
• Fairbury (INELIGIBLE)
• Freeman (INELIGIBLE)
• Exeter-Milligan-Friend

---

District 5 — East-Central (Cass/Otoe)​

• Conestoga (INELIGIBLE)
• Johnson-Brock
• Elmwood-Murdock
• Cedar Bluffs
• Nebraska Christian

---

District 6 — South-Central​

• Centennial
• Cross County
• Sutton
• Sandy Creek
• Hastings St. Cecilia

---

District 7 — Central​

• Gibbon
• Ravenna
• Amherst
• Elm Creek
• Arcadia/Loup City

---

District 8 — North-Central / Panhandle​

• Gordon-Rushville
• Kimball
• West Holt
• Crofton
• Alma

Kimball to Crofton is 6 hours…Hastings St Cecilia, Elm Creek, ALC, Ravenna would be closer…