CLASSIFICATIONS: FOOTBALL
School enrollment numbers from each year inform the following school year’s classifications for IHSAA sanctioned sports. For football only, these numbers are used for two-year cycles. Enrollment numbers are provided by the Basic Educational Data Survey (BEDS) from the Iowa Department of Education. Whole grade and cooperative sharing agreements listed as available. To view other sports or overall BEDS numbers, view the Classifications page.
Sport Breakdown
Football: Seven classes.
5A: Largest 36 schools.
4A: Next largest 36 schools.
3A: Next largest 36 schools.
2A: Next largest 48 schools.
1A: Next largest 48 schools.
A: Remaining 11-player schools.
8P: Schools with enrollments under 120, schools previously under 120 and granted 8-player exemption from previous cycle.
FOOTBALL
2021-22 CLASSIFICATIONS
Latest update: April 23, 2021
| Team Name | Enrollment | Classification | Cooperative Sharing Agreement Schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley, West Des Moines | 2141 | 5A | |
| Des Moines, Lincoln | 1807 | 5A | |
| Johnston | 1727 | 5A | |
| Linn-Mar, Marion | 1666 | 5A | |
| Southeast Polk | 1642 | 5A | |
| Des Moines, East | 1595 | 5A | |
| Des Moines, Roosevelt | 1543 | 5A | |
| Ankeny Centennial | 1395 | 5A | |
| Waterloo, West | 1423 | 5A | Waterloo Christian |
| Prairie, Cedar Rapids | 1302 | 5A | |
| Ankeny | 1378 | 5A | Ankeny Christian Academy |
| Cedar Falls | 1318 | 5A | Valley Lutheran |
| Waukee Northwest | 1260 | 5A | |
| Cedar Rapids, Kennedy | 1248 | 5A | |
| Davenport, Central | 1242 | 5A | |
| Sioux City, North | 1240 | 5A | |
| Dubuque, Hempstead | 1204 | 5A | |
| Pleasant Valley | 1183 | 5A | |
| Iowa City, City High | 1181 | 5A | |
| Waukee | 1171 | 5A | |
| Marshalltown | 1162 | 5A | |
| Bettendorf | 1218 | 5A | Morning Star Academy; Rivermont Collegiate |
| Sioux City, East | 1135 | 5A | |
| Iowa City, West | 1113 | 5A | |
| Cedar Rapids, Jefferson | 1112 | 5A | |
| Muscatine | 1111 | 5A | |
| Davenport, West | 1090 | 5A | |
| Des Moines, North | 1088 | 5A | |
| Dubuque, Senior | 1078 | 5A | |
| Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines | 1063 | 5A | |
| Ames | 1054 | 5A | |
| Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln | 1016 | 5A | |
| Davenport, North | 997 | 5A | |
| Ottumwa | 1007 | 5A | Ottumwa Christian |
| Sioux City, West | 993 | 5A | |
| Urbandale | 959 | 5A | |
| Council Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson | 939 | 4A | |
| Iowa City, Liberty | 886 | 4A | |
| Cedar Rapids, Washington | 874 | 4A | |
| Fort Dodge | 823 | 4A | |
| Mason City | 817 | 4A | |
| Indianola | 814 | 4A | |
| Waterloo, East | 813 | 4A | |
| Norwalk | 768 | 4A | |
| Des Moines, Hoover | 755 | 4A | |
| North Scott, Eldridge | 750 | 4A | |
| Clinton | 783 | 4A | Prince of Peace |
| Burlington | 725 | 4A | |
| Lewis Central | 717 | 4A | |
| Epworth, Western Dubuque | 717 | 4A | |
| Dallas Center-Grimes | 683 | 4A | |
| Newton | 668 | 4A | |
| Storm Lake | 647 | 4A | St. Mary's, Storm Lake |
| Denison-Schleswig | 600 | 4A | |
| Spencer | 560 | 4A | |
| Waverly-Shell Rock | 555 | 4A | |
| Pella | 544 | 4A | |
| Clear Creek-Amana | 556 | 4A | Hillcrest Academy |
| Marion | 522 | 4A | |
| Bondurant-Farrar | 520 | 4A | |
| Carlisle | 511 | 4A | |
| Boone | 491 | 4A | |
| LeMars | 483 | 4A | |
| Xavier, Cedar Rapids | 505 | 4A | Isaac Newton Christian Academy |
| Oskaloosa | 469 | 4A | |
| Webster City | 457 | 4A | |
| Glenwood | 446 | 4A | |
| Winterset | 436 | 4A | |
| Mount Pleasant | 580 | 4A | Danville |
| Fort Madison | 480 | 4A | Holy Trinity Catholic, Fort Madison |
| Decorah | 431 | 4A | |
| Perry | 422 | 4A | |
| Keokuk | 422 | 3A | |
| Carroll | 422 | 3A | |
| ADM, Adel | 421 | 3A | |
| North Polk, Alleman | 412 | 3A | |
| Gilbert | 402 | 3A | |
| Creston | 400 | 3A | |
| Charles City | 397 | 3A | |
| Fairfield | 395 | 3A | |
| Central DeWitt | 392 | 3A | |
| Solon | 389 | 3A | |
| Knoxville | 385 | 3A | |
| Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley | 384 | 3A | Boyden-Hull |
| Bishop Heelan Catholic, Sioux City | 376 | 3A | |
| Benton Community | 375 | 3A | |
| Humboldt | 371 | 3A | |
| Maquoketa | 370 | 3A | |
| Grinnell | 370 | 3A | |
| Sergeant Bluff-Luton | 369 | 3A | |
| West Delaware, Manchester | 365 | 3A | |
| Washington | 364 | 3A | |
| Center Point-Urbana | 364 | 3A | |
| Harlan Community | 363 | 3A | |
| Independence | 353 | 3A | |
| MOC-Floyd Valley | 357 | 3A | |
| South Tama County, Tama | 356 | 3A | |
| Ballard | 354 | 3A | |
| Vinton-Shellsburg | 346 | 3A | |
| Nevada | 345 | 3A | |
| Assumption, Davenport | 342 | 3A | |
| Algona | 335 | 3A | |
| West Burlington/Notre Dame | 336 | 3A | Notre Dame |
| Sioux Center | 328 | 3A | |
| Saydel | 324 | 3A | |
| Hampton-Dumont-CAL | 324 | 3A | |
| Mount Vernon | 322 | 3A | |
| Atlantic | 322 | 3A | |
| Iowa Falls - Alden | 319 | 2A | |
| Clarke, Osceola | 319 | 2A | |
| Wahlert, Dubuque | 316 | 2A | |
| Crestwood, Cresco | 316 | 2A | |
| Clear Lake | 315 | 2A | |
| Anamosa | 309 | 2A | |
| Estherville Lincoln Central | 307 | 2A | |
| Davis County, Bloomfield | 305 | 2A | |
| Greene County | 302 | 2A | Paton-Churdan |
| West Liberty | 298 | 2A | |
| Williamsburg | 293 | 2A | |
| Centerville | 289 | 2A | |
| Oelwein | 288 | 2A | |
| Albia | 288 | 2A | |
| Spirit Lake | 283 | 2A | |
| Monticello | 282 | 2A | |
| Chariton | 278 | 2A | |
| Sheldon | 277 | 2A | |
| Central Lyon/George-Little Rock | 276 | 2A | George-Little Rock |
| Waukon | 265 | 2A | |
| Okoboji, Milford | 263 | 2A | |
| New Hampton | 260 | 2A | |
| Forest City | 255 | 2A | |
| Cherokee, Washington | 253 | 2A | |
| Mid-Prairie, Wellman | 252 | 2A | |
| Clarinda | 281 | 2A | South Page |
| Roland-Story, Story City | 248 | 2A | |
| Union, LaPorte City | 244 | 2A | |
| Des Moines Christian | 244 | 2A | |
| Tipton | 242 | 2A | |
| Southeast Valley, Gowrie | 242 | 2A | |
| Central Lee, Donnellson | 241 | 2A | |
| North Fayette Valley | 240 | 2A | |
| Red Oak | 239 | 2A | |
| West Marshall, State Center | 238 | 2A | |
| OABCIG | 238 | 2A | |
| PCM, Monroe | 234 | 2A | |
| Garner-Hayfield-Ventura | 230 | 2A | |
| Shenandoah | 229 | 2A | |
| Unity Christian, Orange City | 227 | 2A | |
| Clarion-Goldfield-Dows | 226 | 2A | |
| Northeast, Goose Lake | 222 | 2A | |
| West Lyon, Inwood | 221 | 2A | |
| Eddyville-Blakesburg- Fremont | 221 | 2A | |
| Pocahontas Area | 220 | 2A | |
| Camanche | 220 | 2A | |
| Osage | 218 | 2A | |
| Jesup | 217 | 2A | |
| Kuemper Catholic, Carroll | 215 | 1A | |
| Treynor | 213 | 1A | |
| Eagle Grove | 208 | 1A | |
| Western Christian, Hull | 207 | 1A | |
| Columbus Catholic, Waterloo | 204 | 1A | |
| Emmetsburg | 202 | 1A | |
| Interstate 35, Truro | 201 | 1A | |
| Cardinal, Eldon | 199 | 1A | |
| West Central Valley, Stuart | 197 | 1A | |
| Van Meter | 197 | 1A | |
| Underwood | 197 | 1A | |
| Beckman Catholic, Dyersville | 196 | 1A | |
| Sibley-Ocheyedan | 194 | 1A | |
| MVAOCOU | 194 | 1A | |
| Mediapolis | 194 | 1A | |
| East Marshall, LeGrand | 194 | 1A | |
| Louisa-Muscatine | 190 | 1A | |
| Dike-New Hartford | 190 | 1A | |
| Denver | 190 | 1A | |
| Wilton | 189 | 1A | |
| Sigourney/Keota | 189 | 1A | Keota |
| East Sac County | 189 | 1A | |
| South Central Calhoun | 188 | 1A | |
| West Sioux, Hawarden | 187 | 1A | |
| Aplington-Parkersburg | 187 | 1A | |
| Nodaway Valley | 186 | 1A | Orient-Macksburg |
| Woodward-Granger | 184 | 1A | |
| Belmond-Klemme | 183 | 1A | |
| Sumner-Fredericksburg | 181 | 1A | |
| South Hamilton, Jewell | 180 | 1A | |
| Ridge View | 180 | 1A | |
| Panorama, Panora | 180 | 1A | |
| Manson Northwest Webster | 180 | 1A | |
| Pella Christian | 179 | 1A | |
| Central Springs | 179 | 1A | |
| Central Decatur, Leon | 179 | 1A | |
| Sioux Central, Sioux Rapids | 178 | 1A | |
| MFL MarMac | 175 | 1A | |
| ACGC | 175 | 1A | |
| Van Buren County | 174 | 1A | |
| Cascade, Western Dubuque | 172 | 1A | |
| Regina, Iowa City | 171 | 1A | |
| South Hardin | 170 | 1A | |
| Postville | 170 | 1A | |
| Durant | 170 | 1A | |
| West Monona, Onawa | 169 | 1A | |
| West Branch | 169 | 1A | |
| Pleasantville | 169 | 1A | |
| Mount Ayr | 169 | A | Diagonal |
| Hinton | 169 | A | |
| Missouri Valley | 168 | A | |
| Grundy Center | 167 | A | |
| Colfax-Mingo | 164 | A | |
| Alta-Aurelia | 162 | A | |
| North Union | 161 | A | |
| Hudson | 161 | A | |
| Pekin | 159 | A | |
| Ogden | 158 | A | |
| North Cedar, Stanwood | 157 | A | |
| Bellevue | 157 | A | |
| Alburnett | 157 | A | |
| Wapsie Valley, Fairbank | 155 | A | |
| Southwest Valley | 155 | A | |
| AHSTW, Avoca | 155 | A | |
| Lake Mills | 154 | A | |
| IKM-Manning | 153 | A | |
| South Winneshiek, Calmar | 152 | A | |
| Lawton-Bronson | 152 | A | |
| Clayton Ridge, Guttenberg | 152 | A | |
| Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn | 150 | A | |
| West Fork, Sheffield | 149 | A | |
| Madrid | 149 | A | |
| Logan-Magnolia | 148 | A | |
| Earlham | 147 | A | |
| Columbus Community, Columbus Community | 146 | A | |
| Starmont | 144 | A | |
| Maquoketa Valley, Delhi | 142 | A | |
| AGWSR, Ackley | 142 | A | |
| Westwood, Sloan | 139 | A | |
| Tri-Center, Neola | 139 | A | |
| South O'Brien, Paullina | 139 | A | |
| BCLUW, Conrad | 139 | A | |
| West Hancock, Britt | 136 | A | |
| North Linn, Troy Mills | 136 | A | |
| Woodbury Central, Moville | 135 | A | |
| East Buchanan, Winthrop | 135 | A | |
| Lisbon | 134 | A | |
| North Butler, Greene | 133 | A | |
| MMCRU | 133 | A | |
| Akron-Westfield | 132 | A | |
| St. Albert, Council Bluffs | 131 | A | Heartland Christian |
| Newman Catholic, Mason City | 131 | A | |
| Sidney | 130 | A | |
| Lynnville-Sully | 130 | A | |
| Nashua-Plainfield | 128 | A | |
| North Mahaska, New Sharon | 127 | A | |
| Highland, Riverside | 127 | A | |
| Wapello | 126 | A | |
| Saint Ansgar | 124 | A | |
| Riverside, Oakland | 122 | A | |
| Wayne, Corydon | 121 | A | |
| Belle Plaine | 114 | A | |
| North Tama, Traer | 108 | A | |
| Gehlen Catholic, LeMars | 107 | A | |
| Newell-Fonda | 136 | 8P | |
| New London | 132 | 8P | |
| Iowa Valley, Marengo | 132 | 8P | |
| Martensdale-St. Marys | 126 | 8P | |
| East Union, Afton | 125 | 8P | |
| Grand View Christian School | 121 | 8P | |
| St. Edmond, Fort Dodge | 120 | 8P | |
| Springville | 118 | 8P | Cedar Valley Christian |
| Easton Valley | 117 | 8P | |
| GMG, Garwin | 116 | 8P | |
| Northwood-Kensett | 115 | 8P | |
| Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire | 115 | 8P | |
| English Valleys, North English | 115 | 8P | Ruthven-Ayrshire |
| East Mills | 115 | 8P | |
| B-G-M, Brooklyn | 114 | 8P | |
| West Harrison/Whiting | 113 | 8P | |
| CAM, Anita | 113 | 8P | Whiting |
| Midland, Wyoming | 112 | 8P | |
| Southeast Warren, Liberty Center | 110 | 8P | |
| WACO, Wayland | 109 | 8P | |
| Edgewood-Colesburg | 109 | 8P | |
| Gladbrook-Reinbeck | 107 | 8P | |
| Baxter | 107 | 8P | |
| Lone Tree | 106 | 8P | |
| Woodward Academy | 106 | 8P | |
| Bedford | 105 | 8P | |
| Montezuma | 104 | 8P | |
| Lenox | 104 | 8P | |
| Winfield-Mt. Union | 103 | 8P | |
| Collins-Maxwell | 103 | 8P | |
| Central, Elkader | 103 | 8P | |
| Kingsley-Pierson | 102 | 8P | |
| Stanton/Essex | 100 | 8P | Essex |
| Central City | 100 | 8P | |
| Griswold | 99 | 8P | |
| Seymour/Moulton-Udell | 98 | 8P | Moulton-Udell |
| Bishop Garrigan, Algona | 98 | 8P | |
| Colo-NESCO | 98 | 8P | |
| Audubon | 97 | 8P | |
| Dunkerton | 96 | 8P | |
| Calamus-Wheatland | 96 | 8P | |
| Moravia | 95 | 8P | |
| Fremont-Mills, Tabor | 95 | 8P | |
| Woodbine | 94 | 8P | |
| Rockford | 94 | 8P | |
| River Valley, Correctionville | 93 | 8P | |
| Tripoli | 92 | 8P | |
| Turkey Valley, Jackson Junction | 88 | 8P | |
| North Iowa, Buffalo Center | 86 | 8P | |
| Boyer Valley, Dunlap | 86 | 8P | |
| Exira Elk Horn-Kimballton | 83 | 8P | |
| West Bend-Mallard | 82 | 8P | |
| Kee, Lansing | 82 | 8P | |
| Coon Rapids-Bayard | 80 | 8P | |
| Harris-Lake Park | 78 | 8P | |
| Melcher-Dallas | 77 | 8P | |
| Janesville | 75 | 8P | |
| Lamoni | 71 | 8P | |
| H-L-V, Victor | 71 | 8P | |
| Twin Cedars, Bussey | 70 | 8P | |
| Riceville | 67 | 8P | |
| Meskwaki Settlement School | 66 | 8P | |
| Don Bosco, Gilbertville | 65 | 8P | |
| Glidden-Ralston | 63 | 8P | |
| Clarksville | 63 | 8P | |
| Murray | 62 | 8P | |
| Tri-County, Thornburg | 59 | 8P | |
| West Central, Maynard | 58 | 8P | |
| Siouxland Christian | 57 | 8P | |
| Mormon Trail, Garden Grove | 52 | 8P | |
| St. Mary's, Remsen | 49 | 8P | |
| Ar-We-Va, Westside | 41 | 8P |