<p>I presume that the interest is in a small university with a big-time athletics campus culture: lots of school spirit, big football weekends, rabid alumni interest, big turnouts at games from enthusiastic student sections . . . And I'm also presuming that by a small university, the OP means a school that's significantly smaller in enrollment than the typical private university. Given that, the answer is Wake Forest. Period. Rice and Tulsa are about the same size and play D-1A sports, but really don't match the imbedded culture and student fervor.</p>
<p>Big athletics - look at Clemson. They are is ACC</p>
<p>Wake Forest, Vandy, Northwestern, and Duke are the only "small schools" that come to mind that have FBS football. Many of the schools mentioned above, such as USC and Clemson have well over 10,000 kids.</p>
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Northwestern is in the Big Ten, and they suck but its big time sports
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<p>Uhh, it's no longer the 1980s - NU is one of the few schools listed where BOTH the FB and BB team saw postseason play.</p>
<p>While the BB program has had its struggles, the FB program has been the most successful out of all the top privates in BCS conferences during the past 2 decades.</p>
<p>Duke, Georgetown, William & Mary, Rice, Colgate, Wake Forest</p>
<p>I would say Wake Forest would be the best bet as they are small, but actually decent at both FBS football and D-1 basketball (unlike a few of the other smaller schools listed).</p>
<p>villaNova.</p>
<p>Villanova, Davidson, Gonzaga</p>