The offseason is a good time to consider the college sports programs who do really well in both football and basketball. Some schools probably would have been at the very top a few years ago, but have now backed out of the elite ranks. Ohio State, given the deterioration of its basketball program the past few seasons, offers a relevant example. Which college football and basketball school programs remain in charge when both football and basketball are considered together?
Oklahoma Sooners
The Sooners did miss the NCAA Tournament last season, but they are expected to do very well next season and not only make the NCAA Tournament, but win at least one or two games in it. The Sooners made their first Final Four since 2002 in 2016. The program has been on the upswing over the course of this decade under coach Lon Kruger. Combine that with a football program which has won consecutive Big 12 championships, made the 2015 College Football Playoff, and won the Sugar Bowl this past winter against Auburn. Oklahoma also went 9-0 in the Big 12 last year, something no Big 12 champion had previously done. Bob Stoops and Lon Kruger are as good a combination of football and basketball coaches as any in the country.
Michigan State Spartans
There is an argument to be made for Michigan State being at the top of this list. The Spartans have, like Oklahoma, made a Final Four and a College Football Playoff in the past three years. Both teams have won conference championships in football. The difference is that in football, Michigan State fell off the map last year and has endured a miserable offseason this year. They’ve had multiple incidents of player misconduct plus ongoing investigations into various isolated episodes. The roster is likely to be depleted due to disciplinary actions (suspensions), and the reputation of the program is taking a hit.
In the long run, though, expect Mark Dantonio to get this team back to the level it was just a couple of years ago.
Louisville Cardinals
While the football team disappointed at the end of 2016, losing three straight games to Houston, Kentucky and LSU, the Cardinals still produced the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner, Lamar Jackson, a huge increase in prestige for Louisville on the gridiron. Bobby Petrino has improved the program to the point that it is a contender in the rough ACC Atlantic Division. Louisville is nationally relevant in football. On top of that, with Jackson back, they have the best player in the country under center. He’s a special player and one who will ensure that Louisville is on the SportsCenter highlights on a weekly basis.
In basketball, the team missed the Final Four this past season but will have a top-15-level squad on the court next fall. With Rick Pitino manning the sidelines, this school has excellent strategic minds manning both of it’s major athletic programs.
Louisville is regularly in the hunt in both sports – fans can’t ask for much more than that.
Wisconsin Badgers
When the Badgers reached the Sweet 16 this past season, they became the only program in America to have made four straight NCAA men’s Sweet 16s. Not Kentucky or Duke or North Carolina or Villanova have been able to say that. The Badgers have been special in many ways on the hardwood. They’re often overlooked when it comes to the big brands in college basketball but they are more consistent than anyone. The main issue for them is that they aren’t flashy. While the aforementioned teams produce a dazzling brand of basketball along with an endless supply of first-round picks, the Badgers are more of a blue collar team that just gets the job done.
The same can be said for the football program, which has undergone some transitions. Even though some people think the Badgers have fallen off, coach Paul Chryst led the Badgers to the Big Ten Championship Game this past season. A loss to Penn State hurt, but a Cotton Bowl victory enabled the Badgers to transcend expectations. This is a healthy two-way program in football and hoops.
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