When it comes to college athletics, there is no question that football and men’s basketball reign supreme. In this new era of NIL and players getting paid, many schools face an interesting dilemma of where they should invest the majority of their money and resources. Some schools will always be known as football-first like Penn State, while others make basketball the clear priority like Purdue. However, a select few have managed to recently find success in both sports.
Both the college football and men’s basketball seasons are now complete, in what were exciting and historic years for both. Let’s take a look at the top 10 schools based on the combined success of their football and men’s basketball programs from this past season.
The Huskies have long been known for their elite basketball program, and they’ve recently solidified their status as a blue blood with two national titles in the past four years, and Danny Hurley taking them back to the championship game again this season. However, it was the football team that really turned heads with arguably their best season in program history. UConn finished the year at 9-4 thanks to their high-powered offensive trio of Joe Fagnano, Cam Edwards, and Skyler Bell.
Who would have ever thought that Indiana football would be carrying the load in a category with these two sports? Curt Cignetti capped off one of the most remarkable stories in sports history, taking what was the losingest program in college football history to a national title in just two seasons while producing a Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 draft pick in Fernando Mendoza. While the football success did make for a lot of happy Hoosiers, Indiana is still very much a basketball state and school, and it wasn’t the year many hoped for in Darian DeVries’ first season. The basketball program has gotten to work this offseason, showing they have no intention of giving up their identity as a basketball school. However, with Curt Cignetti at the helm, continued success on the football field feels inevitable and it makes you wonder how many Hoosier fans would be willing to trade an elite football program for an average to below-average basketball team?
Texas is one of the top jobs in the SEC in both football and basketball, and with the resources they have, winning seasons should be expected for both programs. The basketball team had a shaky regular season, but March is what people remember when they went on a run from the First Four to the Sweet 16. While the football team may not have lived up to expectations after entering the year ranked No. 1, it’s hard to complain about a 10-win season.
The Vols have had consistent success in both football and men’s basketball in recent years, and this past season was no different. They’re led by two of the most underappreciated coaches in their respective sports in Rick Barnes and Josh Heupel, who are both consistent winners. Tennessee always seems to be in the mix in both sports, but the question is when will one of these teams finally break through.
Once viewed as a bottom-tier program in the SEC for both football and basketball, Vanderbilt quickly became a legitimate contender in both sports this past season. Diego Pavia and the football team proved that 2024 was no fluke, spending most of the year ranked inside the top 25 and coming just short of a College Football Playoff appearance. Mark Byington also had the basketball Commodores consistently ranked after a 16-0 start, and eventually led them to their first NCAA Tournament win since 2012. With a prime location in Nashville and excitement around both programs at an all-time high, the question for Vandy is whether it can turn these breakthrough seasons into sustained success.
Texas Tech is a school that has greatly benefited from the introduction of NIL in college athletics, and it showed this past year. The Red Raiders won their first-ever Big 12 football title and appear to be the team to beat in the conference on the football field in the near future. The basketball team finished 23-11, including three wins over top-10 opponents, and made its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for the first time in program history. While it was a strong season overall, they likely could have done even more if not for the season ending injury of one of the best players in college basketball JT Toppin.
Duke was the only school to win conference championships in both football and men’s basketball this past season. Despite finishing with five losses, the Blue Devils found their way to and won the ACC Championship in football, with Manny Diaz and quarterback Darian Mensah leading the program to its first conference title since 1989. Duke once again proved why they are one of the premiere programs in college basketball, winning over 30 games and advancing to the Elite Eight. However, given their talent and performance, this season still felt like a disappointment with how it ended.
Alabama football has survived the transition from Nick Saban to Kalen DeBoer well, with the Tide making it back to the College Football Playoff despite a season that was shaky at times. On the hardwood, Nate Oats has quickly built Alabama into a top team in the SEC and the country. The Tide made their sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, with Oats leading them to at least the Sweet 16 for the fifth time in his seven seasons in Tuscaloosa.
Miami was one of just six schools to reach both the College Football Playoff and the NCAA Tournament, and one of only two to win a game in each. The Hurricanes’ basketball team had an incredible turnaround year after a seven-win season in 2024-25, while the football program brought the hype back to The U with their run to the CFP title game. With the great work Mario Cristobal and Jai Lucas have done in their short time at Miami, the future looks bright in Coral Gables.
The Wolverines have struggled to line up success in both football and basketball at the same time, but this year was a strong one for both. On the hardwood, Michigan put together one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory that ended in a national championship. On the football field, they had a solid nine-win season, despite having a young team and some off-field issues. With relatively new and strong leadership in place with Dusty May and Kyle Whittingham, plus one of the largest budgets in college athletics, even more championships could be coming to Ann Arbor soon.
Add us as a preferred source on Google