Top Basketball & Football Programs

[NovaScotian]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoot...verlist_footer

CBS Sportsline is doing a feature on the top 5 schools for both basketball AND football. They've ranked Pittsburgh fifth, with 4-1 to come. Who do y'all think will make it?

Well, it would be hard to ignore Florida, having won both championships in the same year, even though their basketball team has stumbled a bit. Ohio State has had good teams in both sports recently. Maybe Texas, maybe Oklahoma, probably no ACC schools though booNC would probably be the most likely.

[DevilHorns]

So the premise is: "Some schools have great football teams. Some have great basketball teams. But a select few have the best of both worlds. CBSSports.com ranks and profiles the schools who’ve positioned themselves for success now and into the future in both sports. "

At first I thought Pitt was an undeserving choice historically, but given the premise of the article, I see how they make the mark. Their football program has burst back onto the national scene the past few years and their basketball team has been consistent in the 2000s (though I believe they have only one elite 8 to show for it). IMO, their future only looks brighter in both sports.

As for the rest of the teams... I think Florida takes #1 by recent hardware, though their basketball team has definitely faltered of late.
#2&3 is a toss-up between Ohio State and Texas.
#4 WVU

honorable mention: Wisconsin

[dukelifer]

Florida
Ohio State
Texas

Last one is tough- Oklahoma?, Michigan?

[Verga3]

Ohio State
Texas
Florida
West Virginia
Pitt

[hurleyfor3]

Pitt? Seriously? No Final Fours EVER and going on 30 years since its last serious national title contender in football? (And I'm speaking as someone who watched Dan Marino play in Pitt Stadium.)

Georgia Tech, for one, has contended for championships in both sports much more recently than Pitt has.

[NovaScotian]

Pitt? Seriously? No Final Fours EVER and going on 30 years since its last serious national title contender in football? (And I'm speaking as someone who watched Dan Marino play in Pitt Stadium.)

Georgia Tech, for one, has contended for championships in both sports much more recently than Pitt has.

that's a good point. i didn't remember how well georgia tech has done in some years, since they've been so lousy in others. i would have thought unc would be the best acc candidate. perhaps if va-tech or bc get their crap together they would rise higher.

[johnb]

When they start with Pitt, they lose credibility.

[Olympic Fan]

I agree that the selection of Pitt is a head-scratcher.

As pointed out, Pitt has NEVER had a Final Four team. Their football team hasn't finished in the top 10 since the 1982 team finished 10th.

Since then, at least a dozen schools have had better football/basketball combinations.

Florida and Ohio State have both won national titles in both sports in this decade. Michigan has titles in both sports since Pitt was last a contender in football. LSU has a football championship and a Final Four in this decade. Georgia Tech won a football co-national title in 1990 and has two Final Fours in the last 20 years. Arkansas has a national title and three Final Fours in basketball, plus several top 10 football finishes in the last 20 years.

Heck, North Carolina has had two top 10 finishes since Pitt last did it -- and they have three national titles in basketball in the last 20 years. Kansas, for god's sake, has had two top 10 football finishes since Pitt did it (and obviously they have a much better basketball legacy). Louisville has been in the top 10 in football since Pitt ... and also better basketball.

Texas, Oklahoma and Utah have all had Final Four/top 10 football in the last 12 years -- something Pitt hasn't had in either category.

Bogus poll ...

[DevilHorns]

I agree that the selection of Pitt is a head-scratcher.

As pointed out, Pitt has NEVER had a Final Four team. Their football team hasn't finished in the top 10 since the 1982 team finished 10th.

Since then, at least a dozen schools have had better football/basketball combinations.

Florida and Ohio State have both won national titles in both sports in this decade. Michigan has titles in both sports since Pitt was last a contender in football. LSU has a football championship and a Final Four in this decade. Georgia Tech won a football co-national title in 1990 and has two Final Fours in the last 20 years. Arkansas has a national title and three Final Fours in basketball, plus several top 10 football finishes in the last 20 years.

Heck, North Carolina has had two top 10 finishes since Pitt last did it -- and they have three national titles in basketball in the last 20 years. Kansas, for god's sake, has had two top 10 football finishes since Pitt did it (and obviously they have a much better basketball legacy). Louisville has been in the top 10 in football since Pitt ... and also better basketball.

Texas, Oklahoma and Utah have all had Final Four/top 10 football in the last 12 years -- something Pitt hasn't had in either category.

Bogus poll ...

Yea I was scratching my head with the Pitt selection too, but the premise is "CBSSports.com ranks and profiles the schools who’ve positioned themselves for success now and into the future in both sports. "

I think from that premise Pitt is a reasonable number 5.

Also, Ohio State has not won a basketball championship in the past 10 years.

[Stray Gator]

Ohio State
Texas
Florida
West Virginia
Pitt

Granted that I'm biased, but I have difficulty understanding the justification for ranking Ohio State above Florida. In the past 20 years, Ohio State has 1 national title in football and none in basketball. Over the same period Florida has 3 national titles in football and 2 national titles in basketball. Moreover, within the past five years, Florida has defeated Ohio State head-to-head for the national title in both football and basketball. It hardly seems a close question.

[brevity]

Bogus poll ...

Most lists on the Internet are. In fact, if we were to rank the most useless online lists of all time... we'd be creating another useless list.

I agree with DevilHorns' response. It seems like a subjective reading of which programs have both of their most revenue-producing sports in the best hands for future seasons. Coaching, administration, relationship to community. Of course, anyone with half a journalism degree (which probably rules out Gary Parrish) would realize that more than a sentence should have been devoted to selection criteria.

If it's Ohio State or Florida for #1, Florida looks like a no-brainer -- unless you take into account football coach Urban Meyer's retirement turned leave of absence. That's a serious concern. I'd feel uncomfortable ranking them at the top if his position there is that fragile.

[tommy]

Florida
Ohio State
Texas

Last one is tough- Oklahoma?, Michigan?

Michigan? How do you figure? Their football program has declined precipitously since RichRod took over, and if he doesn't improve it markedly this year, there's no question he's a goner. And their basketball team, which has been down for years and finally looked to be turning it around under Beilein, was among the most disappointing in the land last year, and is not expected to do a whole lot better next year. With their basketball championship over 20 years old, and their football program clearly eclipsed by Ohio State in their own conference, I'm not sure how they're in the conversation.

[Duvall]

Granted that I'm biased, but I have difficulty understanding the justification for ranking Ohio State above Florida. In the past 20 years, Ohio State has 1 national title in football and none in basketball. Over the same period Florida has 3 national titles in football and 2 national titles in basketball. Moreover, within the past five years, Florida has defeated Ohio State head-to-head for the national title in both football and basketball. It hardly seems a close question.

Probably depends on whether the list is meant to be prospective or retrospective. Florida's last three years of basketball mediocrity might lead someone to think that program is on the downswing, compared to an Ohio State program that looks to have a somewhat brighter future. Might be too early to make that call, but it's at least arguable.

[ajgoodfella7]

I think Michigan State and Tennessee deserve some consideration along with the other programs mentioned as well. Also, if we're talking about history, UCLA belongs somewhere near this list as well.

[Olympic Fan]

Yea I was scratching my head with the Pitt selection too, but the premise is "CBSSports.com ranks and profiles the schools who’ve positioned themselves for success now and into the future in both sports. "

I think from that premise Pitt is a reasonable number 5.

Also, Ohio State has not won a basketball championship in the past 10 years.

My mistake on Ohio State ... but they did play in the national title game in 2007.

I don't buy Pitt at No. 5 even if we're talking about this year.