Top Football Schools Who Could Have Big Basketball Seasons
Having success in one major sport in the collegiate landscape is one thing. But to be able to flourish on both the gridiron and the hardwood is reserved for the most elite programs in the nation. As the college football season chugging along and hoops under a month away, we look at which five ranked football schools could also put up big seasons in college basketball this year.
Duke
While known as a basketball school, the Blue Devils have recently succeeded on the gridiron, sitting at 17th in the AP Top 25. The hardwood remains their home, where the wide-open ACC leaves them as the favorites this season. As things stand, Duke may be one of the few schools with top 20 seasons in football and basketball in 2023-24.
North Carolina
Throw the crosstown rival Tar Heels into that mix because UNC has a pair of top-25 programs over in Chapel Hill. With quarterback and projected first-round pick Drake Maye leading the charge on the gridiron, the ceiling feels limitless for North Carolina’s football season after a 5-0 start. And despite a historically disappointing 2022-23 season for the Tar Heels in hoops, they should bounce back just fine and be an NCAA Tournament team in 2023-24.
Alabama
The Crimson Tide are home to one of the best dynasties in college football history under the reign of head coach Nick Saban, who has helped lead the school to an unprecedented six national championships since 2009. They are closing the gap on the basketball court since hiring Nate Oats.
Kansas
Kansas’s programs have done the opposite of Alabama’s in recent years. The Jayhawks have built some serious momentum on the gridiron, ranking in the top 25 for the second season in a row. While on the hardwood, Kansas is seeking a second national championship in three seasons and enters the 2023-24 campaign as the likely preseason No. 1 team in the country. A bowl victory and Final Four feel more than realistic and would make for a hectic year in Lawrence.
Kentucky
While the Wildcats have been underwhelming on the court over the past few seasons, they remain one of the legitimate blue-bloods in the country in basketball. It’s also been an impressive start to the season for the football program as they’re off to a 5-1 start, with their lone loss coming to top-ranked Georgia. The Wildcats have become a trendy program in football, making the AP Top 25 in five of their past six seasons.
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