Which schools had the best and worst years in the two major sports? Ranked from 1 to 130, all college football and basketball combinations. Who had the most fun?
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On the field and court, whose fans had the most fun?
Other sports might be a big deal to certain schools. They might be great revenue generators that bring in plenty of attention, but when it comes to what athletic departments need, it’s really all about college football and men’s basketball.
One key part to this – football is a bigger deal than basketball. It drives the budgets.
Winning divisions and conference championships matter, but not as much as performances in the bowls and the NCAA Tournament. If a hoops team had a mediocre record but got to the Sweet 16, that makes a bigger difference than a team that had a big regular season and fizzled out fast.
130 schools played both FBS college football and D-I college basketball. Going from the ones that couldn’t come up with a winning season in either big sport, to the ones that didn’t make the post-seasons that matter, to the ones that were great in one and bad at another, to the ones that rocked in both, here they all are.
Losers In Both Sports
These schools suffered the indignity of failing to come up with a winning season in either of the two major sports. The fans didn’t get to have any fun.
130. San Jose State Spartans
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 128
Football: 1-11 overall, 1-7 in conference, 6th in M-West West
Basketball: 4-27 overall, 1-17 in conference, 11th in Mountain West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It doesn’t get a whole lot uglier than finishing the basketball season on a 1-21 run, except for the football program that one just one game. 121 of the team’s 255 points game in three games.
129. UTEP Miners
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 130
Football: 1-11 overall, 1-9 in conference, T6th in C-USA East
Basketball: 8-21 overall, 3-15 in conference, 14th in C-USA
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Absolutely brutal in both sports, the Miners finished dead last in the Conference USA basketball standings and managed just one win in football – its first in two seasons. The hoops team lost its last six games and 12 of the last 14.
128. Rice Owls
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 127
Football: 2-11 overall, 1-7 in conference, T6th in C-USA West
Basketball: 13-19 overall, 8-10 in conference, T9th in C-USA
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Owls lost to UTEP in football. There were two wins, but it was still a brutally ugly season for a program that’s having a problem finding its way. The basketball team didn’t have a whole lot of fun, either, but it was at least competitive in conference play. It just couldn’t find anything that consistently worked, going 6-10 in the finishing kick.
127. East Carolina Pirates
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 126
Football: 3-9 overall, 1-7 in conference, in AAC East
Basketball: 10-21 overall, 3-15 in conference, 11th in AAC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The school should be a whole lot better in both sports. It died down the stretch in basketball, losing its last five games and 15 of the last 17. The football program had a few okay moments, but there weren’t enough of them winning just one game in conference play.
126. UMass Minutemen
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking:
Football: 4-8 overall
Basketball: 11-21 overall, 4-14 in conference, T12th in A-10
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Brutal in basketball, the Minutemen lost 16 of their last 20 games and was a big dud in Atlantic-10 play. The football team at least had a fun offense, but the wins weren’t there, leading to a coaching change.
125. Navy Midshipmen
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 59
Football: 3-10 overall, 2-6 in conference, T5th in AAC West
Basketball: 12-19 overall, 8-10 in conference, T5th in Patriot
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Can the football team get its groove back? It’s more than just losing to Army – the offense isn’t working in American Athletic play, either. There were some good basketball wins late, but not enough of them as the team couldn’t pull up out of the nosedive with 11 losses after the turn of the year.
124. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 124
Football: 1-11 overall, 0-9 in conference, 7th in Big Ten East
Basketball: 14-17 overall, 7-13 in conference, T10th in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Can the Scarlet Knights ever turn this around in football? It’s in one of the toughest divisions in college football, but it was a punching bag in a 1-11 season. The basketball team didn’t do much, either, dropping eight of its last 11 games.
123. UConn Huskies
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 121
Football: 1-11 overall, 0-8 in conference, in AAC East
Basketball: 16-17 overall, 6-12 in conference, T9th in AAC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The basketball program is a hot mess. finishing ninth in the American Athletic Conference and getting bombed late in the year. Randy Edsall’s football program took the idea of a bad defense to another level in a disastrous one-win season.
122. Charlotte 49ers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 129
Football: 5-7 overall, 4-4 in conference, 4th in C-USA East
Basketball: 8-21 overall, 5-13 in conference, 13th in C-USA
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The 49ers collapsed in a big way late in the basketball season, losing 16 of 19 games during a brutal stretch to finish near the Conference USA basement. The football team kept fighting, but still had a losing year without two wins in a row.
121. Colorado State Rams
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 83
Football: 3-9 overall, 2-6 in conference, 5th in M-West Mountain
Basketball: 12-20 overall, 7-11 in conference, T7th in Mountain West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The year was a giant bag of ugh. The football team never got going despite a shocking win over Arkansas. It started 1-4 and lost its last five games. The basketball team had just as rough a time, losing its last four games with just eight wins in the final 27 games.
120. New Mexico Lobos
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 95
Football: 3-9 overall, 1-7 in conference, 6th in M-West Mountain
Basketball: 14-18 overall, 7-11 in conference, T7th in Mountain West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team never took off after an 0-4 start and with a slew of key injuries. Even so, the Lobos should’ve been better than a 1-5 finishing kick. The basketball side couldn’t get anything going, either, with a 2-10 late-season run that killed the campaign.
119. Illinois Fighting Illini
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 125
Football: 4-8 overall, 2-7 in conference, 7th in Big Ten West
Basketball: 12-21 overall, 7-13 in conference, T10th in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Illini had some hope as 2019 came around with a nice run of wins, but it dropped six of its last eight games in yet another losing season. The football team has been building under Lovie Smith. And building. And building. And losing.
118. Ball State Cardinals
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 99
Football: 4-8 overall, 3-5 in conference, 5th in MAC West
Basketball: 16-17 overall, 6-12 in conference, 5th in MAC West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Cardinals got off to a nice start in basketball, and then the air went flying out of the balloon, losing 13 of the last 18 games. The football team couldn’t get going in a 4-8 year that didn’t go anywhere.
117. Air Force Falcons
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 115
Football: 5-7 overall, 3-5 in conference, 4th in M-West Mountain
Basketball: 14-18 overall, 8-10 in conference, 6th in Mountain West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Falcons couldn’t get the basketball season going, with too many mini-losing streaks and a 3-7 finish to end with a sub-.500 campaign. The football team started 1-3 and never established any positive consistency.
116. South Alabama Jaguars
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 120
Football: 3-9 overall, 2-6 in conference, 4th in Sun Belt West
Basketball: 17-17 overall, 8-10 in conference, 8th in Sun Belt
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was a disappointing and rough year in football – the season never got going. The basketball team might have struggled in conference play, but it came on late to at least get to .500.
115. SMU Mustangs
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 57
Football: 5-7 overall, 4-4 in conference, 4th in AAC West
Basketball: 15-17 overall, 6-12 in conference, T9th in AAC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Mustangs fell short in both sports. The hoops side died in the second half, losing nine games in ten late in the year, and the football team lost its last two games when it needed just one more win to go bowling.
114. Wyoming Cowboys
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 56
Football: 6-6 overall, 4-4 in conference, 3rd in M-West Mountain
Basketball: 8-24 overall, 4-14 in conference, 10th in Mountain West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team couldn’t score until it was too late. It went 6-6 and got bowl eligible, but it missed out on the post-season fun after a rough 2-6 start. The basketball team won two of its last three games, but it only won six in the previous 29.
113. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 123
Football: 5-7 overall, 2-6 in conference, 4th in Sun Belt East
Basketball: 17-17 overall, 9-9 in conference, T6th in Sun Belt
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was a strange season in both sports. The football team started 5-3, but lost its last four games to close out with a clunk. The basketball side lost seven of its last ten regular season games, but got into the CBI Tournament and won a few games.
112. Miami University RedHawks
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 110
Football: 6-6 overall, 6-2 in conference, T2nd in MAC East
Basketball: 15-17 overall, 7-11 in conference, 5th in MAC East
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team caught a bad break. It won its final three games to became bowl eligible, but there weren’t enough MAC bowl spots. The basketball team was okay, right up until it hit a late-season wall – losing its last four games and six of its last eight – to finish with a losing record.
111. Arizona Wildcats
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 19
Football: 5-7 overall, 4-5 in conference, T3rd in Pac-12 South
Basketball: 16-17 overall, 8-10 in conference, T8th in Pac-12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? After a great 2018 in both sports, the basketball team crashed with a losing season, and the football side started with a dud against BYU and ended with a loss to Arizona State to miss out on a bowl game.
110. USC Trojans
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 31
Football: 5-7 overall, 4-5 in conference, T3rd in Pac-12 South
Basketball: 16-17 overall, 8-10 in conference, T8th in Pac-12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? What was that? The basketball team dropped five of its last six and eight of its last 11 games for a losing season, and the football team lost its last three games and five of its last six – including to UCLA – to finish with a loser of a season, too.
NEXT UP: Good hoops, no gridiron …
Good Hoop, No Gridiron
These schools managed to miss out on both the NCAA Tournament and a bowl game. However, they at least got a winning season out of the basketball side. These schools are ranked lower because, again, football is bigger.
109. UTSA Roadrunners
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 88
Football: 3-9 overall, 2-6 in conference, 5th in C-USA West
Basketball: 17-15 overall, 11-7 in conference, T2nd in C-USA
How Was The Football/Basketball Season? An 0-5 start in basketball was too much to overcome to get into a post-season tournament, but it finished with a winning record. The football team was a massive disappointment, starting out 0-3 and losing its last six games with an offense that scored just 170 points.
108. Kent State Golden Flashes
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 107
Football: 2-10 overall, 1-7 in conference, 7th in MAC East
Basketball: 22-11 overall, 11-7 in conference, 3rd in MAC East
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It might have been a two-win football season under new head coach Sean Lewis, but there were signs of improvement after years of ugliness. The basketball team was good enough to get an invite to the CIT, but got rolled by ULM in the first round.
107. Tulsa Golden Hurricane
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 104
Football: 3-9 overall, 2-6 in conference, T5th in AAC West
Basketball: 18-14 overall, 8-10 in conference, T7 in AAC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Golden Hurricane finished with a winning record in basketball, but lost four of its last six games to miss out on anything fun. The football team never got going, starting 1-7 to entire a losing record before November.
106. UCLA Bruins
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 29
Football: 3-9 overall, 3-6 in conference, 5th in Pac-12 South
Basketball: 17-16 overall, 9-9 in conference, 7th in Pac-12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Blow off the horrendous first season in football under Chip Kelly – it was a total rebuild. Even so, going 3-9 wasn’t okay, even with a win over USC. The basketball team dropped three of its last four games leading to the firing of Steve Alford and a rocky coaching search.
105. Arkansas Razorbacks
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 87
Football: 2-10 overall, 0-8 in conference, 7th in SEC West
Basketball: 18-16 overall, 8-10 in conference, T9th in SEC
How Was The Football/Basketball Season? The Hog basketball team rallied back from a six-game losing streak to win three straight late before getting knocked out of the SEC Tournament by Florida. It was still enough to get into the NIT, where it won a game before getting knocked out by Indiana. The football team went an embarrassing 2-10 in the first year under Chad Morris.
104. Oregon State Beavers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 118
Football: 2-10 overall, 1-8 in conference, 6th in Pac-12 North
Basketball: 18-13 overall, 10-8 in conference, T4th in Pac-12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Beavers had a rough first football season under head coach Jonathan Smith, but least they ruined Colorado’s year in a shocking win. The basketball team collapsed, losing five of its last seven games to miss out on the NCAAs.
103. Akron Zips
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 79
Football: 4-8 overall, 2-6 in conference, T4th in MAC East
Basketball: 17-16 overall, 8-10 in conference, 4th in MAC East
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Just when it seemed like the football program might do something interesting – coming off a division title-winning season in 2018 and with an early win over Northwestern – it all went bye-bye. The Zips had a winning season in hoops, but couldn’t figure out hot to win on the road going 1-10.
102. UNLV Rebels
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 96
Football: 4-8 overall, 2-6 in conference, 5th in M-West West
Basketball: 17-14 overall, 11-7 in conference, T4th in Mountain West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Rebels weren’t miserable in basketball, but 17-14 isn’t good enough, leading to a coaching change to TJ Otzelberger. The football team should’ve been better than 4-8, but the D didn’t show up in the middle of the year.
101. Central Michigan Chippewas
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 51
Football: 1-11 overall, 0-8 in conference, 6th in MAC West
Basketball: 23-12 overall, 10-8 in conference, 2nd in MAC West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football season might have been a surprising dud, but it was a step back to potentially take a giant leap forward. It was a huge plus to get Jim McElwain as the head man.
100. WKU Hilltoppers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 53
Football: 3-9 overall, 2-6 in conference, T6th in C-USA East
Basketball: 20-14 overall, 11-7 in conference, T2nd in C-USA
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It wasn’t a bad year in basketball. The Hilltoppers won 20 games and did a nice job down the stretch, but it wasn’t enough to get into a tournament. The football team was a massive disappointment, going 1-9 before pulling off two late wins – and now there’s a coaching change.
99. Bowling Green Falcons
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 112
Football: 3-9 overall, 2-6 in conference, T4th in MAC East
Basketball: 22-12 overall, 12-6 in conference, 2nd in MAC East
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Falcons won 22 basketball games and finished second in the MAC East – and it didn’t lead to anything in the post-season. The football team started 1-8 on the way to a losing season and a coaching change.
98. Texas State Bobcats
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 119
Football: 3-9 overall, 1-7 in conference, 5th in Sun Belt West
Basketball: 24-10 overall, 12-6 in conference, T2nd in Sun Belt
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? At least the hoops team got into the post-season. It was the CIT, and there was a first round knockout, but it wasn’t a bad year compared to the brutal football season. The Bobcats closed out scoring seven points in each of their last three games.
97. Florida Atlantic Owls
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 65
Football: 5-7 overall, 3-5 in conference, 5th in C-USA East
Basketball: 17-16 overall, 8-10 in conference, T9th in C-USA
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Expectations were the biggest problem. The football team was supposed to be much, much better as it built off the great 2018, but … nope. It was a losing campaign. The basketball side had a winning season, but closed out with four losses in the last five games.
96. Nebraska Cornhuskers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 101
Football: 4-8 overall, 3-6 in conference, T5th in Big Ten West
Basketball: 19-17 overall, 6-14 in conference, 13th in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? This could and should all change around in a big hurry. Scott Frost’s football team will be much better soon, but 4-8 is still 4-8. There are changes in basketball even with a losing season and a not-that-bad finishing kick. However, a 2-11 stretch as 2019 kicked in was a killer.
95. Indiana Hoosiers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 102
Football: 5-7 overall, 2-7 in conference, 6th in Big Ten East
Basketball: 19-16 overall, 8-12 in conference, T8th in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Hoosiers made a run for it in hoops, winning four straight before getting knocked out of the Big Ten Tournament by Ohio State. They missed out on the NCAAs, but won two games in the NIT before getting lit up by Wichita State. The football team had a bowl game there for the taking, and blew it in a regular-season finale loss to to Purdue.
94. ULM Warhawks
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 113
Football: 6-6 overall, 4-4 in conference, 3rd in Sun Belt West
Basketball: 19-16 overall, 9-9 in conference, T6th in Sun Belt
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Warhawks got into the CIT after an okay hoops season to finish with 19 wins. But it was still a rough run in the Sun Belt after a mega-disappointment in football. The team got to six wins, but it lost its last two and was left out of the bowl picture.
93. Ole Miss Rebels
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 106
Football: 5-7 overall, 1-7 in conference, 6th in SEC West
Basketball: 20-13 overall, 10-8 in conference, T6th in SEC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Yeah, so the Rebels were rocked by Oklahoma in the first round of the NCAA Tournament – and closed out with five losses in the last six games – but at least they got there. The football team couldn’t go bowling, but losing its last five games to end with a losing season wasn’t okay.
92. Colorado Buffaloes
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 92
Football: 5-7 overall, 2-7 in conference, 6th in Pac-12 South
Basketball: 23-13 overall, 10-8 in conference, T4th in Pac-12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Buffaloes just barely missed out on the NCAAs, but they won two games in the NIT before getting rocked by Texas in the quarterfinals. The football team started 5-0 … and finished 5-7.
NEXT UP: Great in one sport, not the other
Great In One, But Not The Other
These schools had great seasons in one big sport – ending with a bowl bid in one, or the NCAA Tournament in another – but not both.
91. Vanderbilt Commodores
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 108
Football: 6-7 overall, 3-5 in conference, 6th in SEC East
Basketball: 9-23 overall, 0-18 in conference, 14th in SEC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team got to a bowl game … and lost. It was a thrilling Texas Bowl against Baylor, but it was still a losing season. That was Christmas compared to the basketball team that went winless in the SEC and lost its last 20 games.
90. Tulane Green Wave
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 111
Football: 7-6 overall, 5-3 in conference, T1st in AAC West
Basketball: 4-27 overall, 0-18 in conference, 12th in AAC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? 21 straight. The Green Wave basketball team lost its final 21 games and only managed two wins from the middle of November on. The football side managed to do something solid, winning five of its last six games including the Cure Bowl over Louisiana.
89. Western Michigan Broncos
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 90
Football: 7-6 overall, 5-3 in conference, T2nd in MAC West
Basketball: 8-24 overall, 2-16 in conference, 6th in MAC West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Yeah, the Broncos got destroyed by BYU in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and lost four of their last five games, but they still had a winning season. The basketball team went 2-17 in 2019 and finished dead last in the MAC West.
88. Cal Golden Bears
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 116
Football: 7-6 overall, 4-5 in conference, 5th in Pac-12 North
Basketball: 8-23 overall, 3-15 in conference, 12th in Pac-12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? After a rough run for a while in football, the program got to a bowl game helped by a win over USC. Try not to remember the Cheez-It Bowl loss to TCU. The basketball team lost 16 straight games before closing out winning three of the last four … and still was the worst team in the Pac-12.
87. Eastern Michigan Eagles
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 94
Football: 7-6 overall, 5-3 in conference, T2nd in MAC West
Basketball: 15-17 overall, 9-9 in conference, 3rd in MAC West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team lost in a heartbreaker of a Camellia Bowl to Georgia Southern, but it was still a fun winning season that included a stunner over Purdue. The basketball team had hope, but it it didn’t win more than two games in a row after a 3-0 start.
86. Boston College Eagles
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 55
Football: 7-5 overall, 4-4 in conference, 4th in ACC Atlantic
Basketball: 14-17 overall, 5-13 in conference, T11th in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Eagles had a great start to the football season, lost to Clemson, and that was about it. They started the season 7-2, and lost the last three games – and didn’t get a shot against Boise State in the cancelled SERVPRO First Responders Bowl. The basketball team lost six of its last eight and ten of its last 13 games.
85. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 114
Football: 7-6 overall, 5-3 in conference, 2nd in ACC Coastal
Basketball: 14-18 overall, 6-12 in conference, 10th in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was a fun football season right up until the blowout loss to Georgia and the total disaster of a Quick Lane Bowl loss to Minnesota in Paul Johnson’s final game. The hoops side didn’t help, losing seven straight in a key late stretch and closing on a 3-10 run.
84. West Virginia Mountaineers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 9
Football: 8-4 overall, 6-3 in conference, T3rd in Big 12
Basketball: 15-21 overall, 4-14 in conference, 10th in Big 12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The season was a strange one in both sports. The basketball team was a dud, but it shocked Texas Tech in the Big 12 Tournament and was able to play in the CBI. It was knocked out in the quarterfinals. The football team started out 8-1, but lost its final three games, dropped the Camping World Bowl to Syracuse, and lost head coach Dana Holgorsen to Houston, a Group of Five program.
83. Miami Hurricanes
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 8
Football: 7-6 overall, 4-4 in conference, T3rd in ACC Coastal
Basketball: 14-18 overall, 5-13 in conference, T11th in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team might have been a major disappointment, but it got to a bowl game, losing the Pinstripe to Wisconsin. The basketball season never got going – the team failed to win two in a row in 2019.
82. Liberty Flames
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: Not Ranked
Football: 6-6 overall
Basketball: 29-7 overall, 14-2 in conference, T1st in Atlantic Sun
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Flames were fantastic considering the athletic department is making a big push to make a splash in both big sports. Beating Mississippi State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament – and winning ten of the last 11 games before the tourney, including the Atlantic Sun title – was amazing. The football team won six games in its first season in the FBS world.
81. Georgia State Panthers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 28
Football: 2-10 overall, 1-7 in conference, 5th in Sun Belt East
Basketball: 24-10 overall, 13-5 in conference, 1st in Sun Belt
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The hoops team got to the NCAAs after winning the Sun Belt title, but got knocked out early in rude fashion by Houston. Whatever … it was a great run compared to the miserable football team that dropped its last seven games.
80. New Mexico State Aggies
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 27
Football: 3-9 overall
Basketball: 30-5 overall, 15-1 in conference, 1st in WAC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Aggies were SOOOOOOOOO close to knocking Auburn out of the NCAA Tournament in the first round. It was still an amazing year that finished with a WAC title and 30 wins. The football team couldn’t build on the bowl-winning 2018 campaign, reverting back to the defensive struggles a tough season.
79. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 47
Football: 8-6 overall, 7-1 in conference, 1st in C-USA East
Basketball: 11-21 overall, 8-10 in conference, T9th in C-USA
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Blue Raider basketball team lost 13 straight games in the middle of the season, and that was about it. The football team had a winning season, but it lost three of its last four games including the Conference USA title game and the New Orleans Bowl – in a rough blowout – to Appalachian State.
78. Arkansas State Red Wolves
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 84
Football: 8-5 overall, 5-3 in conference, T1st in Sun Belt West
Basketball: 13-19 overall, 7-11 in conference, 9th in Sun Belt
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Red Wolves didn’t get to the Sun Belt football championship game, and they lost a heartbreaker of a bowl game, but they still pulled off an eight-win win … and were fun. The basketball side tied for the Sun Belt West title, but lost four of their last five and seven their last ten games.
77. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 74
Football: 7-6 overall, 3-5 in conference, T5th in ACC Atlantic
Basketball: 11-20 overall, 4-14 in conference, 13th in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was a clutch campaign for the Demon Deacon football team, winning two of its last three games to get bowl eligible, and beating Memphis in the Birmingham Bowl. The basketball team wasn’t nearly as strong, losing 12 of its last 15 games in a dud of a year.
76. Oklahoma State Cowboys
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 35
Football: 7-6 overall, 3-6 in conference, T7th in Big 12
Basketball: 12-20 overall, 5-13 in conference, 9th in Big 12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? With 12 losses in the final 16 games, it was an awful year for the basketball team. The football side was fun – highlighted by a win over Texas – even it it struggled and had to work way too hard to get to a bowl game, Beating Missouri in the Liberty Bowl made up for it.
75. Louisville Cardinals
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 46
Football: 2-10 overall, 0-8 in conference, 7th in ACC Atlantic
Basketball: 20-14 overall, 10-8 in conference, T6th in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team was an epic disaster, going from being hopeful and promising, to getting rocked throughout the campaign and losing nine straight while dumping head man Bobby Petrino. The basketball team wasn’t anything special, but it got to the NCAAs – and lost to Minnesota.
74. Old Dominion Monarchs
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 65
Football: 4-8 overall, 2-6 in conference, T6th in C-USA East
Basketball: 26-9 overall, 13-5 in conference, 1st in C-USA
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Monarchs won the Conference USA basketball title and got into the NCAA Tournament, but they were rudely dismissed immediately by Purdue. The football team came up with a shocker against Virginia Tech, but that was in in a 1-6 start the team couldn’t dig out from.
73. Ohio Bobcats
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 80
Football: 9-4 overall, 6-2 in conference, T2nd in MAC East
Basketball: 14-17 overall, 6-12 in conference, 6th in MAC East
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Bobcats didn’t win the MAC football title, but they had a strong nine-win season with a dominant 27-0 Frisco Bowl win over San Diego State. The basketball side was a bomb over the second half of the year, closing out with a 3-9 run.
72. Kansas Jayhawks
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 62
Football: 3-9 overall, 1-8 in conference, 10th in Big 12
Basketball: 26-10 overall, 12-6 in conference, 3rd in Big 12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The basketball team is supposed to win the Big 12 title. That’s what it does, and in lieu of that, it has to go off in the NCAA Tournament. But the Jayhawks got knocked out by Auburn in the second round. The football team might have lost eight of its last nine games, but it led to eventually getting Les Miles.
71. Troy Trojans
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 63
Football: 10-3 overall, 7-1 in conference, T1st in Sun Belt East
Basketball: 12-18 overall, 5-13 in conference, 12th in Sun Belt
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? On the plus side, the football team had a fun year with a ten-win season and a bowl win. However, the Trojans didn’t play for the Sun Belt title, and they lost head coach Neal Brown to West Virginia. The basketball team was a disaster, finishing last in the Sun Belt and dropping ten of its last 12.
70. Stanford Cardinal
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 42
Football: 9-4 overall, 6-3 in conference, 3rd in Pac-12 North
Basketball: 15-16 overall, 8-10 in conference, T8th in Pac-12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team should’ve been better, but it still managed to win nine games including a Sun Bowl victory over Pitt. The basketball team lost five of its last six games to finish with a losing season.
69. Penn State Nittany Lions
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 30
Football: 9-4 overall, 6-3 in conference, 3rd in Big Ten East
Basketball: 14-18 overall, 7-13 in conference, T10th in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Nittany Lions lost a tough Citrus Bowl fight to Kentucky. It might not have been a massive football season, but it was still terrific. The basketball team lost eight straight in the middle of the season and couldn’t pull up out of the nosedive.
68. Boise State Broncos
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 36
Football: 12-2 overall, 7-1 in conference, T1st in M-West Mountain
Basketball: 13-20 overall, 7-11 in conference, T7th in Mountain West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Broncos lost the Mountain West football championship at home, and they saw their bowl shot against Boston College in the SERVPRO First Responders washed away by the weather. The basketball team lost nine of its last 13 games.
67. Appalachian State Mountaineers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 70
Football: 11-2 overall, 7-1 in conference, T1st in Sun Belt East
Basketball: 11-21 overall, 6-12 in conference, 10th in Sun Belt
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football and basketball teams won the same number of games. The hoops side was a Sun Belt clunker, losing seven straight in the middle of the season and seven of its last ten games. The football team won a Sun Belt title and blew out Middle Tennessee in the New Orleans Bowl.
66. Army Black Knights
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 72
Football: 11-2 overall
Basketball: 13-19 overall, 8-10 in conference, T5th in Patriot
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? What more do you want from the football team? 11 wins, a victory over Navy, and a 70-14 bowl blasting of Houston. The basketball team only won two more games than the football side, dropping nine of its last 11 games – and splitting two against Navy.
65. Pitt Panthers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 117
Football: 7-7 overall, 6-2 in conference, 1st in ACC Coastal
Basketball: 14-19 overall, 3-15 in conference, T14th in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? A 13-game losing streak paved the way to a disastrous basketball season with just three conference wins. The Panther football team closed with a thud, but it won the Coastal title and got to the ACC Championship. They lost their last three games, including the Sun Bowl to Stanford.
64. North Carolina Tar Heels
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 67
Football: 2-9 overall, 1-7 in conference, 7th in ACC Coastal
Basketball: 29-7 overall, 16-2 in conference, T1st in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The basketball team was good enough to win the national title, and it didn’t even get out of the Sweet 16. It came up with a strong regular season, but when it mattered, Duke won the ACC tournament title. The football team didn’t show up, winning just one game against an FBS team, but it was against eventual Coastal champ Pitt.
63. Texas A&M Aggies
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 23
Football: 9-4 overall, 5-3 in conference, T2nd in SEC West
Basketball: 14-18 overall, 6-12 in conference, 11th in SEC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Jimbo Fisher showed that big things are coming after closing out with four straight wins including a 52-13 win over NC State in the TaxSlayer Bowl. The basketball season might have been a dud, but it might have been a step back to take a leap forward after hiring Buzz Williams.
62. Northwestern Wildcats
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 64
Football: 9-5 overall, 8-1 in conference, 1st in Big Ten West
Basketball: 13-19 overall, 4-16 in conference, 14th in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Wasn’t Northwestern supposed to grow into a thing in basketball? Yeah … it finished last in the Big Ten, dropping 12 of its last 13 games. Pat Fitzgerald’s bunch made up for it with a Big Ten West title, an appearance in the conference title game, and a win over Utah in the Holiday Bowl.
61. Washington State Cougars
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 77
Football: 11-2 overall, 7-2 in conference, T1st in Pac-12 North
Basketball: 11-21 overall, 4-14 in conference, 11th in Pac-12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Cougars had horrible luck, playing Washington in a snowstorm with a shot at the Pac-12 football title on the line. They still finished 11-2 after beating Iowa State in the Alamo Bowl. The basketball season was a nightmare, losing six straight and 19 of the last 23 to close things out.
60. Missouri Tigers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 25
Football: 8-5 overall, 4-4 in conference, T4th in SEC East
Basketball: 15-17 overall, 5-13 in conference, 12th in SEC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was a disappointing run in basketball losing six of its last nine games for a losing campaign. The football team was okay, but the eight-win season had a bowl loss and a few disappointing misfire losses to Kentucky and South Carolina.
59. Kansas State Wildcats
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 13
Football: 5-7 overall, 3-6 in conference, T7th in Big 12
Basketball: 25-9 overall, 14-4 in conference, T1st in Big 12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Last season, the Wildcats were among the nation’s best when it came to the Hoops and Helmets world. This year? The football team missed out on a bowl game, and the basketball team saw its great regular season go bye-bye with a loss to 13-seed UC Irvine in the NCAAs.
58. Georgia Bulldogs
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 32
Football: 11-3 overall, 7-1 in conference, 1st in SEC East
Basketball: 11-21 overall, 2-16 in conference, 13th in SEC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team had a great season by almost any normal standard, but the heartbreaker in the SEC Championship to Alabama and the sluggish loss to Texas in the Sugar Bowl soured things. The basketball team didn’t help the cause with a brutal season, finishing second-to-last in the conference and losing 12 of its last 13 games
57. South Carolina Gamecocks
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 44
Football: 7-6 overall, 4-4 in conference, T4th in SEC East
Basketball: 16-16 overall, 11-7 in conference, T4th in SEC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Gamecocks collapsed late in both sports. They lost four of their last six games in basketball to close at .500. The football team lost three of its last five games, including a brutally ugly 28-0 clunker to Virginia in the Belk Bowl.
56. Northern Illinois Huskies
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 82
Football: 8-6 overall, 6-2 in conference, 1st in MAC West
Basketball: 17-17 overall, 8-10 in conference, 4th in MAC West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It’s Northern Illinois, so it lost its bowl game – getting hit by UAB 37-13 in the Boca Raton – but it pulled off a stunning win over Buffalo to take the MAC title. The basketball team had a brutal midseason stretch going 3-10, but rallied back to at least finish at .500.
55. Maryland Terrapins
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 91
Football: 5-7 overall, 3-6 in conference, 5th in Big Ten East
Basketball: 23-11 overall, 13-7 in conference, 5th in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team went through a devastating tragedy and a whole slew of coaching issues, but it still managed to beat Texas to start the season and came within a missed pass of beating Ohio State. However, it lost its last four games to miss out on a bowl. The basketball team should been a whole lot better, but it got to the second round of the NCAAs before getting knocked out by LSU.
54. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 39
Football: 12-1 overall
Basketball: 14-19 overall, 3-15 in conference, T14th in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Irish got to the College Football Playoff. It doesn’t matter that it got blown out by an epic Clemson team – it was a special football season with a whole lot of fun. The basketball team was a total disaster, losing 14 of its last 17 games.
53. Florida State Seminoles
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 16
Football: 5-7 overall, 3-5 in conference, 5th in ACC Atlantic
Basketball: 29-8 overall, 13-5 in conference, 4th in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Death, taxes, and Florida State going to a bowl game … maybe there’s hope to avoid other two. The Seminoles were a disaster in Willie Taggart’s first year, losing four of its last five games to miss out on a bowl for the first time since 1981. The basketball team won 14 of 15 games – including against Virginia – before getting knocked out of the ACC Tournament by Duke. The Noles got to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA, but lost to Gonzaga.
52. Tennessee Volunteers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 69
Football: 5-7 overall, 2-6 in conference, 6th in SEC East
Basketball: 31-6 overall, 15-3 in conference, T2nd in SEC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was almost an amazing season in both sports. The basketball team was No. 1 for a while, but came up just short in the SEC Championship game and was knocked out of the NCAAs in a heartbreaking overtime loss in the Sweet 16. The football team needed just one win in its final two games to go bowling … and lost them to finish with a losing season.
NEXT UP: Winners in both sports, but no NCAA Tournament …
Winning Seasons In Both Sports, But …
One of the two big-sport teams didn’t get to either a bowl game or the NCAA Tournament. However, a winning season matters, and these schools managed to get one in both of the major sports, or went .500 in football with a bowl appearance to go with a winning season in hoops.
51. Southern Miss Golden Eagles
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 81
Football: 6-5 overall, 5-3 in conference, T2nd in C-USA West
Basketball: 20-13 overall, 11-7 in conference, T2nd in C-USA
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? This is the one outlier – USM was the only school with a winning football team that didn’t go bowling. The Golden Eagles caught a bad break, missing out despite winning three of their last four games. The basketball team won nine of 11 games before getting knocked out of the Conference USA tournament by WKU. They were destroyed by Longwood in the first round of the CBI Tournament.
50. BYU Cougars
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 103
Football: 7-6 overall
Basketball: 19-13 overall, 11-5 in conference, T2nd in West Coast Conference
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Both teams came up with winning seasons. It might not have been special – losing to Utah and Utah State in football is never okay – but a blowout bowl win over Western Michigan, and a shocking victory over Wisconsin made it a decent campaign. The basketball team lost three of its last four games and missed out on post-season tournaments.
49. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 100
Football: 8-6 overall, 5-3 in conference, T2nd in M-West West
Basketball: 18-13 overall, 9-7 in conference, 4th in Big West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Rainbow Warriors finished with a winning season in both big sports, but they lost four of their last six games in hoops to close with a thud. The football team was fun, right up until it got blown away by Louisiana Tech in the Hawaii Bowl.
48. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 65
Football: 8-5 overall, 5-3 in conference, T2nd in C-USA West
Basketball: 20-13 overall, 9-9 in conference, 8th in C-USA
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team should’ve done more, but winning eight games and the Hawaii Bowl over Hawaii on its home turf. The basketball team came up with a winning season, but it lost six of its last 11 games and didn’t go to a tournament.
47. USF Bulls
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 78
Football: 7-6 overall, 3-5 in conference, in AAC East
Basketball: 24-14 overall, 8-10 in conference, T7th in AAC
How Was The Football/Basketball Season? Okay … so USF is the CBI champion. It’s not like winning an NCAA Tournament game, or even something in the NIT, but t-shirts will be printed. That’s solid after going 2-7 to close out the regular season. The football team won its first seven games and lost the last six, including a 38-20 clunker against Marshall in the Gasparilla Bowl.
46. Toledo Rockets
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 37
Football: 7-6 overall, 5-3 in conference, T2nd in MAC West
Basketball: 25-8 overall, 13-5 in conference, 1st in MAC West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Rockets had a strong season in both sports, even without a championship. They were a wee bit disappointing in football, especially with a Bahamas Bowl loss to FIU. The basketball team was on the NCAA bubble, but that popped in the MAC Tournament. The blowout loss to Xavier in the first round of the NIT wasn’t pretty.
45. North Texas Mean Green
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 50
Football: 9-4 overall, 5-3 in conference, T2nd in C-USA West
Basketball: 21-12 overall, 8-10 in conference, T9th in C-USA
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football season might have been a surprising dud, but it was a step back to potentially take a giant leap forward. It was a huge plus to get Jim McElwain as the head man. The basketball team won seven games in nine before getting knocked out of the MAC Tournament by Buffalo, and then in the CBI by DePaul.
44. San Diego State Aztecs
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 12
Football: 7-6 overall, 4-4 in conference, 4th in M-West West
Basketball: 21-13 overall, 11-7 in conference, T4th in Mountain West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Aztecs fell off the football map over he second half of last season – going 1-5 after starting 6-1 – including a lifeless shutout loss to Ohio in the Frisco Bowl. The basketball team won 21 games, but it didn’t get the call from a tournament after losing four of its last seven games.
43. Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 93
Football: 7-7 overall, 5-3 in conference, T1st in Sun Belt West
Basketball: 19-13 overall, 10-8 in conference, 5th in Sun Belt
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Ragin’ Cajuns got to the Sun Belt Championship and a bowl game … and lost them both. It was still a strong season, and the basketball team finished with a winning campaign. It was hard to get anything going, but 19 wins wasn’t bad.
42. Memphis Tigers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 41
Football: 8-6 overall, 5-3 in conference, T1st in AAC West
Basketball: 22-14 overall, 11-7 in conference, 5th in AAC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team might have lost the AAC title game to UCF – again – and dropped the Birmingham Bowl to Wake Forest, but it was a solid year. The basketball side rallied down the stretch to get into the NIT, but got knocked out in the second round.
41. TCU Horned Frogs
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 10
Football: 7-6 overall, 4-5 in conference, T5th in Big 12
Basketball: 23-14 overall, 7-11 in conference, T7th in Big 12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was an interesting year in both sports, but it was underwhelming. The Horned Frog football team sputtered and struggled, but rallied back to win four of its last five games, including the all-time weird Cheez-It Bowl against Cal. The hoops team lost six games in seven during a key late stretch run, but it got into the NIT. It made a nice run before losing to Texas in the semifinals.
40. FIU Golden Panthers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 85
Football: 9-4 overall, 6-2 in conference, T2nd in C-USA East
Basketball: 20-14 overall, 10-8 in conference, T6th in C-USA
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was a nice year. The football team won nine games in the second season under Butch Davis, closing out with a victory over Toledo in the Bahamas Bowl. The basketball side came up with a 20-win campaign including a victory over Texas State in the CIT, the 30-point blowout loss to UW-Green Bay to finish soured things a wee bit.
39. Georgia Southern Eagles
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 98
Football: 10-3 overall, 6-2 in conference, 3rd in Sun Belt East
Basketball: 21-12 overall, 12-6 in conference, T2nd in Sun Belt
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was a strong finish to the basketball season, right up until the Eagles dropped two of their last three games to miss out on the NCAAs. The football team turned it around in a big way from 2018 with a ten-win run and a bowl victory.
38. Marshall Thundering Herd
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 24
Football: 9-4 overall, 6-2 in conference, T2nd in C-USA East
Basketball: 23-14 overall, 11-7 in conference, T2nd in C-USA
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Thundering Herd took down the CIT. It might not be like going to the NCAAs, and it might not be the NIT, but they ended the season with a victory and got a trophy. The football team did that, too, closing out with four wins in the last five games, including a Gasparilla Bowl victory over USF.
37. NC State Wolfpack
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 14
Football: 9-4 overall, 5-3 in conference, 3rd in ACC Atlantic
Basketball: 24-12 overall, 9-9 in conference, T8th in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The 52-13 loss to Texas A&M in the TaxSlayer Bowl soured an otherwise good football season. The Wolfpack quietly came up with nine wins, but the basketball team couldn’t find anything that consistently worked over the second half of the season. An NCAA bubble team, it ended up going to the NIT and getting to the quarterfinals.
36. UAB Blazers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 54
Football: 11-3 overall, 7-1 in conference, 1st in C-USA West
Basketball: 20-15 overall, 10-8 in conference, T6th in C-USA
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The amazing story of the football team just keeps on rolling, winning 11 games with a Conference USA title and a win over Northern Illinois in the Boca Raton Bowl. the basketball team had a rough late-season run with seven losses in its last 13 games, but it still won 20 games.
35. Utah Utes
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 33
Football: 9-5 overall, 6-3 in conference, 1st in Pac-12 South
Basketball: 17-14 overall, 11-7 in conference, 3rd in Pac-12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team got to the Pac-12 Championship for the first time, but the O went nowhere in a loss to Washington before dropping the Holiday Bowl to Northwestern. The basketball season couldn’t get going, even though the team ended with a winning record.
34. Fresno State Bulldogs
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 45
Football: 12-2 overall, 7-1 in conference, 1st in M-West West
Basketball: 23-9 overall, 13-5 in conference, 3rd in Mountain West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team was amazing, shocking Boise State for the Mountain West title and rolling by Arizona State to take down the Las Vegas Bowl. The basketball team didn’t go to a tournament, but the 23 wins were strong thanks to a nice finishing kick.
33. Texas Longhorns
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 26
Football: 10-4 overall, 7-2 in conference, 2nd in Big 12
Basketball: 21-16 overall, 8-10 in conference, 6th in Big 12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team beat Oklahoma once, got to the Big 12 title game, and got by Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. More than anything else, Tom Herman seemingly has the program back on track. The basketball team might have struggled too much when it mattered, but it went on a five-game run to take the NIT.
32. Texas Tech Red Raiders
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 22
Football: 5-7 overall, 3-6 in conference, T3rd in Big 12
Basketball: 31-6 overall, 14-4 in conference, T1st in Big 12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Red Raiders didn’t do much … they just had the greatest basketball season in the school’s history on the way to the national championship game. If they beat Virginia, they get into the top ten – or they stay here in a loss – even with the losing record in football.
The great hoops run glossed over the weird football finish, losing the last five games – when all the team had to do was win one more game to go bowling. It obviously wasn’t the coaching – Kliff Kingsbury fell up to take the Arizona Cardinal gig.
31. Alabama Crimson Tide
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 1
Football: 14-1 overall, 8-0 in conference, 1st in SEC West
Basketball: 18-16 overall, 8-10 in conference, T9th in SEC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Crimson Tide had one of the greatest college football seasons of all-time, right up until it got its doors blown off by Clemson in the national championship. The basketball team was on the NCAA bubble, it was popped, and the committee was proved right when Bama lost to Norfolk State in the first round of the NIT.
NEXT UP: Post-seasons in both sports
Bowls & Buckets: Post-Seasons In Both Sports
And no, anything done in the NIT, CBI or CIT doesn’t get you on the list for the exclusive club.
These schools hold the distinction of getting both a bowl bid and an invite into the NCAA Tournament – with one big exception. If you win a national title, you get here.
Yes, a good run in the hoops tourney makes a big difference, but football is bigger overall to the bottom line. Come up with a great year in football and a good year and hoops, and it’s all good.
30. Temple Owls
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking:
Football: 8-5 overall, 7-1 in conference, 2nd in AAC East
Basketball: 23-10 overall, 13-5 in conference, T3rd in AAC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Owls had good seasons in both sports, but they didn’t come through after the regular seasons. The football team won six of its final seven games, and then got blown out by Duke in the Independence Bowl. The basketball team got knocked out of the NCAA First Four by Belmont.
29. Arizona State Sun Devils
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 52
Football: 7-6 overall, 5-4 in conference, 2nd in Pac-12 South
Basketball: 23-11 overall, 12-6 in conference, 2nd in Pac-12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was a positive season in both sports, even if both ended with a thud, The football team got to a bowl game under Herm Edwards, but lost. It beat Arizona, though, to keep it from going bowling. The basketball team got into the NCAA Tournament – Arizona didn’t do that – and found its way out of the First Four before getting blown out by Buffalo in the first round.
28. Baylor Bears
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 105
Football: 7-6 overall, 4-5 in conference, T5th in Big 12
Basketball: 20-14 overall, 10-8 in conference, 4th in Big 12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Bears might hav lost four straight basketball games to close out the regular season, but they still got into the NCAA Tournament and beat Syracuse before losing to Gonzaga in the second round. The football program bounced back from a rough run to go bowling and finish with a winning season, beating Vanderbilt in the Texas Bowl.
27. Mississippi State Bulldogs
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 40
Football: 8-5 overall, 4-4 in conference, 4th in SEC West
Basketball: 23-11 overall, 10-8 in conference, T6th in SEC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Yeah, the Bulldogs got into the NCAA Tournament, but it got bounced out in the first round by Liberty as a 5-seed. The football team might have lost to Iowa in the Outback Bowl, but it was a good first year under head coach Joe Moorhead.
26. Houston Cougars
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 21
Football: 8-5 overall, 5-3 in conference, T1st in AAC West
Basketball: 33-4 overall, 16-2 in conference, 1st in AAC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Cougar basketball team was amazing in the regular season, but it lost the AAC title game and got knocked out in the Sweet 16 by Kentucky. The football team might have won eight games and went to a bowl game, but it lost four of its last five games and got destroyed by Army 70-14 in the Armed Forces Bowl.
25. Wisconsin Badgers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 61
Football: 8-5 overall, 5-4 in conference, T2nd in Big Ten West
Basketball: 23-11 overall, 14-6 in conference, 4th in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Considering where the bar is set now for the athletic department, it was a disappointing run in both sports. The basketball team got destroyed by Oregon in the first round of the NCAAs, and while the football team won the Pinstripe Bowl over Miami, it didn’t get to the Big Ten Championship.
24. Minnesota Golden Gophers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 108
Football: 7-6 overall, 3-6 in conference, T5th in Big Ten West
Basketball: 22-14 overall, 9-11 in conference, 7th in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was a nice all-around year for Gopher sports. The football team broke the long hex against Wisconsin by taking back the Paul Bunyan Axe in a dominant win to become bowl eligible, and rocked Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl. The hoops team sputtered down the stretch, but got into the NCAA Tournament and beat Louisville in the first round.
23. Purdue Boilermakers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 11
Football: 6-7 overall, 5-4 in conference, T2nd in Big Ten West
Basketball: 26-10 overall, 16-4 in conference, T1st in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Boilermakers were a free throw away from knocking Virginia out of the NCAA Tournament, losing out in the Elite Eight. The football season was bigger than just wins and losses thanks to the heroic story of Tyler Trent. On the field, the Boilermakers beat Indiana to get bowl eligible, but got dropkicked by Auburn 63-14 in the Music City Bowl.
22. Virginia Tech Hokies
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 17
Football: 6-7 overall, 4-4 in conference, T3rd in ACC Coastal
Basketball: 26-9 overall, 12-6 in conference, 5th in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football team came up with a strange bomb of a year, getting rolled by Old Dominion and needing to pull off an amazing win over Virginia to trigger a game against Marshall for a shot to get bowl eligible, and … a loss to Cincinnati in the Military Bowl. The basketball side had a nice season, right up until it missed an alley-oop layup to get knocked out of the NCAA Sweet 16 by Duke.
21. Syracuse Orange
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 75
Football: 10-3 overall, 6-2 in conference, 2nd in ACC Atlantic
Basketball: 20-14 overall, 10-8 in conference, T6th in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The football program outplayed the basketball team? Jim Boeheim’s squad struggled late in the season losing four of its last five games and eight of the last 12, including to Baylor in the first round of the NCAAs. Dino Babers came up with a whale of a season on the football side, winning ten games including the Camping World Bowl against West Virginia.
20. Nevada Wolf Pack
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 76
Football: 8-5 overall, 5-3 in conference, T2nd in M-West West
Basketball: 29-5 overall, 15-3 in conference, T1st in Mountain West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Wolf Pack hoops team might have lost the Mountain West Championship game, and got knocked out right away by Florida in the NCAAs, but it was dominant during the regular season with a 14-0 start. The football team had a nice breakthrough year with an eight-win campaign including an Arizona Bowl win over Arkansas State.
19. Iowa State Cyclones
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 73
Football: 8-5 overall, 6-3 in conference, T3rd in Big 12
Basketball: 23-12 overall, 9-9 in conference, 5th in Big 12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was an amazing finish to the regular season for the basketball team, overcoming a rough patch to rip off three straight wins to take the Big 12 Tournament title. The loss to Ohio State in the first round of NCAAs soured things, though. The football team started 1-3, and then it all changed, winning seven of its last eight games before dropping the Alamo Bowl to Washington State in a thriller.
18. Iowa Hawkeyes
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 71
Football: 9-4 overall, 5-4 in conference, T2nd in Big Ten West
Basketball: 23-12 overall, 10-10 in conference, 6th in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was a good year for both sides. The football team overcame a few rough losses to win its final three games, including a tough one against Mississippi State in the Outback Bowl. The basketball side struggled down the stretch going five of its last six games, but it stunned Cincinnati in the first round of the NCAAs and lost a heartbreaker to Tennessee in overtime.
17. Cincinnati Bearcats
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 68
Football: 11-2 overall, 6-2 in conference, 3rd in AAC East
Basketball: 28-7 overall, 14-4 in conference, 2nd in AAC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Bearcats had huge seasons in both sports. The football team under Luke Fickell won 11 games including the Military Bowl over Virginia Tech. The basketball team was booted out of the first round of the NCAAs by Iowa, but that came after getting by Houston for the American Athletic tournament title.
16. Buffalo Bulls
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 38
Football: 10-4 overall, 7-1 in conference, 1st in MAC East
Basketball: 32-4 overall, 16-2 in conference, 1st in MAC East
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was a fantastic year in both sports, even if the football side fizzled. UB rolled to an amazing 10-2 start, but gacked away the MAC title game to Northern Illinois, and lost to Troy in the Dollar General Bowl. The basketball team dominated on the way to a MAC title, and won a game in the NCAA Tournament before getting knocked out by Texas Tech.
15. Utah State Aggies
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 86
Football: 11-2 overall, 7-1 in conference, T1st in M-West Mountain
Basketball: 28-7 overall, 15-3 in conference, T1st in Mountain West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was an amazing season for the school, winning ten straight to close out the regular season in basketball – and 17 of the last 18 – on the way to the Mountain West title. However, the Aggies were destroyed by Washington in the first round of the NCAAs. The football team was amazing, winning 11 games including a 52-13 whopper over North Texas in the New Mexico Bowl.
14. Oregon Ducks
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 49
Football: 9-4 overall, 5-4 in conference, 4th in Pac-12 North
Basketball: 25-13 overall, 10-8 in conference, T4th in Pac-12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Ducks jumped right off the NCAA basketball bubble with a Pac-12 Tournament title and ran all the way to the Sweet 16. The football team pulled off a great season under Mario Cristobal, winning nine games with a Redbox Bowl victory over Michigan State.
13. Florida Gators
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 66
Football: 10-3 overall, 5-3 in conference, T2nd in SEC East
Basketball: 20-16 overall, 9-9 in conference, 8th in SEC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Gator basketball team was a big bag of whatever … right up until it got to the NCAA Tournament and rocked Nevada. Just getting to the second round was solid. The football side bounced back from a rough run to win ten games and destroy Michigan in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
12. Duke Blue Devils
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 15
Football: 8-5 overall, 3-5 in conference, 5th in ACC Coastal
Basketball: 32-6 overall, 14-4 in conference, 3rd in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Yeah, the whole Zion thing was cute, but the Blue Devils should’ve won the national title, and they didn’t even get to the Final Four after getting knocked out by Michigan State in the Elite Eight. The ACC Tournament title – winning the best conference in college basketball – certainly mattered. The football team sputtered down the stretch, but it came up with a winning season, complete with a blowout win over Temple in the Independence Bowl.
11. Kentucky Wildcats
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 18
Football: 10-3 overall, 5-3 in conference, T2nd in SEC East
Basketball: 30-7 overall, 15-3 in conference, T2nd in SEC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The basketball team is a given, but when the bar is set at winning the national title – or at least getting to the Final Four – getting to the Elite 8 is a letdown. It was still a great year overall, though, especially coming off a shocking football season winning ten games and dropping Penn State in the Citrus Bowl.
NEXT: Hoops & Helmets Top Ten
2018-2019 Hoops & Helmets Top Ten
10. UCF Knights
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 34
Football: 12-1 overall, 8-0 in conference, 1st in AAC East
Basketball: 24-9 overall, 13-5 in conference, T3rd in AAC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Amazing. Josh Heupel kept the football fun going with another unbeaten regular season – don’t forget how much pressure was on his shoulders – with an AAC title and a trip to the Fiesta Bowl. It was a loss, but the Knights came up with a late push against LSU. The basketball team was a missed layup away from knocking out Duke in a second round NCAA Tournament classic.
9. LSU Tigers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 48
Football: 10-3 overall, 5-3 in conference, T2nd in SEC West
Basketball: 28-7 overall, 16-2 in conference, 1st in SEC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Tigers were outstanding in a fun year in both big sports. After projections of doom and gloom – or, at least, mediocrity – the football team won ten games and beat UCF in the Fiesta Bowl. The basketball side had a strong year before running into Michigan State in the Sweet 16.
8. Michigan State Spartans
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 6
Football: 7-6 overall, 5-4 in conference, 4th in Big Ten East
Basketball: 32-7 overall, 16-4 in conference, T1st in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Winning the Big Ten and getting to the Final Four was amazing no matter what, even if the Spartans were out-toughed by Texas Tech in a ten-point loss in Minneapolis. The football team wasted a special season by the defense. The lack of offense was a killer, especially int eh Redbox Bowl loss to Oregon.
7. Auburn Tigers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 5
Football: 8-5 overall, 3-5 in conference, 5th in SEC West
Basketball: 30-10 overall, 11-7 in conference, T4th in SEC West
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Tiger basketball team came within a missed double-dribble call of playing for the national title. But it was a magical and fun season with an SEC tournament title and trip to the Final Four. The football team was a disappointment, but it closed out with a 63-14 win over Purdue in the Music City Bowl.
6. Clemson Tigers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 2
Football: 15-0 overall, 8-0 in conference, 1st in ACC Atlantic
Basketball: 20-14 overall, 9-9 in conference, T8th in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Winning a national championship in football – especially with an epic blowout win over Alabama in the College Football Playoff Championship – is enough to trump just about everything else. The basketball team was hardly a clunker. It enjoyed a winning campaign with a victory in the NIT before getting knocked out by Wichita State.
That, combined with a CFP championship, was enough to get this high up. But not getting the basketball team into the NCAA Tournament keeps Clemson out of the top five.
5. Michigan Wolverines
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 4
Football: 10-3 overall, 8-1 in conference, T1st in Big Ten East
Basketball: 30-7 overall, 15-5 in conference, 3rd in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was this close to being an amazing football season. The 10-1 start was totally forgotten after losing to Ohio State and in the Peach Bowl to Florida by a combined score of 103-54 in the two games. The basketball team was No. 1 for a stretch, but it lost to Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship, and got blown out by Texas Tech in the Sweet 16.
4. Washington Huskies
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 43
Football: 10-4 overall, 7-2 in conference, T1st in Pac-12 North
Basketball: 27-9 overall, 15-3 in conference, 1st in Pac-12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? The Huskies won the Pac-12 basketball regular season title and got to the conference title game, but was bounced out of the NCAA second round by North Carolina. The football team won the Pac-12 title and got to the Rose Bowl for the first time in almost two decades, but lost to Ohio State.
3. Virginia Cavaliers
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 20
Football: 8-5 overall, 4-4 in conference, T3rd in ACC Coastal
Basketball: 33-3 overall, 16-2 in conference, T1st in ACC
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Yes, yes, yes … winning a national title in basketball and a bowl game will put Virginia up to No. 1 in this if it beats Texas Tech.
So the football team didn’t get to the ACC title game, and it lost three of its last four regular season games – including yet another painful game against Virginia Tech – but it pitched a perfect game in the 28-0 win over South Carolina in the Belk Bowl. And then there was the basketball team – it wasn’t bad. It didn’t win the ACC Tournament, but it survived and advanced its way to Monday night in early April.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 3
Football: 13-1 overall, 8-1 in conference, T1st in Big Ten East
Basketball: 20-15 overall, 8-12 in conference, T8th in Big Ten
How Was The Football/Basketball Season? Missing out on the College Football Playoff wasn’t fair – thanks, Purdue – and it was a clunky start to the campaign, but ripping out Michigan’s heart, winning the Big Ten title, and winning the Rose Bowl was amazing. The basketball team died down the regular season stretch, but it stunned Iowa State in the NCAAs before getting knocked out by Houston in the second round.
1. Oklahoma Sooners
2018 Hoops & Helmets Ranking: 7
Football: 12-2 overall, 8-1 in conference, 1st in Big 12
Basketball: 20-14 overall, 7-11 in conference, T7th in Big 12
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Remember, in this, it’s where the hoops team finished – finishing seventh in the league doesn’t matter. Alabama, Clemson and Notre Dame didn’t even make the NCAA Tournament.
Another year, another Big 12 football championship, and another Heisman. There was absolutely no shame in losing to Alabama in the Orange Bowl – at least the Sooners got to the College Football Playoff. The basketball team got off the bubble and into the NCAAs, blowing out Ole Miss in the first round but getting knocked out by Virginia in the second.
