College Football News ranks Big Ten programs by best football and basketball combined season
By and large, the two biggest money-making sports in college athletics are football and basketball. At a place like Ohio State, the football program brings funds a lot of other sports, programs, and activities of the athletic departments. Second to that is hoops, where OSU has its own significant tradition.
However, when you look across the landscape of college athletics, it’s hard to find programs like Ohio State that have a rich tradition on the gridiron and hardwood. They are out there, but historically speaking, there are not too many that hold a candle to the Buckeyes when looking at both sports.
But it’s not every year of course. Some seasons are much better than others, and there are also other programs that do well at both in any given year.
We like to follow College Football News because each season Pete Fiutak and Rich Cirminiello do a fantastic job of assessing which college programs had the best combination of football and basketball seasons by using a method they have devised.
So, how did Ohio State and all of its Big Ten brethren do this year? Who took first in the conference and who has a lot of work to do? Furthermore, where did the Buckeyes and other conference programs stack up nationally?
Let’s find out, but first, just to get some of the housekeeping out of the way, here’s how these things are assessed by two of my former colleagues at College Football News.
The Method to the Madness
From College Football News:
A few ground rules before we get started. We put the schools into four categories, with a few major exceptions.
No bowl, no NCAA Tournament, no fun. These schools had the double whammy of not being bowl eligible and not getting into the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
No bowl, NCAA Tournament. These schools might have made it into the NCAA Tournament, but they weren’t good enough on the football field to get bowl eligible.
Bowl, no NCAA Tournament. These schools were bowl eligible, but they didn’t get to play the part of the basketball season that actually matters. And finally …
Bowl, NCAA Tournament. These schools got bowl eligible – but not all of them got to play thanks to COVID issues – and danced in the hoops madness.
About those major exceptions, if you did something worthy of a t-shirt you get extra credit. That means if you won a championship of some sort – or got into the College Football Playoff or Final Four – other things are overlooked, to a point.
We mostly go by the long haul of the regular season, but the biggest games meant the most. If you’re a top basketball team and you rocked your regular season and fizzled on Thursday of the NCAAs, that matters.
A * means the school won the conference championship in football or tournament in basketball.
No. 14 - Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nov 6, 2021; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Scott Frost (right) looks onto the field during the second quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Memorial Stadium. Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
National Hoops and Helmets Ranking
No. 125 out of 130
How It All Breaks Down
Football: 3-9 overall, 1-8 in conference, T6th in Big Ten West
Basketball: 10-22 overall, 4-16 in conference, T13th in Big Ten
2021: 116 2020: 124 2019: 96 2018: 101
Category: No Bowl, No NCAAs
No. 13 - Northwestern Wildcats
Oct 16, 2021; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald looks on in the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Ryan Field. Credit: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports
National Hoops and Helmets Ranking
No. 118 out of 130
How It All Breaks Down
Football: 3-9 overall, 1-8 in conference, T6th in Big Ten West
Basketball: 15-16 overall, 7-13 in conference, T10th in Big Ten
2021: 36 2020: 129 2019: 62 2018: 64
Category: No Bowl, No NCAAs
No. 12 - Indiana Hoosiers
Feb 21, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (23) reacts as time winds down in overtime against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena. Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
National Hoops and Helmets Ranking
No. 90 out of 130
How It All Breaks Down
Football: 2-10 overall, 0-9 in conference, in Big Ten East
Basketball: 20-13 overall, 9-11 in conference, 9th in Big Ten
2021: 38 2020: 27 2019: 95 2018: 102
Category: No Bowl, NCAA Tournament
No. 11 - Minnesota Golden Gophers
Nov 30, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck leads the Minnesota Golden Gophers onto the field before a game against the Wisconsin Badgers at TCF Bank Stadium. Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
National Hoops and Helmets Ranking
No. 79 out of 130
How It All Breaks Down
Football: 9-4 overall, 6-3 in conference, 6-3 in Big Ten West
Basketball: 13-17 overall, 4-16 in conference, T13th in Big Ten
2021: 110 2020: 42 2019: 24 2018: 108
Category: Bowl Game, No NCAAs
No. 10 - Penn State Nittany Lions
Oct 23, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Rasheed Walker (53) and linebacker Jesse Luketa (40) and safety Jaquan Brisker (1), and safety Jonathan Sutherland (0) walk on the field for the coin flip prior to the game Illinois Fighting Illini at Beaver Stadium. Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
National Hoops and Helmets Ranking
No. 72 out of 130
How It All Breaks Down
Football: 7-6 overall, 4-5 in conference, 4th in Big Ten East
Basketball: 14-17 overall, 7-13 in conference, T10th in Big Ten
2021: 112 2020: 8 2019: 69 2018: 30
Category: Bowl Game, No NCAAs
No. 9 - Maryland Terrapins
Feb 6, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Maryland Terrapins guard Eric Ayala (5) dribbles past Ohio State Buckeyes guard Jamari Wheeler (55) during the first half at Value City Arena. Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
National Hoops and Helmets Ranking
No. 70 out of 130
How It All Breaks Down
Football: 7-6 overall, 3-6 in conference, 5th in Big Ten East
Basketball: 15-17 overall, 7-13 in conference, T10th in Big Ten
2021: 39 2020: 82 2019: 55 2018: 91
Category: Bowl Game, No NCAAs
No 8 - Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois guard Andre Curbelo, left, goes up to shoot in front of teammate center Kofi Cockburn, center, and Ohio State forward Zed Key during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, March 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)
National Hoops and Helmets Ranking
No. 60 out of 130
How It All Breaks Down
Football: 5-7 overall, 4-5 in conference, 5th in Big Ten West
Basketball: 23-10 overall, 15-5 in conference, T1st in Big Ten
2021: 44 2020: 26 2019: 119 2018: 125
Category: No Bowl, NCAA Tournament
No. 7 - Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Feb 9, 2022; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Geo Baker (0) moves to the basket as Ohio State Buckeyes forward E.J. Liddell (32) defends during the second half at Jersey Mike’s Arena. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
National Hoops and Helmets Ranking
No. 53 out of 130
How It All Breaks Down
Football: 5-8 overall, 2-7 in conference, 5th in Big Ten East
Basketball: 18-14 overall, 12-8 in conference, T4th in Big Ten
2021: 72 2020: 86 2019: 124 2018: 124
Category: Bowl Game, NCAA Tournament
No. 6 - Wisconsin Badgers
Jan. 23, 2021; Madison, Wisconsin; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard watches his team in the game with the Ohio State Buckeyes during the first half at the Kohl Center. Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports
National Hoops and Helmets Ranking
No. 24 out of 130
How It All Breaks Down
Football: 9-4 overall, 6-3 in conference, T2nd in Big Ten West
Basketball: 25-8 overall, 15-5 in conference, T1st in Big Ten
2021: 17 2020: 4 2019: 25 2018: 61
Category: Bowl Game, NCAA Tournament
No. 5 - Ohio State Buckeyes
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 01: C.J. Stroud #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates with the trophy after defeating the Utah Utes 48-45 in the Rose Bowl Game at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 01, 2022, in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
National Hoops and Helmets Ranking
No. 14 out of 130
How It All Breaks Down
Football: 11-2 overall, 8-1 in conference, T1st in Big Ten East
Basketball: 20-12 overall, 12-8 in conference, T4th in Big Ten
2021: 2 2020: 6 2019: 3 2018: 3
Category: Bowl Game, NCAA Tournament
No. 4 - Michigan State Spartans
Oct 9, 2021; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back Kenneth Walker III (9) carries the ball past Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive lineman Ifeanyi Maijeh (88) during the first half at SHI Stadium. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
National Hoops and Helmets Ranking
No. 13 out of 130
How It All Breaks Down
Football: 11-2 overall, 7-2 in conference, 3rd in Big Ten East
Basketball: 23-13 overall, 11-9 in conference, T7th in Big Ten
2021: 89 2020: 20 2019: 8 2018: 6
Category: Bowl, NCAA Tournament
No. 3 - Purdue Boilermakers
Purdue head coach Matt Painter reacts during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022, at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette. Credit: USA TODAY Sports Network
National Hoops and Helmets Ranking
No. 8 out of 130
How It All Breaks Down
Football: 9-4 overall, 6-3 in conference, T2nd in Big Ten West
Basketball: 29-8 overall, 14-6 in conference, 3rd in Big Ten
2021: 50 2020: 109 2019: 23 2018: 11
Category: Bowl Game, NCAA Tournament
No. 2 - Iowa Hawkeyes
Feb 19, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffrey during the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena. Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
National Hoops and Helmets Ranking
No. 6 out of 130
How It All Breaks Down
Football: 10-4 overall, 7-2 in conference, 1st in Big Ten West
Basketball: 26-10 overall, 12-8 in conference, T4th in Big Ten*
2021: 16 2020: 21 2019: 18 2018: 71
Category: Bowl Game, NCAA Tournament
No. 1 - Michigan Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97), linebacker Michael Barrett (23), and defensive back Vincent Gray (4) celebrate behind Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) during the fourth quarter of the NCAA football game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Credit: USA TODAY Sports Network
National Hoops and Helmets Ranking
No. 3 out of 130
How It All Breaks Down
Football: 12-2 overall, 8-1 in conference, T1st in Big Ten East*
Basketball: 19-15 overall, 11-9 in conference, T7th in Big Ten
2021: 25 2020: 24 2019: 5 2018: 4
Category: Bowl Game, NCAA Tournament
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