Top football/basketball combos
The final college football polls/rankings are in. Alabama claimed the national title with a decisive 21-0 victory over LSU Monday night.
The most recent college basketball polls have been cast. Syracuse ranks No. 1 while Kentucky and North Carolina sit at Nos. 2 and 3.
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Now, let's combine the two. Which schools currently offer the best one-two punch in football and basketball during the 2011-12 school year? There are just 11 teams that finished the football season receiving AP votes while currently garnering votes in this week's AP basketball poll.
Combining the two AP polls (since there are no BCS basketball rankings), the Baylor Bears of the Big 12 and Michigan State of the Big Ten currently sit atop the chart.
The Bears finished 10-3 in football (No. 13) and rank No. 4 this week with an unblemished 16-0 mark on the hardwood. The Spartans were 11-3 in football (No. 11) and currently rank No. 6 in basketball with a 15-2 record.
Michigan is a relatively close third. The Wolverines capped their 2011 comeback football season with a bowl victory over Virginia Tech to finish 11-2 and ranked No. 12. The Michigan basketball team was the No. 13-ranked team in the country this week with a 14-3 mark.
No. 4 on our list is Alabama (12-1), the college football national champion while currently sitting No. 27 in the most recent AP basketball poll with a 13-3 record.
The Big 12's second entry is Kansas State. The Wildcats claimed an unexpected No. 15 ranking this season in football, finishing 10-3. The basketball team fell to 1-2 in conference play this week, but ranked No. 18 beginning the week and has a 12-3 overall record.
The third ranked Big Ten team in football and basketball is Wisconsin. The Badgers claimed the No. 10 spot in football (11-3) and ranked No. 26 in basketball this week after a bit of a dip in league play. They are 13-5 overall, 2-3 in the Big Ten.
Missouri of the Big 12 grabbed the No. 7 spot in the combo ranking this week. The Tigers were the 29th rated team in football (8-5) while sporting one of the early-season powers in basketball. Missouri is rated No. 9 this week with a 15-1 record.
Arkansas (SEC), Stanford (Pac 12), West Virginia (Big East) and Virginia (ACC) round out the 11 schools ranked in football and basketball.
TOP 11 FOOTBALL/BASKETBALL COMBOS (Jan. 9, 2012)
Baylor (Big 12) - No. 13 football, No. 4 basketball (17)
Michigan State (Big Ten) - No. 11 football, No. 6 basketball (17)
Michigan (Big Ten) - No. 12 football, No. 13 basketball (25)
Alabama (SEC) - No. 1 football, No. 27 basketball (28)
Kansas State (Big 12) - No. 15 football, No. 18 basketball (33)
Wisconsin (Big Ten) - No. 10 football, No. 26 basketball (36)
Missouri (Big 12) - No. 29 football, No. 9 basketball (38)
Arkansas (SEC) - No. 5 football, No. 34 basketball (39)
Stanford (Pac 12) - No. 7 football, No. 35 basketball (42)
West Virginia (Big East) - No. 17 football, No. 29 basketball (46)
Virginia (ACC) - No. 34 football, No. 16 basketball (50)
Of course, with any ranking, especially one as unscientific as this, one can make an argument for football programs that didn't finish the season ranked, but had decent seasons and have a basketball program currently ranked.
Combos that fall into this category include:
• Syracuse (5-7 in football, No. 1 in basketball)
• Kentucky (5-7 in football, No. 2 in basketball)
• North Carolina (7-6 in football, No. 3 in basketball)
• Ohio State (6-7 in football, No. 5 in basketball)
• Louisville (7-6 in football, No. 14 in basketball)
• Florida (7-6 in football, No. 19 in basketball)
• Mississippi State (7-6 in football, No. 20 in basketball)
• San Diego State (8-5 in football, No. 22 in basketball)
• Vanderbilt (6-7 in football, No. 28 in basketball)
• Illinois (7-6 in football, No. 33 in basketball)
• Iowa State (6-7 in football, No. 38 in basketball)
• Connecticut (5-7 in football, No. 17 in basketball)
Programs ranked in football with winning records in basketball include:
• LSU (No. 2 in football at 13-1, 11-5 in basketball);
• Oklahoma State (No. 3 in football at 12-1, 9-7 in basketball)
• Oregon (No. 4 in football at 12-2, 12-5 in basketball)
• Boise State (No. 8 in football at 12-1, 10-5 in basketball)
• South Carolina (No. 9 in football at 11-2, 8-8 in basketball)
• TCU (No. 14 in football at 11-2, 10-5 in basketball)
• Oklahoma (No. 16 in football at 10-3, 10-5 in basketball)
• Georgia (No. 19 in football at 10-4, 9-7 in basketball)
• Southern Mississippi (No. 20 in football at 12-2, 15-3 in basketball)
• Virginia Tech (No. 21 in football at 11-3, 11-5 in basketball)
• Clemson (No. 22 in football at 10-4, 9-7 in basketball)
• Florida State (No. 23 in football at 9-4, 10-6 in basketball)
• Nebraska (No. 24 in football at 9-4, 9-7 in basketball)
• Cincinnati (No. 25 in football at 10-3, 13-4 in basketball)
• Brigham Young (No. 26 in football at 10-3, 14-4 in basketball)
• Auburn (No. 27 in football at 8-5, 10-6 in basketball)
• Texas (No. 30 in football at 8-5, 12-4 in basketball)
• Rutgers (No. 31 in football at 9-4, 10-7 in basketball)
